Joel Farabee, Ryan Lomberg, Adam Klapka and Jonathan Huberdeau also scored as the Flames won for the seventh time in their last nine home games (7-1-1). Connor Zary and MacKenzie Weegar each had three assists and Devin Cooley stopped 33 shots.
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Reilly Smith, Kaedan Korczak and Mark Stone scored for the Golden Knights in their first regulation loss in December after starting the month 5-0-2. Akira Schmid finished with 20 saves.
Stone hit Noah Hanifin’s shot off the backboard in front of Cooley and scored a power-play goal with 3:57 left in the third period to bring Vegas within 5-3.
However, Huberdeau’s goal with 45 seconds remaining sealed the victory.
Backlund picked up a turnover in the defensive zone and finished a run with Blake Coleman and Zary hitting the puck over Schmid 3:54 into the game to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.
Kuznetsov’s shot from the point deflected off the foot of the 6-foot-7 Klapka in front to double Calgary’s lead at 8:42.
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Smith came off the bench and converted a breakaway at 10:03 to put the Golden Knights on the scoreboard.
Lomberg made it 3-1 with 4:15 left in the first period on a two-man breakaway with Zary. Lomberg, who scored his second goal in three games, then faced Jeremy Lauzon.
Backlund got his second of the game at 8:38 of the second, grabbing his own rebound from Schmid off a pass from Weegar, who earned the 200th assist of his career.
Farabee’s third goal this season pushed Calgary’s lead to 5-1 with 7:39 left in the middle period. It was the Flames’ sixth goal, tying Anaheim and Los Angeles for the most in the NHL.
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Korczak pulled Vegas within three with a quick wrist shot from the faceoff circle that beat Cooley with 5:26 left in the second.
Vegas was missing forward Jack Eichel (illness) and defenseman Shea Theodore (upper body). Ivan Barbashev moved to center between Mitch Marner and Braeden Bowman.
Next
Golden Knights: will host San Jose on Tuesday.
Llamas: In Edmonton on Tuesday.
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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/nhl