Markstrom blanks Oilers as Flames win 5-0

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Jacob Markstrom stopped 17 shots he faced and the Calgary Flames beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-0 Saturday night to end a four-game skid.

Johnny Gaudreau and Mark Giordano each had a goal and an assist, and Sean Monahan, Elias Lindholm and Brett Ritchie also scored for Calgary. Sam Bennett and Mikael Backlund each had two assists.

Markstrom finished with his third shutout of the season and eighth of his career.

Mike Smith had 27 saves for the Oilers, who lost in regulation for the second time in 11 games. Edmonton was shutout for the third time this season and fell to third place in the North Division — seven points behind first-place Toronto and one behind Winnipeg.

“I was hoping we would have some energy tonight but it caught up with us,” said Oilers coach Dave Tippett. “They had energy and we didn’t. You hope your team pushes through new levels and finds way to push through things, and you can never use excuses, but there are times when your team just doesn’t have it and there’s not enough energy in the group. Tonight was one of those times.”

After a scoreless first period, the Flames broke through with four goals on 10 shots in the second.

Monahan got the barrage going with his first since March 13, snapping a 13-game goal-scoring drought. Alone at the side of the net, he capitalized on a defensive mix-up from the Oilers and converted Andrew Mangiapane’s pass at 3:12.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to be a go-to guy, somebody who will provide offence,” Monahan said. “When you’re not doing that, it gets frustrating. When you don’t score for a while, and obviously it was the first one of the game, it feels good.”

Calgary gained in confidence as the period progressed. They kept the pressure on and it paid off at 10:43 when Gaudreau took a perfect pass across the crease from Noah Hanifin to beat Smith over the glove from a tight angle to make it 2-0.

The Flames were again rewarded for good puck movement when Lindholm netted his 10th of the season, five-hole on Smith on the power play. The big-bodied Milan Lucic got the play started and later screened Smith in the crease.

The captain got in on the second period’s deluge of goals. Coming off the bench and storming into the offensive zone, Giordano called for a pass and fired from the right face-off dot, beating Smith between the pads to make it 4-0.

Calgary limited Edmonton to very few high-danger chances. Connor McDavid ended the game with one shot.

“We did a good job staying on top of their skilled guys,” said Monahan. “When you do that, you kill penalties and don’t allow those top guys to get touches, it’s going to be frustrating. I thought we did a good job at that.”

The Oilers upped the pressure in the third period but could not solve Markstrom. Tyson Barrie came closest when he fired a puck off the post.

Ritchie padded the lead and made it 5-0 with 6:30 left in the game.

There was some confusion shortly after puck drop, possibly related to the Oilers’ lineup card, as Calgary coach Darryl Sutter chatted with officials from behind the bench.

SIDELINED

The Oilers placed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the injured-reserve list. The 27-year-old center missed Edmonton’s game against Ottawa on Thursday with an upper-body injury. Nugent-Hopkins is fifth on the team in scoring with 28 points (12 goals and 16 assists) in 40 games. Edmonton has recalled forwards Tyler Ennis and James Neal to the active roster.

HONORING COLBY CAVE

Edmonton held a ceremony to honor the late Colby Cave earlier Saturday. The 25-year-old Oilers forward died last April after doctors discovered a cyst in his brain.

STREAKS

Mangiapane and Bennett extended their point streaks to four games.

UP NEXT

Oilers: At Vancouver on Friday night in Canucks’ return from coronavirus outbreak.

Flames: At Toronto on Tuesday night.