Zetterlund scores 2, Devils beat Flames 4-3 in OT

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Fabian Zetterlund scored his second goal of the game 2:38 into overtime and the New Jersey Devils beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 on Saturday night for their sixth straight win.

Nathan Bastian and Miles Wood each had a goal and an assist as New Jersey won for the ninth time in their last 10. Vitek Vanecek stopped 27 shots to improve to 5-1-0.

“Things are going pretty well right now,” Bastian said. “Stick to the basics. We play such a simple game. Keep doing that, and hopefully we get results like we are right now.”

In the extra period, the Devils were on a power play when Dougie Hamilton threaded a cross-ice pass to Zetterlund, who sent a one-timer over goalie Jacob Markstrom’s shoulder for his first career two-goal game.

“I worked hard for it, my whole life, actually. I know when the puck is coming there I won’t miss,” said Zetterlund, who has three goals in seven games. “You can hear everyone having fun. … We have a game plan. All four lines and the D-corps and our goalies are following it so it’s easy.”

The 23-year-old Swede spent three seasons in the AHL after being drafted by New Jersey in the third round in 2017. He is getting an opportunity this year and making the most of it.

“We know he’s a good shooter. He’s had a lot of success in the American League,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “The first goal, right place at the right time. Watching our power play, we decided at the end we needed a shooter. … (He) hit a heck of a shot to win the game.”

Nazem Kadri, Nikita Zadorov and Lindholm scored for Calgary, which finished an eight-game homestand with four consecutive losses — the previous three in regulation. Markstrom had 31 saves.

The Flames now head out on a road trip with three games in four days.

“Definitely losing four in a row is unacceptable for our group,” Zadorov said. “We’re going on the road, we haven’t done it for a while, we’ve been at home for a while. So it’s gonna be something new for us — new energy, new excitement. … We believe in each other so I think we are going to turn things around.”

Markstrom came up big seven minutes into the third period to keep the score 3-3, stopping Jesper Bratt on a partial breakaway. Seconds later, he flashed his blocker to deny Jack Hughes who got in alone.

Bratt was held off the scoresheet, snapping his franchise-record point streak to open the season at 11 games.

The Flames tied it 3-3 earlier in the third when Zadorov redirected Blake Coleman’s centering pass past Vanecek at 3:12.

Calgary got off to a fast start with Kadri sending a backhander past Vanecek just 1:29 into the game.

Bastian tied it at 4:27 when he converted a centering pass from Hughes from behind the net for his second. It extended his point streak to a career-best four games.

A defensive breakdown by the Flames allowed Zetterlund to tap in a cross-crease feed from Tomas Tatar 3 1/2 minutes later to put the Devils ahead.

The Devils pushed it to 3-1 with 3:22 left when Wood got on the end of a perfect pass from Michael McLeod and one-timed it into the top corner to extend his point streak to four games, one short of his career best.

Calgary pulled within one climbed to within one early in the second. Noah Hanifin stepped out of the penalty box just as the puck was cleared to go on a two-man breakaway with Tyler Toffoli. They failed to convert the initial rush, but Noah Hanifin found Lindholm trailing the play and he knocked in his third of the season.

POWER OUTAGE

The Flames went 0 for 2 with the man advantage and are now 0 for 12 over their last four games.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host Calgary on Tuesday night to open a three-game homestand.

Flames: At the New York Islanders on Monday night in the first of a back-to-back to open a three-game trip.

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