Flames defeat Flyers for first win in three games

CALGARY -- Michael Frolik scored for the Calgary Flames in his 800th NHL game, a 3-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday.

Andrew Mangiapane and Elias Lindholm scored, and David Rittich made 21 saves for the Flames (3-3-1), who had lost two games in a row.
"We've got a lot of expectations, obviously, from last year," Frolik said of finishing with the best record in the Western Conference. "I think last year, the first month we were kind of .500, and then we took off. The start could be better, but the last two games are pretty good for us."
WATCH: [All Flyers vs. Flames highlights]
Matt Niskanen scored, and Brian Elliott made 35 saves in his first game of the season for the Flyers (2-1-1), who are 0-1-1 to begin their three-game Western Canada road trip that concludes against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
"We don't have to chew on this one very long. That's good," Niskanen said. "That's the good thing about back-to-backs. Nobody likes them, but if you lose that first one, you get to go after it again the next night. You don't have to think about it too long."
Frolik gave the Flames a 1-0 lead 1:35 into the game when he knocked down defenseman Justin Braun's clearing attempt and scored from the slot.
"Eight hundred, it's a special number," Frolik said. "I was definitely excited, for sure. It couldn't have gone better to score on the second shift. It gets you going too, right?"
Calgary's Sean Monahan scored with six seconds remaining in the first, but the goal was overturned after video review showed he kicked the puck into the net.
Mangiapane made it 2-0 at 14:15 of the second when his shot from the high slot went in off defenseman Travis Sanheim. It was the first goal for the Flames from a bottom-six forward this season.

"Putting it to the net, that's always good," Mangiapane said. "You never know what could happen, just like my goal tonight. It went off a guy's stick and went in the net. It's always good to throw pucks to the net."
Niskanen cut the lead to 2-1 at 4:58 of the third period when he one-timed a pass from Travis Konecny with a penalty coming up against Calgary.
"Delayed penalty, came right off the bench, so nothing to lose," Niskanen said. "Konecny made a real solid play there, coming right down the chute. You don't get those too often."

The goal came 1:10 after Elliott made a save on Lindholm's one-timer from the high slot.
"Brian played good," Niskanen said. "We gave him too much work today, but he was really solid. We had a chance right up until the end. Good start for him."
Lindholm scored into an empty net with 11 seconds remaining to make it 3-1.

They said it

"We played way better in [a 3-1 loss at the San Jose Sharks on Sunday], and I think we moved on from that game and we came today the same way. I think we did a good job. Everyone was in the zone today." -- Flames goalie David Rittich
"We got outplayed pretty badly, I'd say, the first two (periods). We couldn't execute well enough. They played a pretty solid game positionally. They made it hard on us to make consecutive tape-to-tape passes, so we were chasing it a little bit. We garnished up some energy and tilted the ice in the third and tried to come storming back, but too little, too late." -- Flyers defenseman Matt Niskanen

Need to know

Konecny has seven points (three goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak to start the season. … Lindholm leads the Flames with four goals. … Rittich has started six of seven games for Calgary. … Forward Chris Stewart, who played with Nottingham of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom last season, had three hits in 9:12 in his Flyers debut after signing a one-year contract earlier Tuesday.

What's next

Flyers: At the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN360, NBCSP)
Flames: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; SN360, FS-D, NHL.TV)