Monahan has four points, Flames top Hurricanes

CALGARY --Sean Monahan busted out of his slump in a big way.

Monahan had a goal and three assists in a career-high four-point game, and Karri Ramo made 28 saves to lift the Calgary Flames to a 4-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes at Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.

"Obviously I'm not looking to hit four points in a game, but when it happens it obviously feels good, especially when you win on home ice," said Monahan, who had been pointless in four straight games and had three points in his previous 14 games. "It was a good game by the whole group. Karri made some big saves. It was nice to win like that."
Dougie Hamilton, Mark Giordano, Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Flames (22-24-3), who ended a three-game losing streak and earned their second win in seven games. The win moves Calgary within six points of the third-place Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division.

"It's just the situation we're in," Monahan said. "We need these wins. We need the points. That's the main thing on our minds right now. As a group that's what we're focused on and we're trying to get as many wins as we can."
The Flames were without defenseman Dennis Wideman, who received a 20-game suspension earlier Wednesday for conduct violative of Rule 40 (Physical Abuse of Officials) stemming from an incident occurring at 11:19 of the second period of Calgary's 2-1 loss against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 27.

"It's there. We all knew about it. We were all wondering and thinking about it," Giordano said. "Once the puck drops, we have to find a way to climb back into this. It started tonight. That was a big step. We have to string a few together. We know it's not going to be one win, one loss. We have to string a few together. That was a good start."

Elias Lindholm had a first-period goal for the Hurricanes (23-21-8), who lost the opener of a three-game Canadian road trip.

"We're not going to make any excuses," Carolina captain Eric Staal said. "We came here a couple of days early to make sure we were ready to go but obviously we didn't have the game we wanted and we have to be better next game, everybody.

The Flames broke a 1-1 tie with goals 38 seconds apart in the second period from their representatives in the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game.

Giordano took a pass from Monahan and snapped a short-side shot that beat goaltender Eddie Lack over the shoulder at 11:32 for a power-play goal that put Calgary ahead 2-1. Gaudreau scored on the next shift, putting the rebound of Monahan's initial shot behind Lack to extend the lead to 3-1.

"Those are a momentum-killer," said Lack, who finished with 20 saves. "It's always tough coming back from down two. But going into the third, I still thought we had a chance but then they got the early one and it was over."
Monahan put Calgary up by three goals early in the third period when he tapped in a pass across the top of the crease from Gaudreau at 2:43.

"Obviously the situation we're in, we don't want to be here," Monahan said. "As a group, we have to find a way to get out of it ourselves. We don't have any excuses. It's between us. We've got to find a way to do it."

Hamilton gave the Flames a 1-0 lead midway through the first period with a power-play goal. The defenseman took a pass from Monahan and snuck a wrist shot under Lack's glove at 10:26.

Calgary's power play is last in the NHL at 14.5 percent and entered the game on a 0-for-15 skid.

"I thought we did a way better job tonight of coming out and not being tentative at all, not sitting back," Giordano said. "We had a lot of chances in the first and we just carried it over. Special teams again, in most games it's a factor and tonight it was a big part of our win."

Lindholm answered 18 seconds later when he deked around Calgary defenseman Kris Russell before beating Ramo to the far side with a wrist shot from 25 feet to the tie the game.

Monahan hit the crossbar on the next shift.
Wideman's suspension could be compounded by an injury to Flames defenseman TJ Brodie, who left the game with 5:36 remaining in the second because of a lower-body injury after blocking a shot by Justin Faulk earlier in the period. He did not return.

There was no update post-game on Brodie's status.

"Anytime you see a teammate go down it's tough," Giordano said. "You could see him try to battle through it. Let's just hope it's something that will take a couple of days to recover and he'll be back. A guy like that you can't replace."
The Flames conclude a three-game homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. The Hurricanes visit the Winnipeg Jets on Friday and the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.