The Calgary Flames continued their impressive performance on home ice Saturday night by beating the Vegas Golden Knights 6-3 at the Scotiabank Saddledome during Hockey Night in Canada.
Mikael Backlund led with two goals, while Connor Zary and Mackenzie Weegar each contributed three assists. Notably, Weegar achieved the 200th assist milestone in his NHL career. Other scorers for Calgary included Ryan Romberg, Adam Klapka, Joel Farabee, and Jonathan Huberdeau. Devin Cooley made an important contribution by stopping 34 shots, securing Calgary’s fourth win of the season.
The Flames launched an aggressive start, taking control early in a highly anticipated matchup. At 3:54, Zary created a rebound opportunity that Backlund converted for his eighth goal of the season. Calgary then extended their lead at 8:42 when Jan Kuznetsov’s point shot was deflected by Klapka past Vegas’ goalie Akira Schmidt, putting the Flames up 2-0.
Vegas answered back at 10:02 when Riley Smith scored on just the Knights’ third shot of the game. Calgary quickly regained momentum at 15:45 as Zary intercepted a pass and assisted Romberg on a breakaway to restore the two-goal lead. A fight ensued shortly after between Romberg and Jeremy Lauzon, energizing the home crowd. By the end of the first period, Calgary strongly outshot Vegas 12-6.
The second period saw a steady pace, with Backlund scoring his second goal at 8:38 off a pass from Weegar, marking Weegar’s 200th NHL assist and extending Calgary’s lead to 5-1. Vegas managed to score again at 14:34 via Kaden Korczak, making it 5-2.
In the third period, the Golden Knights intensified pressure with a 21-5 shot advantage, and Mark Stone narrowed the gap to 5-3 with a power-play goal. However, with the Vegas net empty in a final bid, Huberdeau sealed the game by scoring into the open net for Calgary.
Hunter Buzstevic continues to show comfort and maturity at the NHL level in his fifth game since being called up, coming close to scoring his first goal with a notable shot off the post. Zary and Weegar both had outstanding performances with three assists each, while Captain Backlund’s two goals underscored his leadership. Backlund reflected, “We made some good plays, but we just tried to put the puck toward the net. Of course, it feels good to score a goal and help your team win.”
Romberg commented on his fight with Lauzon, “(Lauzon) hit Matty (Coronato) pretty well a few shifts ago… It worked out in a way that he scored before he had a chance to ask him (to play).” Weegar modestly downplayed his milestone, saying, “I think I got more praise for the plus-2 than for my 200th assist tonight…(Backlund) scored his 200th assist and I have a lot of respect for the Bucs, so it was definitely a great moment.”
Fan Take: This game highlights the depth and determination of the Calgary Flames as they build momentum early in the season. For hockey fans, seeing young talent like Buzstevic step up alongside seasoned leaders like Backlund showcases a promising future for the team and an exciting narrative for the sport moving forward.
