Flames defeat Blues in back-and-forth game

CALGARY -- Kris Versteeg scored the game-winner with 5:31 remaining in the third period, and Eddie Lack made 13 saves in relief to help the Calgary Flames to a 7-4 victory against the St. Louis Blues at Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday.

Mark Jankowski had two goals and an assist, and Sam Bennett, Micheal Ferland, Johnny Gaudreau and Michael Frolik each scored for the Flames (10-7-0), who went 5-2-0 on their season-high seven-game homestand. Calgary will play its next six games on the road.
"It's a big win for us," Versteeg said. "We knew how good they've been playing. You don't think you're going to score that many goals against that team. It's definitely big for us."
WATCH: [All Blues vs. Flames highlights]
Lack relieved starter Mike Smith, who left after the first period because of an undisclosed injury. There was no update on Smith, who allowed two goals on nine shots.
It was Lack's first win for the Flames since being acquired in a trade from the Carolina Hurricanes on June 29. He has started one of 17 games this season.
"It's always different to practice," Lack said. "You can just go through the repetitions over and over and over again, but you can't really simulate the game. I'm hoping to get a little more consistency here."
Vladimir Tarasenko scored two goals, and Jaden Schwartz and Alexander Steen each had a goal and an assist for the Blues (13-5-1) in the first of their three-game Western Canada road trip. Jake Allen made 30 saves.
"We're going to have to reset everything and get back to the way we want to play, what we know is successful," Blues forward Paul Stastny said.

Calgary and St. Louis combined for seven goals in the third period, alternating the first five.
Versteeg scored on a one-timer set up by Troy Brouwer to put the Flames up 5-4 at 14:29 before Gaudreau beat Allen with two minutes left and Frolik scored into an empty net with 1:03 remaining to push the lead to 7-4.
"We got what we deserved tonight," St. Louis coach Mike Yeo said. "We deserved to give up six. We were no good."
The Blues tied the game twice in 57 seconds in the third.
Bennett put Calgary up 3-2 at 5:39 with his first goal of the season, but Steen tied it 3-3 with a wrist shot that deflected off Ferland at 11:46. Ferland gave the Flames a 4-3 lead at 12:31, but Tarasenko scored his second of the game 12 seconds later to tie it 4-4 at 12:43.

"That's what good teams on their side do," Versteeg said. "They find ways to score, usually, within a shift or two after getting scored against. It's something we're going to have to be a little better at."
Tarasenko scored on the first shot of the game to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead at 3:32 of the first period, but Jankowski scored on Calgary's first shot to tie it 1-1 at 4:54.
Jankowski put the Flames up 2-1 at 13:45 when he took a pass from Jaromir Jagr and deked around Allen's right pad.
Schwartz tied it 2-2 on the power play at 16:21.

Goal of the game

Versteeg's goal at 14:29 of the third period.

Save of the game

Lack stopping Dmitrij Jaskin at 15:55 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Jankowski's goal at 13:45 of the first period.

They said it

"I think we are a good team. We have to act like it. I've talked to these guys about having some swag. When the real bullets are flying and it's getting intense, that's when you have to rise up. I thought it was a good response after that fourth goal for them." -- Flames coach Glen Gulutzan
"No, we weren't ready. We don't follow another team's style. We just weren't ready to play, and that was evident right from the drop of the puck. We were very fortunate to tie the game up in the third period on a couple occasions -- very, very fortunate." -- Blues coach Mike Yeo

Need to know

Gaudreau has five goals and seven assists in a seven-game point streak. … Ferland has scored in four straight games. …Tarasenko has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past five games. … Blues forward Brayden Schenn has two goals and nine assists in a five-game point streak. … Schwartz has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past seven games. … Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic returned after missing three games because of a lower-body injury.

What's next

Blues: At the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, FS-MW, NHL.TV)
Flames: At the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, TVA Sports, FS-D+, NHL.TV)