Mika Zibanejad ended his goal drought in style on Wednesday night, scoring twice as the New York Rangers beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. It was the Rangers’ fourth win in five games, and it came in the final season the Flames will play at the Saddledome.
Zibanejad had gone seven games without a goal since 22 October, but he wasted no time in Calgary. He opened the scoring 59 seconds into the second period, skating around defenceman Joel Hanley and behind the net before banking the puck off goaltender Devin Cooley’s right leg and in. He added his second of the night later in the period to give New York breathing room.
Korpisalo stands tall in goal
Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves for the Rangers, who bounced back from a 3-1 loss at Edmonton on Monday. Alexis Lafreniere added two assists for New York, which improved to 11-8-1 on the season.
Adam Klapka scored Calgary’s only goal, a power-play marker at 7:41 of the third period that cut the lead to 2-1 and briefly gave the home crowd hope. But Tye Kartye sealed the result with an empty-net goal at 19:53, and the Flames fell to 8-10-1, finishing their three-game homestand at 1-1-1.
A streak to build on
Zibanejad now has a four-game point streak, with two goals and four assists over that span, and the Rangers will hope his rediscovered scoring touch sparks a longer run. Cooley made 21 saves in the Calgary net but could not stop New York from controlling long stretches of the game.
For the Flames, the loss continues a frustrating stretch at home as the club counts down its final months at the Saddledome. The Rangers, meanwhile, head on with momentum and a goaltender in Korpisalo who looks increasingly settled between the pipes.
It has been a big week for Canadian teams on home ice — the Avalanche handed the Maple Leafs a 6-3 loss in Toronto and the Wild edged the Canadiens 2-1 in overtime in Montreal — and the Flames now join the list of home teams beaten this week.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.