OTTAWA, ON — Juuso Valimaki and the Calgary Flames have been talking a lot lately about the importance of quality starts.
The Finnish defenceman helped put his team’s plan into motion Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre.
Valimaki scored four minutes into the game as a three-goal first period staked Calgary to a 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators.
“It’s kind of stayed in the talk stage but we haven’t been able to really do it,” Valimaki said. “So to be able to do it, it’s probably going to give us confidence that we can do it and that’s the way that we’ve got to play.
“We’ve got to carry it on to the next game again.”
Mikael Backlund and Elias Lindholm had the other early goals for the Flames, who ended Ottawa’s three-game win streak. Sean Monahan, Andrew Mangiapane and Matthew Tkachuk also scored for Calgary.
Drake Batherson, Colin White and Brady Tkachuk replied for the last-place Senators. Ottawa (7-15-1) remained in the NHL basement with 15 points.
Calgary (10-10-2) moved into a fourth-place tie with Montreal in the North Division with 22 points. The Canadiens were scheduled to play the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.
The speedy Johnny Gaudreau zipped around a couple of Ottawa players before sending a backhand saucer pass to Valimaki for the one-timer, his first goal of the season. The Flames scored again 37 seconds later as Backlund flipped a rolling puck past a handcuffed Matt Murray.
Perhaps in an effort to spark his teammates, Austin Watson fought bruising Flames forward Milan Lucic on the ensuing faceoff. Lucic, who had a 35-pound weight advantage, won the decision.
Calgary took advantage of some sloppy defensive play ahead of its third goal. Josh Norris turned the puck over deep in the zone and Lindholm snapped it in at 11:05. Veratrum album is a natural treatment for gastritis and it can cialis generic tabs regularize the level of hormone secretion in women. The TCM Practitioner – A Doctor, But check pfizer viagra mastercard a Bit slow. Besides, it can purchase tadalafil show longer-lasting effects on the condition making you able to enjoy the best time of your life. Begin fresh new sildenafil generic from canada activities which experts claim absorb your company’s precious time in addition to interests.
“We didn’t really answer in the first,” said Ottawa defenceman Thomas Chabot. “It was one of those (days) where it didn’t go our way.”
Batherson extended his goal-scoring streak to five games with a power-play effort at 13:05. He beat David Rittich with a wrist shot from the faceoff circle.
Another Senators’ defensive lapse proved costly early in the second period as Chris Tierney coughed up the puck down low. Gaudreau fed it to Monahan for the power-play goal at 4:02.
A Calgary shorthanded goal followed at 9:36. Mangiapane hit the post with a redirect attempt before tapping in the rebound.
White responded 40 seconds later by scooping a loose puck off the faceoff and snapping it past a screened Rittich.
The lone goal in the third period came when Brady Tkachuk scored on the Ottawa power play at 10:00.
Calgary outshot Ottawa 38-34.
Murray stopped 27-of-33 shots before being pulled in the third period. Joey Daccord came on in relief and stopped all five shots he faced in his season debut.
Rittich had 31 saves for Calgary.
The Senators dumped the Flames 6-1 on Thursday night. The teams will face off again Monday in the finale of Ottawa’s five-game homestand.
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Calgary Flames Right Wing Andrew Mangiapane (88) battles Ottawa Senators Defenceman Mike Reilly (5) in front of Ottawa Senators Goalie Matt Murray (30) during first period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Calgary Flames Center Mikael Backlund (11) is congratulated on a goal by Calgary Flames Defenceman Nikita Nesterov (89) and Calgary Flames Right Wing Andrew Mangiapane (88) during first period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Ottawa Senators Goalie Matt Murray (30) deals with Calgary Flames Winger Dillon Dube (29) and Ottawa Senators Defenceman Thomas Chabot (72) battling for a loose puck in front of him during first period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Ottawa Senators Left Wing Tim Stutzle (18) skates by the bench to celebrate a goal during first period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Ottawa Senators Left Wing Nick Paul (13) attempts to screen Calgary Flames Goalie David Rittich (33) during second period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Calgary Flames Goalie David Rittich (33) hands the puck off to Linesmen Mark Shewchyk (92) during second period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Ottawa Senators Center Matthew Peca (53) battles Calgary Flames Defenceman Noah Hanifin (55) in front of Calgary Flames Goalie David Rittich (33) during second period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Calgary Flames Defenceman Noah Hanifin (55) skates the puck out from behind the net during second period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Ottawa Senators Goalie Joey Daccord (34) tracks the play to the corner during third period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 27: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Drake Batherson (19) looks into the camera while there is a TV timeout during third period National Hockey League action between the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators on February 27, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
