Flames top Ducks, extend lead in Pacific Division, Western Conference

CALGARY --The Calgary Flames extended their lead in the Pacific Division and Western Conference with a 6-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.

Calgary leads the second-place San Jose Sharks by eight points in each. The Flames have four games remaining; the Sharks have five, including one against Calgary at San Jose on Sunday.
"That's our goal," Calgary forward Sean Monahan said. "You play 82 games in a season and you want to be in first place. You take pride in that and playing for this organization. Those two points are huge."
WATCH: [All Ducks vs. Flames highlights]
Monahan had two goals and two assists for the Flames (48-23-7), who had scored one goal in the past two games. Mike Smith made 21 saves.
"It's nice to get a win after you have a loss on home ice," Monahan said. "I think the team played well. [Smith] had some big saves at good times. When you win like that it's fun."

Andy Welinski scored, and Ryan Miller made 31 saves for the Ducks (32-37-10), who are 4-2-1 in the past seven games and have been eliminated from contention for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"We really stuck with them through the first, we played a good period on the road, and they were relentless," Welinski said. "They didn't slow down, and I think that wore on us."
Welinski scored his first NHL goal on a slap shot from the point 10:09 into the first period to put the Ducks up 1-0. It was his 31st NHL game.
"It's exciting," Welinski said. "Definitely a good way to start. It's one of my strengths, getting pucks to the net. Given enough time, one is bound to go in. It's one of those things where the goaltenders in this league, they're tough to beat, but we had guys in front and a little screen always helps."

Mark Giordano tied it 1-1 with his 17th goal of the season at 15:32. His goal came 14 seconds after Smith made a pad save on Max Jones' partial breakaway.
"It's a different game if we go down two there," Smith said. "It was an important save. And then [Giordano] goes down and blasts one through. That always feels good as a goalie to make a big save like that and have your team go down to the other end and capitalize on the chance. That was a big moment in the game."
Monahan made it 2-1 at 3:37 of the second period on a rebound in the slot on Rasmus Andersson's slap shot. The goal, his NHL career-high 32nd of the season, was Monahan's first in six games and fifth in the past 26.
"That's where you've got to score, especially myself," Monahan said. "That's where I've scored a lot of my goals. I'm getting some confidence back, putting the puck in the net. That's huge."
Monahan's shot on the power play deflected off James Neal and in at 10:07 to extend the lead to 3-1.

Derek Ryan tipped TJ Brodie's point shot 8:07 into the third period to put Calgary up 4-1, and Garnet Hathaway deflected Travis Hamonic's shot at 14:37 make it 5-1.
Monahan scored his second of the game on a shot from the high slot with 46 seconds remaining for the 6-1 final.
"Anytime you win and you're part of the win, it's great," Monahan said. "Not playing well for a while, to break out and do that, obviously it's a good feeling."

They said it

"We didn't take care of the puck that well, especially in the neutral zone. If you're not getting the puck out and not getting it deep, it feeds their transition and they're a really good transition team. Their D can move the puck really well and obviously their forwards are good on the rush." -- Ducks forward Devin Shore
"Obviously nice to get some run support tonight. We deserved it. We were hard in front of the net. [Monahan] comes out and finds a couple dirty ones there. I think we ended up maybe having four of them as tips. Our net presence at the other end was a key tonight." -- Flames goalie Mike Smith

Need to know

Ryan's goal gives the Flames 11 players with 10 or more goals this season. … Giordano, who has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in the past 10 games, passed Gary Suter for sole possession of second in Flames history for goals by a defenseman with 129. Al MacInnis has the record at 213. … The Ducks have lost 407 man-games due to injury this season.

What's next

Ducks: At the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; SN1, CITY, SNE, SNO, SNW, PRIME, NHL.TV)
Flames: At the San Jose Sharks on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, SN, NBCSCA, NHL.TV)