Brodie's career-high 4 assists help Flames blaze past Devils (Feb 03, 2017)
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Calgary defenseman TJ Brodie finished off the best game of his career in style, setting up a winning goal in overtime.
Brodie picked up his fourth assist of the game by making a pin-point pass to a wide open Mikael Backlund 1:13 into overtime and the Flames beat New Jersey 4-3 on Friday night to send the Devils to their seventh straight loss at home.
''I'd like to take some credit for that,'' Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. ''I had a long meeting with TJ Brodie this morning and I told him I wanted him to shoot more and wanted him to shoot some pucks and not pass so much and make sure he's putting pucks on the net. And he gets four assists, so he didn't listen to me at all.
''So I'm going to take credit for those four assists.''
It was the first time since 2008 that a Flames defenseman had four assists in a game, with Dion Phaneuf being the last.
The Flames cycled the puck in the Devils' end on the winning goal before Brodie found Backlund low in the left circle for a shot past Cory Schneider that got under the cross bar. It was not immediately clear whether the puck went into the net, but the officials soon signaled a goal.
''We had possession of the puck and made some cycles,'' Backlund said of his 15th goal. ''I saw Brods and went to get into a passing lane and Brods made a real nice pass to me and I tried to get it off quick. He's a quick goalie, so high and quick.''
Sean Monahan, Kris Versteeg and Matt Stajan also scored as the Flames won their third straight game. Brian Elliott made 26 saves.
Adam Henrique, Pavel Zacha, Kyle Palmieri tallied for New Jersey, which battled back from an early 2-0 deficit to take the lead. Schneider had 34 saves.
''I don't think you look at it for moral victories,'' Palmieri said. ''It's time to string wins together. A point is nice, but we need two.''
Henrique was not happy when asked about the losing streak at home.
''We have to find a way to win at home,'' he said. ''Obviously, we started the year great at home. Right now, it has gone the opposite way. We have to find a way to put points on the board whether we are on the road or at home. It doesn't matter.''
Stajan had tied it at 7:22 of the third period, deflecting a centering pass by Brodie, who previous high for assists in a game this season was two. He had three assists in a game last year.
''He was key, keeping the puck in on the power play and (making) great passes,'' Backlund said of Brodie. ''It was great for him.''
Trailing 2-0 eight minutes into in the second period, the Devils scored three times in the next 11 minutes to take the lead, with the last two tallies coming on the power play.
Henrique got New Jersey back into the game at 8:36, collecting a puck at the corner of the net and stuffing it home before Elliott could cover the corner.
Zacha tied it at 11:39 on another bang-bang play. Mike Cammalleri sent the puck off the end boards and a hustling Zacha reached it first and scored in close.
Palmieri, who upset the Flames by taking down Troy Brouwer in the waning seconds of the first period, made it 3-2 with 24 seconds left in the second. Elliott made a save on Taylor Hall's initial shot from the left circle. The rebound hit off Miles Wood and Palmieri knocked it into the net with the shaft of his stick.
Monahan gave Calgary the early lead, beating Schneider from the left circle 3 seconds after a Flames power play ended. The 22-year-old has goals in three straight games, and eight of 10.
Versteeg doubled the lead 22 seconds into the second period with Palmieri in the penalty box for taking down Brouwer.
NOTES: Monahan has nine goals in the last 10 games. ... Devils captain and defenseman Andy Greene returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with a wrist injury. ... New Jersey sent F Luke Gazdic to Albany (AHL) after he cleared waivers. ... Henrique has scored in three straight, one more than Palmieri, who has three goals in his last two.
UP NEXT
Flames: at New York Rangers on Sunday in the second of three-game road trip.
Devils: at Columbus on Saturday.
