Point Of Emphasis

That much closer.

The Flames got a massive point in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Pacific Division leading Vegas Golden Knights Saturday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

And it could have been possibly two if not for a bad bounce.

Still, they drew within four points of the Minnesota Wild, with a game in hand, as they try and chase them down for the final Western Conference Wild Card berth.

Joel Hanley and Matt Coronato scored 53 seconds apart at the end of the second period and beginning of third to dig the home side out of a 2-0 hole and eventually force extra time in the annual South Asian Celebration Game.

Flames captain Mikael Backlund was stopped by Golden Knights goalie Akira Schmid – who was making his first start with Vegas – in the final few ticks of the third period on a shorthanded breakaway, the Vegas ‘tender getting a piece of his shot with his glove hand.

The visitors would steal the extra point on a lucky play with just 28.4 seconds left in OT, Reilly Smith throwing a puck out front from behind the net that went off the skate of MacKenzie Weegar, then up and off the shoulder of Dustin Wolf and in.

Wolf – a leading candidate for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year – had another stellar outing with 31 saves.

The Flames now head out on the road for a pair of games before returning to host the Wild Friday night. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Joel Farabee pulled up inside the blueline on a Flames rush early in the first period and put a wrister towards the cage that went off the stick of Vegas defenceman Brayden McNabb and beat Schmid but clanged off the post.

Later, Wolf stoned Brandon Saad alone in the blue paint, then gloved the puck out of the air before the Vegas forward could get a rebound whack at it.

Wolf also made a trio of one-timer saves on Victor Olofsson, who parked in the left faceoff dot on a Vegas powerplay and kept stepping into feeds.

The visitors opened the scoring with 1:21 to go in the first off a 3-on-2 rush, Pavel Dorofeyev cutting in and putting a backhand farside past Wolf, as Vegas outshot Calgary 12-6 in the opening frame.

The Flames held the Golden Knights without a shot till near the midway point of the second but Vegas would double their lead at 9:57 when Smith redirected a shot by Shea Theodore.

Farabee would find Coleman with a brilliant pass as the Flames forward made a backhand tip at full gallop right on top of the crease, then holding himself by the crossbar to avoid bowling over Schmid.

The officials reviewed to see if the puck crossed the line but, in a similar situation to what happened a few games ago against Utah, they said it did not fully get over it.

Wolf kept standing tall to keep the Flames in striking distance, denying Vegas leading scorer Jack Eichel on a breakaway, with Weegar cutting off his angle and forcing him into a tough backhand attempt.

Moments after Nazem Kadri hit a post in the waning moments of the middle stanza, he feed Hanley who snapped a long-distance shot high, gloveside on Schmid with just 7.7 seconds left in the period.

It took just 43 seconds of play in the third for the Flames to knot it up, Backlund winning an offensive zone face-off, and Coronato taking the puck and unleashing one of his wicked wristers that found shortside.

Kadri’s pass to Jonathan Huberdeau didn’t connect on a 2-on-1 in the third but Vegas was whistled for a hold behind the play for a Calgary man up.

Wolf, though, was tested when he got across to deny Smith’s attempt on the backdoor on a Vegas shorthanded 2-on-1.

Then Coronato wired a one-timer off the post on the powerplay, the Flames getting a few other good chances on the advantage.

Vegas went to the powerplay with 1:29 left which carried over into overtime.

The Lineup:

Forwards

Yegor Sharangovich - Nazem Kadri - Martin Pospisil

Jonathan Huberdeau - Morgan Frost - Matt Coronato

Joel Farabee - Mikael Backlund - Blake Coleman

Ryan Lomberg - Kevin Rooney - Adam Klapka

Defence

Joel Hanley - MacKenzie Weegar

Kevin Bahl - Rasmus Andersson

Jake Bean - Brayden Pachal

Goaltender

Dustin Wolf - starter

Dan Vladar

They Said It:

The Numbers Game:

Shots: CGY 23, VGK 34

Powerplay: CGY 0-4, VGK 0-2

Faceoffs: CGY 50%, VGK 50%

Blocked Shots: CGY 11, VGK 21

Hits: CGY 38, VGK 14

5-on-5 Scoring Chances: CGY 16, VGK 25

5-on-5 High-Danger Scoring Chances: CGY 5, VGK 11

Up Next:

As mentioned above, the Flames head out on the road for a pair of tilts in San Jose Monday (8:30 p.m. MT, Sportsnet 1) and Anaheim Wednesday (8 p.m. MT, Sportsnet West). They return to the Scotiabank Saddledome to host Minnesota Friday at 8 p.m. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS