Newark, NJ—-Jacob Markstrom’s stellar performance with 37 saves, backed by strong offensive contributions from Connor Zary and Andrew Mangiapane, led the Calgary Flames to a 5-3 victory against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night, marking their third consecutive win.
Mikael Backlund, Kevin Rooney, and Andrei Kuzmenko also found the net for Calgary, following their recent 4-1 win against Boston, kicking off a successful four-game road trip that includes matchups against New York and New Jersey teams.
Coach Ryan Huska praised Markstrom’s exceptional form, describing it as the best he’s seen during his tenure. Markstrom’s solid performance has been instrumental in the Flames’ recent winning streak, propelling them forward after a challenging four-game slump.
Ondrej Palat led the Devils’ offense with two goals, while Nico Hischier also contributed a goal. Jesper Bratt showcased his playmaking skills with three assists for New Jersey.
The scoring opened with Palat’s goal in the first period, but Backlund swiftly equalized for the Flames. Rookie Connor Zary put Calgary in the lead in the second period, extending their advantage further with goals from Rooney and Kuzmenko in the third.
Although Hischier narrowed the gap with a goal for the Devils, Calgary maintained control, ultimately securing the win with Mangiapane’s empty-net goal.
Despite New Jersey’s efforts, they fell short, leaving them five points away from a wild-card playoff spot.
Notably, Devils’ center Jack Hughes returned to action after an 11-game absence due to injury, registering four shots on goal.
In other highlights, Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau celebrated his 800th career game, while former Devil Yegor Sharangovich made his first appearance as a visitor in New Jersey since being traded to Calgary last June.
Looking ahead, the Devils will face the Carolina Hurricanes, while the Flames will take on the New York Islanders in their upcoming matchups.
