The Calgary Flames continued their road dominance with a strong first period, powered by Andrew Mangiapane’s two goals, leading them to a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
Milan Lucic, Elias Lindholm, and Matthew Tkachuk also scored for the Flames, now winning four straight games. Calgary’s backup goalie, Dan Vladar, made 27 saves to secure the victory.
“We capitalized on our early chances, and that set the tone for the game,” said Mangiapane, who scored twice in Calgary’s 5-1 win over the New York Rangers the night before. “We knew we had to start strong and get our legs going.”
Pavel Zacha scored twice, and Dawson Mercer scored a goal for the Devils. Rookie goalie Nico Daws, making his second career start, allowed three goals on seven shots before being replaced by Scott Wedgewood, who finished with 20 saves.
“We lost too many battles, and our 50-50 efforts weren’t there,” said Devils coach Lindy Ruff. “We made too many mistakes, and they took advantage.”
The Flames have won all four games on their current road trip, which concludes Thursday in Pittsburgh. The Devils finished their season-opening five-game homestand with a 3-2 record.
“We played well against a young team that hasn’t hit the road yet,” said Flames coach Darryl Sutter.
Calgary had defeated New Jersey seven straight times, with their previous meeting dating back to November 2019, when the Flames won 5-2 in Calgary. The Flames have also gone 3-0-0 against Metropolitan Division teams this season and remain undefeated in games against Eastern Conference opponents.
“We’re learning how to play the right way,” added Sutter. “This team is working hard, playing together, and doing things right.”
Lucic scored at 6:35 of the first period, finishing off a pass from defenseman Eric Gudbranson. Mangiapane doubled the lead at 10:08 with an unassisted goal, and Lindholm made it 3-0 on the power play at 12:10.
At that point, Daws was replaced on the net by Wedgewood. Despite the rough start, Ruff did not blame the young goalie for the early deficit.
“You can’t criticize the goalie when you give up a breakaway so early in the game,” Ruff said.
Mangiapane added his second game goal shortly after Wedgewood came in, giving the Flames a 4-0 lead at 12:56. The 25-year-old forward credited his teammates for his recent scoring success.
“My teammates are finding me in good spots,” Mangiapane said. “Getting the goals is great, but the two points matter most.”
The Devils responded with Zacha’s first goal of the game at 7:01 of the second period, but Tkachuk restored Calgary’s four-goal lead with a power-play goal at 11:18 of the third. Mercer scored for New Jersey at 11:51, followed by Zacha’s second goal on the power play at 16:59 to complete the scoring.
“We didn’t compete in those first few shifts, and teams like Calgary will make you pay,” Zacha said. “We left our goalie without much help.”
Vladar earned his second win of the season for Calgary.
Lucic, who won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011, expressed his confidence in the Flames’ potential this season.
“We’ve added some veteran guys, and we’re doing a great job playing as a team,” Lucic said. “That’s what good teams do, and we need to keep building on that.”
WELCOME BACK
The Devils honored Flames forward Blake Coleman with a video tribute early in the first period. Coleman, a fan favorite during his four seasons with New Jersey, was traded to Tampa Bay in February 2020, where he won two Stanley Cups. He signed with Calgary in July.
SCRATCHES
The Devils were without forward Jack Hughes, who is sidelined with an upper-body injury. New Jersey also scratched goaltender Jonathan Bernier, forward Marian Studenic, and defenseman Christian Jaros. Calgary scratched forward Brad Richardson and defensemen Nikita Zadorov and Michael Stone.
UP NEXT
- Flames: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night to conclude their five-game road trip.
- Devils: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.
