Oilers stomp Flames to put quick end to Sutter's honeymoon in Calgary
Donna Spencer | The Canadian Press | Posted: March 18, 2021 4:51 AM | Last Updated: March 18, 2021
McDavid, Draisaitl record 3 points each to hand new Flames coach 1st loss of season
The NHL's top two scorers helped unleash the Edmonton Oilers' firepower in a 7-3 romp Wednesday over the host Calgary Flames.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists, and Leon Draisaitl assisted on three goals for Edmonton (19-13-0).
McDavid tops the league's scoring race with 56 points followed by teammate Draisaitl with 49.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jesse Puljujarvi, Dominik Kahun, Darnell Nurse, Zack Kassian and Alex Chiasson also scored for the Oilers, who avoided a third straight loss.
Defenceman Tyson Barrie had a career-high four assists, and Mike Smith made 30 saves for the win.
"It's pretty incredible the skill we have on this team," Barrie said. "It's world-class, as good as it gets."
Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund and Johnny Gaudreau replied for the Flames (14-13-3), who lost their first game under Darryl Sutter since he took over as head coach.
Geoff Ward was fired March 4. The Flames won three in a row with Sutter behind the bench, but the wheels fell off Wednesday when Calgary trailed 7-1 midway through the third period.
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Jacob Markstrom turned away 23-of-30 shots in the loss. Sutter said he never considered pulling his starter for David Rittich.
"Not for one shift, second, minute, anything," Sutter said. "Every team I've ever coached, I do not pull the goalie.
"I believe they fight their way out of it just like everybody else. It's basically a trust thing because I think he's an awesome goalie. But he has to be able to battle too."
Edmonton ranks third in the North Division, and leads the season series against Calgary 4-2 with four games remaining.
The Flames were three points back of the Montreal Canadiens, which held down the fourth and final playoff spot.
Calgary trailed in a game for the first time under Sutter. The Oilers scored three consecutive goals before the Flames responded.
The Oilers poured four goals into Calgary's net in a span of just under seven minutes to start the third period.
Calgary hadn't allowed a power-play goal in five straight games, but gave up three Wednesday.
"It's three-one going into the third and we feel like we have a chance," Flames captain Mark Giordano said.
"We take two penalties and they score on both and it's five-one. They're sitting back and waiting for us to get through them. You can't play open against a team like that, that has that much skill."
Gaudreau scored a power-play goal and Backlund also scored late in the third period to make the score less lopsided.
Kassian played his first game since breaking his hand in a fight Feb. 8 and produced Edmonton's seventh goal at 8:38.
"It's crazy how momentum swings once the big guys take over," Kassian said. "It just trickles down the lineup. From top to bottom, we were solid tonight from Smitty on out."
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McDavid rushed the puck deep into Calgary's zone and fed Nurse for the defenceman to beat Markstrom glove side at 5:55.
Chiasson tipped a Nugent-Hopkins shot home at 3:44. Barrie at the point passed to McDavid, whose quick -release wrist shot beat Markstrom between the pads at 1:50.
"When you're playing against Connor McDavid, especially when you're trailing, when you chase the game and you give chances, and play that run-and-gun style, he's sniffing for blood," Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk said.
Tkachuk circling from behind the net sent a goal-mouth pass across to Lindholm to finish at 9:04 of the second period. Kahun roofed a between-the-legs pass from Draisaitl 25 seconds earlier.
The visitors led 2-0 on Puljujarvi's power-play goal at 7:22 of the first period. He redirected a Barrie shot from the point between Markstrom's pads.
McDavid turned a Milan Lucic defensive-zone turnover into a goal at 4:39 of the first period. McDavid dished the puck across to Nugent-Hopkins to shovel over a diving Markstrom.
The Oilers have a quick turnaround facing the Winnipeg Jets at home on Thursday. The Flames head to Toronto for back-to-back games against the division-topping Maple Leafs starting Friday.