Calgary Flames Beat Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 In Shootout

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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William Nylander put the Maple Leafs on the board with a power play goal at 8:35 of the third period. Nylander has points (2-2-4) in two consecutive games. He has 15 points (8 goals, 7 assists) in 19 games against Western Conference opponents. He has registered seven points (4-3-7) in seven games during the month of January.

John Tavares registered the primary assist on Nylander’s third period goal. Tavares has points (2-3-5) in three consecutive games. He has registered a goal and two assists in two games against the Flames in 2019-20. In nine games against Pacific Division opposition, he has recorded eight points (4-4-8).

Tyson Barrie collected the secondary assist on Nylander’s third period goal. Barrie is tied for the lead among Maple Leafs defencemen in power play assists and leads Toronto defencemen in power play points (1-7-8). His 18 points (2 goals, 16 assists) in 24 career games against the Flames mark his fourth-highest point total against a single opponent.

Frederik Andersen stopped 31 shots between regulation and overtime in the shootout loss.

IN THE SHOOTOUT

Jason Spezza: Stopped (2019-20: 2/3)

Auston Matthews: Stopped (2019-20: 1/5)

Mitch Marner: Stopped (2019-20: 0/4)

Frederik Andersen: 1/2 (2019-20: 13/19)

SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)

SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

RECORD WHEN…

OF NOTE…

The Maple Leafs went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and 1-for-4 on the power play tonight.

Frederik Gauthier and Dmytro Timashov started 33.3 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts, which was the lowest mark among Toronto skaters.

Justin Holl was on the ice for a team-high 25 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 tonight. Dermott finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 64.1 percent (25 for, 14 against).

Alex Kerfoot skated in his 200th NHL game.

John Tavares won 100 percent (5 won, 0 lost) of his defensive zone faceoffs.

UPCOMING GAMES:

Saturday, January 18, 7:00 p.m. vs. Chicago Blackhawks (Sportsnet, FAN 590)

Monday, January 27, 8:00 p.m. at Nashville Predators (TSN4, TSN 1050)

Wednesday, January 29, 7:30 p.m. at Dallas Stars (Sportsnet, FAN 590)

Saturday, February 1, 7:00 p.m. vs. Ottawa Senators (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)

Monday, February 3, 7:00 p.m. vs. Florida Panthers (TSN4, FAN 590)

POSTGAME QUOTES:

On tonight’s game:

I thought that it was a pretty even game all the way through. The scoreboard reflected that. I liked the way we found a way to tie the game, that's a big point for us down in the third period, a big power play goal, we really needed it. We could have used one in the second there or earlier in the game but obviously we'll take that. We generated a number of chances that, on another night, are going to go in for us. Their goaltender was very good, some of the luck didn't go our way. Sometimes these things are going to happen. I liked, though, that within all that, we didn't lose our defensive structure very often and then there's some things we'd like to do a little bit better job of in our own zone. But for the most part I thought it was pretty solid effort for us defensively and we just couldn't get one to go in for us there.

On tonight’s goaltenders both being selected for the All-Star Game:

Yeah, I think that was on display here today, for sure. I guess that's the way that it works out because if the two goalies go head-to-head you end up with a low scoring affair. So, it works out that way. As I said, I thought we had a number of really good chances that their guy made real good on and also there's a few of ours were just pucks rolling on us or just bouncing over our stick. As I say, these things are going to happen every now and again.

On the challenge of starting overtime with a long defensive zone shift:

Well, it makes it so some of your best guys early on there are pretty tired and don't get to touch the puck. That's really it. It was we didn't get the puck; we lost the draw and they didn't give it up. They did a good job of retaining it. When they did get a look or two, they got it back quickly. So they just made it hard on us. After that we got through it and things were pretty even, I thought, after.

On the decision to put Johnsson on Matthews’ wing:

I just didn't feel like we had much going. I thought today was, for the Matthews line, the one day it didn't seem like much was really happening. I just tried to change the chemistry a little bit and tried to get some different looks. That's really it.

On if he saw some jump from Johnsson as he’s making his way back from injury:

I did at times, yeah. I also saw it was very apparent that he’s behind her in terms of his conditioning and such. His shifts are real short, he gathers his energy and goes out and has bursts, but then he’s pretty gassed after that. I saw him a number of times coming back to the bench tired so that’s something he’s going to have to work his way though and we’ll help him do that, but I did think he made some plays at good times there. He put [Matthews] in a really good spot to get one for us there off the stick of Mango but it didn’t fall. That was nice to see him start to come.

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FREDERIK ANDERSEN (31 SAVES)

On tonight’s game:

Yeah, it was a really fun game to be a part of. I thought both teams played well and he made some good saves to keep it at one. Unfortunately, we couldn't get another one.

 On the team sticking with it despite not scoring:

I thought we started really well. We didn't get much in the beginning and we just kept playing the right way and playing through our process. We get rewarded to tie things up in the third and it's too bad we didn't get the extra point.

AUSTON MATTHEWS (12 SHOT ATTEMPTS)

On David Rittich as the difference tonight:

Absolutely. You've just to tip your hat to him. He made some unbelievable saves early in the game and then I think we were kind of flat there in the second a bit. In the third we had, obviously, lots of really good chances. He made some really unbelievable saves. So you've got to tip your hat to him. Obviously, we would have loved to get the two points. We clawed our way back and got it to overtime and grabbed one. Definitely a game that could have gone the other way.

On being stopped on a 2-on-1 opportunity in the third period:

That's all I saw. Just tried to shoot it and get it up over his pad or his blocker. He made a really good save.

On evidence that tonight’s goaltenders are worthy of their all-star nods:

Yeah, I don't want to keep repeating myself, but he had a great game, he made some really good saves that kept them in the game that allowed the game to go to overtime, especially at the end of the third period.

WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL)

On the play of David Rittich:

I think he was patient. He had a great game and I think he was feeling good about his game today. He did a great job.

On what he liked most about the team’s game tonight:

I think we were creating a lot of chances. Their goalie stood on his head and when that happens you’ve got to be happy with the way we played and take that away from this game.

On his power play goal:

Well I think we got moving around. I think as we got more power plays, we kind of got a feel for what they were doing, and we got an open area there and were able to put it in.

JOHN TAVARES (1 ASSIST)

On a competitive match from start to finish:

Yeah it was a tight hockey game. They defend well and their D do a really good job around their net, breaking out of their end, being a crucial part, I think, of their overall game. There are going to be some nights where you’re going to have to make some adjustments and continue to work and stay with it to find solutions. Obviously, we had a few power plays tonight and would have been nice to get one more, but we got one to get ourselves to overtime. It was just one of those nights where it seemed like the puck was bouncing a lot too. Just tried to stay with it, get good opportunities and get to the interior and it obviously came down to the shootout and we just weren’t able to find the next one.

On the play of David Rittich:

I thought he was reading the play extremely well. He made a couple of really good cross-crease, cross-ice passes. Just was tracking the puck and squaring up on a lot of good looks that he made look easy and he wasn’t making it easy for us to beat him tonight. He played well. Obviously, we would have liked to get more on the interior but it was a tight game and just weren’t able to find it.