Post-Game Wrap-Up: Flames fall in overtime, Stars tie series 2-2

The Calgary Flames looked to have a better performance in Game 4 against the Dallas Stars. They were better, but not great. They had a third period lead and couldn’t hold it. Dallas scored late to tie the game and won in a lengthy overtime by a 5-4 score.

The series is now tied up at 2-2.

The Flames were much more energized in the opening period than they were in Game 3. Both club generated a pair of first period man advantages, but Dallas did more with them.

With Elias Lindholm in the penalty box late in the first, Dallas got the lead. John Klingberg’s point shot was stopped but Joe Pavelski jammed the rebound past Cam Talbot to give the Stars a 1-0 lead.

Shots were 14-11 Flames in the first period, but the Stars had a 9-6 scoring chance edge.

A lot happened in the second period. First, Penny Oleksiak’s brother Jamie took a puck-over-glass penalty. On the resulting PP, the Flames finally got on the board. Lindholm’s initial shot was booted into the net-front area and Johnny Gaudreau got the last  at it, beating Anton Khudobin to make it 1-1.

But just over a minute later, Dallas got the lead back. On a nice Dallas breakout, they got a two-on-two rush going. Erik Gustafsson opted to let Joe Pavelski shoot and the vet made him pay, beating Talbot inside the far post to make it 2-1 Stars.

But Oleksiak went back to the box, again, and the Flames made the Stars pay. Sam Bennett one-timed a Sean Monahan feed past Khudobin to make it 2-2.

The Flames took a lead later in the period, as Milan Lucic grabbed a loose puck and flung it at Khudobin’s pads. He booted it out and Bennett popped the rebound into the net to make it 3-2.

But Dallas got one back before the end of the period, as Cam Talbot took a tripping penalty and then Denis Gurianov beat him short-side with a quick shot on the PP to tie things up at 3-3.

Shots were 18-14 Stars and 14-4 Stars in the second period. (And Dallas had a 9-1 edge in high-danger chances.)

The Flames had a pair of minor penalties to kill off, in succession, to kick off the third period. On the second minor, the Flames made some hay. Derek Ryan hustled to get to a loose puck in the Dallas zone, then found a streaking Tobias Rieder for a goal to make it 4-3 Flames.

Dallas got one past Talbot late in the third period, as Jason Dickinson scored off a goal-mouth scramble. But Corey Perry was in the crease, at one point straddling Talbot’s pad leg, and the goal was washed out.

But the Stars pulled Khudobin for the extra attacker and with 11 seconds left, they scored on a goal-mouth scramble with Pavelski completing the hat-trick by jamming a puck past Talbot. That made it 4-4, and ensured that overtime would be needed.

Shots were 21-6 Stars and scoring chances 7-2 Stars in the third period.

Dillon Dube broke his stick in overtime. Klingberg leaned into a point shot and beat Talbot through traffic to cement a 5-4 Stars victory. Alexander Radulov may have redirected it.

Shots were 12-5 Stars and scoring chances 7-2 Stars in overtime.

They didn’t play a perfect game, but they were better than Game 3 in all three zones. They supported their goalie more effectively and didn’t get shelled. They took too many penalties, but they killed them well for the most part.

But man, they didn’t have the puck very often and let Dallas get extremely comfortable in their own end. Eventually, it bit them in the rear end and cost them a big series lead.

Bennett. He didn’t play a perfect game, as he had a couple of penalties. But he was all over the scoresheet and brought a ton of energy – something the Flames lacked in much of Game 3 with Matthew Tkachuk absent.

And while he got more run support than in Game 3, Talbot was excellent again.

Pavelski’s third goal was a gut-punch, as the Flames were oh-so-close to capturing a win in regulation.

And Klingberg’s OT winner, a point shot with traffic, was obviously a heart-breaker considering how the Flames led for much of the third period.

Data via Natural Stat Trick. Percentage stats are 5v5.

Dillon Dube drew three minor penalties.

Gustafsson blocked a shot off his knee early in overtime, but didn’t miss any shifts.

This series is tied at 2-2. Game 5 goes Tuesday in Edmonton. The start time will depend on whether Vegas and Chicago go to Game 5 in their series.