Calgary Flames Secure 3-2 Win Over San Jose Sharks with Joel Hanley's Game-Winner

Image credits: Jeff McIntosh/CP

The Calgary Flames have ended their three-game winless streak with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks, thanks to Joel Hanley's first goal of the season. Hanley's game-winner came at 13:26 of the third period, with the teams playing four aside, as he ripped a shot over the blocker of Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. The Flames' win moves them to within one point of the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild-card playoff berth in the Western Conference.

Nazem Kadri and Kevin Rooney also scored for the Flames, with Kadri reaching the 20-goal mark for the third consecutive season. The Sharks' goals came from Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli, with Celebrini's goal being his 18th of the season, moving him one ahead of Philadelphia's Matvei Michkov for the rookie lead. Rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf made 27 stops to record his 20th win of the season, improving his career mark to 5-1-0 against the Sharks. The Flames will now head out on a six-game road trip, starting with a game against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

The game was a closely contested affair, with the Flames outshooting the Sharks 36-29. The powerplay was a key factor, with the Flames converting on one of their six opportunities, while the Sharks were unable to score on their three chances. The Flames' penalty kill was also effective, blocking 20 shots and limiting the Sharks to just 11 high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5. The win was a significant one for the Flames, who have been struggling to find consistency in recent games. With the victory, they move to 27-21-8 on the season and will look to build on this momentum as they head out on their road trip.

The Flames' lineup was boosted by the return of forward Connor Zary, who missed the past 15 games with a lower-body injury. Zary played on a line with Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund and sent three shots on goal in his first game back. The Flames' defense was also solid, with Hanley and MacKenzie Weegar forming a strong pairing and helping to limit the Sharks' scoring chances. The team will now look to carry this momentum forward as they face a tough schedule on their road trip, including games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Carolina Hurricanes.

Here are the match scores and player statistics:

• Calgary Flames: 3
• San Jose Sharks: 2

Player statistics:

• Nazem Kadri: 1 goal, 20th goal of the season
• Kevin Rooney: 1 goal, first goal in 24 games
• Joel Hanley: 1 goal, game-winner and first goal of the season
• Dustin Wolf: 27 saves, 20th win of the season
• Macklin Celebrini: 1 goal, 18th goal of the season
• Tyler Toffoli: 1 goal, team-leading 21st goal

The Flames' schedule for the next few games is as follows:

1. Tuesday: at Washington Capitals
2. Thursday: at Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Saturday: at Florida Panthers
4. Monday: at Carolina Hurricanes
5. Wednesday: at Philadelphia Flyers
6. Friday: at Dallas Stars

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