RECAP: Blackhawks Fall to Flames, 5-2

The Blackhawks fell to the Calgary Flames on Monday night at home, 5-2, climbing back into the game late before a pair of empty-net goals from the visitors to seal the deal.
Tyler Johnson and Alec Regula scored the goals for Chicago -- Regula's first in the NHL. Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves in the loss.

POSTGAME LINKS
GAMECENTER: CHI vs. CGY
ANALYSIS: Regula Nets First NHL Goal as Blackhawks Fall to Flames
HIGHLIGHTS: Blackhawks vs. Flames
GALLERY: Blackhawks vs. Flames
BLACKHAWK OF THE GAME: After allowing three goals on the first 12 shots, including a pair of tipped tallies in front, Lankinen finished the game a perfect 21-for-21 as Chicago attempted to claw back into the contest.
STAT OF THE NIGHT: Regula's first NHL tally was the third straight game Chicago had a goal scored by a defenseman, tying a season high for consecutive games with goals from blueliners (Jan. 6-11).
UP NEXT: Chicago heads on a three-game trip beginning on Wednesday night in Arizona.

GAME RECAP

CHI: 0, CGY: 1

1st - 0:22 - Dillon Dube (Noah Hanifin, Blake Coleman)

Calgary opened the scoring just 22 seconds into the game off an early offensive zone draw. Calle Jarnkrok won the faceoff with an assist from Blake Coleman, who funneled the puck back to Noah Hanifin at the point. Hanifin took a shot that was tipped in a drive-by screen by Dillon Dube for an early 1-0 advantage.

CHI: 0, CGY: 2

1st - 6:23 - Johnny Gaudreau (Matthew Tkachuk, Nikita Zadorov)

The Flames struck again off a piece of skill from Johnny Gaudreau for his 600th career point. Starting in the near-side corner, the winger encircled the entire zone, behind the Blackhawks net, up around the point and back towards the corner he started in, losing defensive coverage around the final corner and walking towards goal. Gaudreau finished off the play with a wrister past Kevin Lankinen in space for a 2-0 lead.

CHI: 1, CGY: 2

1st - 7:06 - Tyler Johnson (Jonathan Toews, Dominik Kubalik)

Chicago pulled one back less than a minute later on a strong follow-up shift. Jonathan Toews made a centering feed from behind the goal line towards Dominik Kubalik in the slot, but the puck went right under his stick and directly to Tyler Johnson at the opposite circle. Johnson put a quick wrister into the top corner for a 2-1 score.

CHI: 1, CGY: 3

1st - 14:41 - Blake Coleman (Oliver Kylington)

Calgary scored their second tipped goal of the period late in the frame as Blake Coleman got a stick on a point shot from Oliver Kylington after the blueliner kept a clearing attempt in the zone in front of The Blackhawks bench.

CHI: 2, CGY: 3

2nd - 12:54 - Alec Regula (Jake McCabe, Alex DeBrincat)

The Blackhawks scored from a point shot of their own just past the game's midpoint as Alec Regula netted his first NHL goal to make it a 3-2 game. The defenseman took a point-to-point pass from partner Jake McCabe and lofted a shot towards the net that made its way through traffic in front, off the post, then off the back of netminder Jacob Markstrom and in for the goal.

CHI: 2, CGY: 4

3rd - 18:28 - Johnny Gaudreau

Calgary put the contest away with an empty-netter when Johnny Gaudreau sent a clearance the length of the ice into the gaping cage for a 4-2 lead.

CHI: 2, CGY: 5

3rd - 18:53 - Oliver Kylington (Jacob Markstrom)

The Flames added a second empty-netter a short time later to make it a 5-2 final.