Zary wins it in OT, Flames edge Bruins

Connor Zary scored on a power play 1:53 into overtime and the Calgary Flames defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Monday.

Boston defenseman Jonathan Aspirot took a high-sticking minor penalty at the end of the third period, putting the Flames on the power play to start overtime. Zary converted with a one-handed backhand shot that appeared to get some help off a defender’s stick on the way through the five-hole of Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman five-hole.

“We've watched it a few times, I don't know,” Zary said of how the puck went in. “Might have to play rock, paper scissors (for who gets credit). It doesn't really matter. We were just excited to get the win. We all looked at each other like, ‘Who touched that? Who scored that?’ It was pretty funny.”

Blake Coleman also scored and Dustin Wolf made 24 saves for the Flames (17-18-4), who have won five of seven (5-2-0) and improved to 9-1-1 in their past 11 games at home.

After a slow start that had them last in the Western Conference on Dec. 2, Calgary is three points behind the San Jose Sharks for the second wild-card spot into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“That's what we have in this room,” Wolf said. “You look at last year and how everybody put us in the gutter, and we found a way to claw and just about get in, fell short, and I think guys really want to figure out a way to get in. It doesn't matter how, and we're trying to put some good games together here at home, and we're doing a good job doing that so far.”

Andrew Peeke scored and Swayman made 18 saves for the Bruins (20-18-2), who have lost six straight games (0-4-2), including the first two on this five-game road trip.

“A point is a point. We take that anytime on the road. Do we want two? Yes, but again, I feel good about that point,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. “These guys have been pretty good at home, they've been pretty good the last 10 games as well, so we want to build on that. We have to. It's a tough League and you’ve got to sometimes start with the little things.”

The Bruins penalty kill was active all night, with the Flames going on the power play five times throughout the game. Despite two Calgary power plays in the third period, Boston still controlled play, giving up just one shot the entire period. Boston's penalty kill, which fought off the first two Flames scoring chances on the power play in overtime, was finally beaten by a bounce on the 4-on-3.

“We felt like, for a good amount, we were in control,” Peeke said, despite the adversity. “Hockey is hockey, there's going to be chances both ways but we played pretty tight. … Got to keep building off this.”

Peeke put Boston ahead 1-0 at 18:06 of the first period after fellow defenseman Mason Lohrei kept the puck in at the blue line and spotted him along the left boards. Peeke took the puck to the net and had it knocked off his stick by Calgary defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz in tight, but it deflected off Peeke's left skate and in under Wolf.

Calgary challenged the play unsuccessfully for goalie interference.

Coleman tied it 1-1 at 13:32 of the second period with his team-leading 12th goal, taking a backhand pass from Mikael Backlund at the left face-off dot and getting a quick wrist shot through the legs of Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and under the blocker arm of Swayman from the left hash mark. With the assist, Backlund extended his five-game point streak to eight points (four goals, four assists).

"'Backs' has been making a lot of really good plays lately and putting pucks on my stick, and (I) just wanted to get it off quick and it found a hole,” Coleman said. “It was going to be hard to score tonight, so getting one was good."

Coleman has four goals and two assists in his past seven games, including the game winner against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday for his team-leading third game-winning goal of the season.

“He's the Texas Tiger,” Wolf said of the Plano, Texas native. “He's excellent. He gets around the net, he's a physical player, he gets in the corners but (Flames coach Ryan) Huska kind of said he didn't have some hands early in the year, so he's kind of showing those off lately. No, it's awesome. We need guys to contribute like that, and he's been stepping up huge.”

NOTES: Peeke leads Boston defensemen with four goals this season, all of which have come in the past 11 games after not scoring his first 29. … It was Wolf’s 50th NHL win in his 101st game, becoming the third-fastest goalie to reach that milestone with the Flames behind David Rittich (93 games) and Mike Vernon (94 games). It also extended Wolf’s home winning streak to six games, matching Dan Vladar (2022-23) for the third-longest by a Flames goalie the past 10 years. Only Jacob Markstrom (10 games in 2021-22) and Brian Elliott (nine games in 2016-17) have longer streaks in that time.