Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and Jacob Markstom collected his league-high sixth shutout of the season as the visiting Calgary Flames dominated the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 6-0 win on Wednesday.
Mikael Backlund, Andrew Mangiapane, Elias Lindholm and Erik Gudbranson also scored for the Flames, who fired a franchise-record 62 shots on goal. The last time a NHL team registered at least that many shots in a regulation game occurred in March 1989.
Markstrom made 23 saves for his 14th career shutout.
Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau collected three assists, giving him 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in a six-game point streak. Tkachuk has notched 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in a six-game run. Calgary has won its past two games by a combined score of 13-1.
Elvis Merzlikins stopped 56 shots for the Blue Jackets, who have lost three straight games and are on a 6-15-1 slide.
Backlund snapped his 18-game goal-scoring slump with his fifth of the season at the 4:21 mark of the first period. Taking advantage of a turnover at his own blue line, Backlund raced away on a rush and slapped a shot from the top of the left circle that found the mark.
Mangiapane continued his road-warrior ways at 15:14 of the second period by deflecting a point shot for his 19th goal of season. Mangiapane has scored 18 of those on the road, which ties Jarome Iginla and Gary Roberts for the most road goals through the first 24 road games in a single Flames season.
Tkachuk scored his first of the game with 5.2 seconds left in the middle frame. He was sprung by Gaudreau for an odd-man rush, and after eluding a diving defender, Tkachuk whipped a short-side wrister.
The Flames didn’t stop there, as Lindholm extended the lead 30 seconds into the third period. Gaudreau eluded a check attempt by nearly every defender before he slid a pass that gave Lindholm a tap-in tally for his 14th of the campaign.
Gudbranson notched his first of the season and first in 61 games at 6:55 of the third. He converted a point shot off a faceoff win.
Tkachuk notched his second of the night, and 20th of the season, 41 seconds later when he chipped home a highlight-reel-worthy, backhanded, cross-ice pass from Gaudreau.
–Field Level Media