The Vancouver Canucks had a monster third period for a 4-1 comeback win against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena.
The Canucks found themselves down 1-0 going to start the third, but Head Coach Manny Malhotra was pleased with how the group dug in and battled to stay in the game.
“There's an acknowledgement we need to start better. We can't afford to give up goals early in the game or go down one or two goals. It's just too hard of a league to fight back every night,” Malhotra said.
“The response by the guys in the second and third, especially from a physicality standpoint, from turning up a forecheck and being more direct with our game, I was really happy with the response.”
The Flames held the shot advantage 11-5 in the first period, but the Canucks took control in the third, generating 12 shots on goal, and limiting Calgary to five. Vancouver also threw 34 hits and blocked 21 shots in the contest.
It was Liam Öhgren’s 100th game, and it was a memorable one, as he scored the first goal and assisted on the game-winning goal. Getting their first win on home ice was important to set the tone for making Rogers Arena a tough place for visiting teams to play.
“It feels great. We’ve talked about this, that it has to be hard to come here to play against us, and I felt like tonight was exactly like that,” Öhgren said. “I’m happy to get the first win here at home and we’ve just got to keep it going.”
Leevi Meriläinen got his first win in a Canucks uniform, stopping 23 of 24 shots he faced.
“He did a fantastic job. He looked really poised and calm in the net, and when a goalie plays calm like that, it bleeds into the play of the five-on-five in front of him,” Malhotra said.
“He made some huge stops. I think it was a three-on-one that could change the momentum of the game, but he did a fantastic job of coming in for his first game and making the stops he needed to make.”
Goals
In the first period, Calgary’s Matt Coronato scored on the power play, giving the Flames a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
In the third period, Liam Öhgren followed up on his own rebound and pushed the puck into the net. The play went to a review as Flames goaltender Devin Cooley appeared to swat the puck before it crossed the goal line, but the ruling from the situation room ruled it a good goal.
