Sean Monahan scored in overtime and the Calgary Flames overcame blowing a two-goal lead in the third period to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 in Denver on Monday night.
Michael Frolik and Andrew Mangiapane had goals in the first 1:39 of the third period to give the Flames a 4-2 lead. But Nathan MacKinnon and Joonas Donskoi each scored in the third to even the game and ultimately send it to overtime.
Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, Derek Ryan also scored and David Rittich stopped 28 shots for the Flames, who have won five straight under interim head coach Geoff Ward. Mark Giordano, Elias Lindholm and Dillon Dube had two assists each for Calgary.
MacKinnon and Donskoi each added an assist, as well, and Valeri Nichushkin and Ryan Graves also scored for Colorado, which had won six in a row. Pavel Francouz had 28 saves.
The Avalanche played without their top goaltender Philipp Grubauer (lower body) and defenseman Cale Makar (upper body). Both are considered day-to-day.
The Flames got their first win in three tries against Colorado this season when Monahan skated in on Francouz and beat him for his ninth goal of the season at 2:09 of overtime.
The game was tied after two but Mangiapane broke it with a shot from the slot early in the third. Frolik made it 4-2 with a tip-in at 1:39 but Colorado rallied.
MacKinnon got one back with his 19th of the season at 3:59 and Donskoi scored at 10:45 to knot it up again.
Colorado struck first early in the opening period when Graves beat Rittich at 4:32. It was his fifth goal of the season.
Ryan tied it when he tipped in Oliver Kylington's shot from the point at 9:33 of the second period, his fifth of the season. But Colorado came right back, Nichushkin grabbing a rebound and stickhandling around Rittich before putting it in 31 seconds after Ryan's goal.
It was Nichushkin's fifth of the season and fifth in eight games after a 91-game goal drought.
It stayed that way until late in the second when Tkachuk scored seven seconds into a power play. It was his 12th of the season.
--Field Level Media
