Monahan's shootout winner gives Flames win over Wild

CALGARY, AB -- Sean Monahan scored the shootout-winning goal to lift the Calgary Flames (12-13-2) to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild (11-8-4) at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.
Kris Versteeg also scored in the shootout while Chad Johnson stopped Nino Niederreiter and Charlie Coyle. Jason Pominville scored the lone shootout goal for the Wild.
Monahan out-waited Devan Dubnyk and snapped his patented wrister low on the glove side for the decisive marker.
"Another win on home ice, that's the biggest thing," Monahan said. "[Johnson] stood on his head again for us, made some big saves for us in the shootout and the third period and kept us in the game.
"It's a lot of credit to him and we've got to build some momentum here at home."
The Flames had a full two-minute power play to start the overtime session but couldn't capitalize.
Their best chance came when Dougie Hamilton threw the puck out front to Sam Bennett, who had a wide open net but the puck was blocked by a sprawling Jared Spurgeon to preserve the tie.

Chris Stewart and Mikko Koivu scored for the Wild and Dubnyk made 22 saves.
It was the Flames' second straight home victory and fifth win in their last eight games. The triumph also put Calgary in the last Wild Card playoff spot in the Western Conference with 26 points.
"We had some chances," Monahan continued. "It would have been nice to bury one of those and not go to the shootout but a lot of credit to Chad for standing on his head and keeping us in these games."
Versteeg and Mikael Backlund each netted their fourth goals of the season while Johnson made his ninth start in the last 11 games and made 23 saves for his seventh win in his last 9 games.
"It was just a grind all the way to the end," Johnson said. "You knew it was just going to be something sloppy, kind of like how all the goals were -- scrambles and deflections. They weren't pretty goals.
"For us it was just stay the course and we got into the shootout there and got two goals, which was nice."
Minnesota lit the scoreboard first 3:50 into the first period when Stewart redirected a point shot from Jared Spurgeon past Johnson.
Versteeg evened the scored at 12:26 of the first period. Dubnyk turned aside a Jyrki Jokipakka point blast but Versteeg pounced on the rebound and lifted a backhand shot into the Wild goal.

It was Versteeg's third goal and fourth point in his last five games since he returned from a groin injury that kep him out of the lineup for 9 games in early November.
"Once I become a little more comforatable in the room and learning the system I think it's just natural that your game is going to come along and progress," Versteeg said. "I'm not getting too high or low, you've just got to progress every day and be happy with whatever the result is and build on it."
Calgary took their first lead of the game 1:07 later on the power play when Dubnyk slid across his crease to rob Matthew Tkachuk but the puck squirted loose and Backlund tapped in his fourth of the season and first goal in five games.
It was only Calgary's second power play marker at home this season.
Koivu tied the game 2-2 at the 7:40 mark of the third when he put a hard slap shot in the top corner and behind Johnson, who was partially screen by Mikael Granlund.
Calgary poured on the pressure a few minutes later, with the Wild pinned in their own end, the line of Backlund, Michael Frolik and Matthew Tkachuk had several prime scoring chances, the best being Frolik in all alone and Dubnyk coming up with the save.
Tkachuk looked to have a sure goal with just over six minutes left when Frolik spotted him in the high slot and feathered the puck over for the one-timer, which just caught Koivu's stick and was redirected wide of the net.
"I thought that was one of the most complete games we've played all season," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said in his post-game media address. "We limited chances, we played good structurally, and we executed a game plan because we knew they have only given up 31 or 32 five-on-five goals all season
"I thought we executed very well."
NOTES: The Flames returned Mark Jankowski to Stockton on Thursday. Jankowski played one game with Calgary since he was recalled on Nov. 25. Forward Hunter Shinkaruk, and defenseman Brett Kulak were scratched against the Wild.
UP NEXT:The Flames close out their homestand with a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday (7:30 p.m. MT; SNW, SN360, SN960).