Flames Fall 4-3 to Predators

The Nashville Predators got a go-ahead goal in the final minute of regulation time to stun the Flames 4-3 Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Nic Hague's point blast split a 3-3 tie with 27.8 seconds left on the clock, forcing the Flames' five-game home winning streak to an end.

Yan Kuznetsov, Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman had the Calgary markers, while Dustin Wolf turned aside 33 shots between the pipes.

The game started brightly for the locals, and it didn't take long for the Flames to open the scoring.

Less than two minutes in fact, after Kuznetsov smacked a one-timer through traffic that sailed past Nashville starter Juuse Saros and into the cage.

Captain Mikael Backlund thought he'd extended the lead a few minutes later on a tap-in in the blue paint, but the potential 2-0 goal was called back after the Predators challenged for offside.

Haula put Nashville in front with goals 1:33 apart in the middle of the opening stanza, the second on an odd-man rush where the Predators forward elected to shoot from the left circle.

Moments later, tempers flared at centre ice - Ryan Lomberg dropping the mitts with Cole Smith - bringing the home faithful to a crescendo and providing a bit of bounce-back momentum for the home side.

Andersson took full advantage, striding down the right wing on the ensuing shift before snapping his ninth goal of the season short-side on Saros from the right circle.

Michael Bunting put the visitors up 3-2 early in the second period with an unassisted marker, and that score held through 40 minutes, with Nashville holding a 29-14 edge in shots on goal.

In the third - once again - it was up to Backlund and Coleman to find a way.

And they did just that, with just over seven minutes left in regulation time. Coleman and Matt Coronato forced a turnover in the offensive zone, the puck skipped on to Backlund in the slot who sifted it back to Coleman in the right circle. From there, he patiently sent the disc goalward, and it snuck past Saros and trickled over the goal line, evening the game at 3-3.

The game appeared destined for extra time, but Nic Hague played spoiler. His slapper from the left point got through a maze of bodies in the slot, past Wolf and into the top corner to put the Predators ahead 4-3.

The Lineup:

FORWARDS

Yegor Sharangovich - Nazem Kadri - Joel Farabee

Jonathan Huberdeau - Morgan Frost - Adam Klapka

Blake Coleman - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato

Ryan Lomberg - John Beecher - Connor Zary

DEFENCE

Yan Kuznetsov - MacKenzie Weegar

Kevin Bahl - Rasmus Andersson

Joel Hanley - Hunter Brzustewicz

GOALTENDERS

Dustin Wolf - starter

Devin Cooley

They Said It:

The Numbers Game:

Shots: CGY 23, NSH 37

Powerplay: CGY 0-2, NSH 0-1

Faceoffs: CGY 42.5%, NSH 57.5%

Hits: CGY 26, NSH 23

Blocked Shots: CGY 12, NSH 15

5-on-5 Scoring Chances: CGY 20, NSH 30

5-on-5 High-Danger Scoring Chances: CGY 7, NSH 11

Up Next:

The Flames will wrap up their five-game homestand Monday evening, welcoming the Kraken to the Scotiabank Saddledome for a 7:30 p.m. MT puck drop. TICKETS