Elias Lindholm’s 3-point night helps Flames defeat Blue Jackets
Elias Lindholm had a goal and two assists to help the Calgary Flames to their seventh straight win, defeating the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2 on Tuesday night.
Tyler Toffoli scored in his team debut for Calgary, which moved past the Vegas Golden Knights and into first place in the Pacific Division.
Erik Gudbranson, Matthew Tkachuk, Dillon Dube and Adam Ruzicka also scored, and Dan Vladar made 18 saves for the Flames, who host the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
Adam Boqvist and Zach Werenski scored, and Elvis Merzlikins made 35 saves for the Blue Jackets, who had won three in a row and five of six.
The Flames took a 1-0 lead at 2:10 of the first period.
Gudbranson took a slap shot from the point and it sailed through traffic and between the pads of Merzlikins for his 24th goal in his 609th NHL game.
The Blue Jackets extended the lead to 2-0 at 16:30 of the first.
Lindholm was credited with the goal after his centering pass was swept into the Columbus goal by Blue Jackets defenseman Andrew Peeke.
Lindholm has a goal in five straight games and a seven-game point streak (five goals, five assists).
The Blue Jackets cut the lead to 2-1 at 17:50 of the first.
Patrik Laine led a 3-on-2 rush but nearly whiffed on his shot from the slot. The puck went to Boqvist at his side and he scored on a one-timer.
The assist extended Laine’s point streak to seven games (seven goals, six assists).
The Flames re-established a two-goal lead when Tkachuk scored at 15:44 of the second period.
Lindholm initiated the goal when he intercepted a clearance pass. He fed the puck to Tkachuk, who got it back from Johnny Gaudreau and scored for a 3-1 lead.
Dube scored short-handed to make it 4-1 with 47 seconds left in the second period.
Ruzicka made it 5-1 at 6:39 of the third.
Werenski came back with a goal to make it 5-2 at 8:08, but Toffoli scored for Calgary to push the lead to 6-2 at 11:04.
Toffoli was traded from the Montreal Canadiens on Monday.
–Field Level Media