Flames score three on power play in win against Sharks

SAN JOSE -- The Calgary Flames scored three power-play goals, including a between-the-legs shot by Matthew Tkachuk, in a 6-2 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Monday.

Milan Lucic had a goal and two assists, and David Rittich made 34 saves for the Flames (29-22-6), who went 3-for-6 with the man-advantage.
"It was good to come out with the start we had and going up 3-0," Tkachuk said. "All in all, we did a good job of coming out here and playing with the lead the whole game."
WATCH: [All Flames vs. Sharks highlights]
Tkachuk pushed the puck between his legs and sent a backhand over Sharks goalie Aaron Dell on a power play for his 19th goal of the season and a 5-2 lead at 1:26 of the third period.
"I just took the best shot I could make in that situation," Tkachuk said.
Lucic said: "I don't think I've ever even tried to go between my legs, but he's done it time and time again. And not only was it between-the-legs, it was heavy, bar-down."

Mikael Backlund scored on the power play at 14:08 for the 6-2 final.
Calgary is tied with the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights for second place in the Pacific Division, three points behind the first-place Vancouver Canucks.
Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist, and Dell made 31 saves for the Sharks (24-28-4), who had won the first two games against the Flames this season.
"We've said all along we have to be a detailed, structured team," Sharks coach Bob Boughner said. "And I don't think we were either detailed or structured, especially the first 10 minutes."
Calgary scored three times in the first 9:23 of the first period.

"Obviously we need to start the game better," San Jose forward Barclay Goodrow said. "Pretty poor start for us."
Lucic redirected a Backlund pass on a power play for his sixth goal and a 1-0 lead at 4:05.
Tobias Rieder made it 2-0 at 4:39, scoring off a hard carom off the end boards for his fourth goal before Zac Rinaldo scored from the slot for a 3-0 lead at 9:23.
"Goals by the depth of your lineup at this time of the year are usually big goals," Calgary coach Geoff Ward said. "They were big goals for us tonight and they give a real lift to your bench."
Karlsson cut the lead to 3-1, joining the rush and one-timing a Goodrow pass at 12:47.
Brent Burns brought San Jose within 3-2 at 4:51 of the second period, scoring from the right point on a power play.

Mark Jankowski extended the lead to 4-2 at 10:46 when he finished a 2-on-1 break with a redirection off his chest from a Lucic pass.
"We did a decent job to battle back into it," Goodrow said. "Then to have a puck go off our stick and their chest into the net is a tough bounce. We could have answered that a bit better and we didn't."

They said it

"I think the guys have done a great job of insulating themselves and pulling all together in the absences of a couple good players." -- Flames coach Geoff Ward on playing without injured defensemen Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic
"We know we have to play a full 60 minutes. We can't be turning the puck over, losing battles in front of our net, and things like that. At this point of the season we know what we have to do to win hockey games." -- Sharks forward Barclay Goodrow

Need to know

Hamonic was placed on injured reserve Monday and he returned to Calgary to get checked by team doctors for an undisclosed injury sustained against the Canucks on Saturday. … Giordano is week to week with a hamstring injury. … Flames forward Sam Bennett did not play because of the flu. … Flames forward Elias Lindholm has a seven-game point streak (two goals, five assists). … Sharks forward Timo Meier (two goals, three assists) and Burns (two goals, two assists) each have a three-game point streak. … San Jose's top-ranked penalty kill in the NHL (85.6 percent) allowed three goals for the first time this season.

What's next

Flames: At the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN1, NHL.TV)
Sharks: At the Winnipeg Jets on Friday (7 p.m. ET; TSN3, NBCSCA NHL.TV)