Elias Lindholm, Flames extend streaks in win over Ducks

Elias Lindholm scored twice and added an assist, extending his goal streak to six games as the Calgary Flames beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Wednesday night for their eighth straight victory.

For the Pacific Division-leading Flames, it’s their longest winning streak since rattling off 10 in a row in 2016-17, which is tied for the franchise record. They’ve outscored their opponents 37-13 during the streak.

"It feels good," said Lindholm, who has seven goals and six assists during an eight-game point streak. "Obviously when you’re winning, it’s easier to come to the rink. You’re having fun and everything seems easy."

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Dillon Dube, Andrew Mangiapane, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk also scored for Calgary (28-13-6). Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson had a career-best three points with three assists.

Gaudreau, who had two assists, also pushed his point streak to eight games.

Lindholm took a double minor for high-sticking in the opening minute.

"It’s tough to go in the box for four minutes, but the guys did an awesome job," he said. "Obviously, if they score on there, it’s a different game. But now we got some momentum out of it, so that was good."

Adding to that early challenge was that Lindholm is one of the club’s primary penalty killers.

"Our killers did an awesome job," Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. "That’s for sure the difference in the game. They’re a fresh team and we’re not coming into the night, so the lead is really important in a game like tonight."

The Flames have also won eight in a row at home, outscoring visitors 41-10. Their seven-game homestand continues Saturday when they host expansion Seattle in Mark Giordano’s return.

"We just play, follow the system, and everyone’s buying in," Lindholm said. "We just do the same things over and over again and eventually the teams are wearing out and we take over the games."

Sonny Milano and Isac Lundestrom scored for Anaheim (23-18-9), which opened a three-game trip through Western Canada. It was only the second game this month for the Ducks.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 26 shots for the Flames. He made his 13th start in the last 14 games and improved to 21-10-5.

"That is an excellent hockey team. They’re heavy. They can score. They can hurt you a number of different ways," Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said.

Anaheim starter John Gibson was replaced by Anthony Stolarz halfway through the second period after giving up four goals on 20 shots. He fell to 15-11-8.

"I’m big on odds and percentages. The chances that we were going to come back were low, so I’d rather have him rested and ready for tomorrow," Eakins said.

After Milano’s goal 1:35 into the second made it 2-1, Lindholm restored the two-goal cushion on a nifty individual effort. As he skated through the neutral zone, he banked the puck off the side boards in the Ducks zone and then chased after it, stepping around defenseman Greg Pateryn to collect the puck and then quickly put a shot into the top corner.

The Flames made it 4-1 just 41 seconds later when the power play made it two straight conversions on Tkachuk’s 23rd goal.

Calgary finished 2 for 5 on the power play, while its third-ranked penalty kill went 5 for 5.

"I know for me personally, I had a few blocked, maybe forced a pass or two that I didn’t need to," Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. "It just didn’t go in for certain opportunities. I think that’s just frustrating in a game like tonight. We could feel that during the game. Every chance we got a power play was a big chance to maybe get the game back in our hands and we weren’t able to pull through."

Anaheim got a short-handed goal 4:26 into the third to get back within two, but the Flames scored twice late to finish it off.

NOTES: Gaudreau’s two assists gave him 367 in his career, moving him past Giordano for fifth place in Flames history. ... Mikael Backlund played his 791st career game, tying Theo Fleury for fifth in Flames history.

UP NEXT

Ducks: At the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in the second of a three-game trip.

Flames: Host the Seattle Kraken on Saturday in the sixth game of a seven-game homestand.