Johnson, Flames hold off Stars
DALLAS -- Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan each had a goal and an assist, and Chad Johnson stopped 29 of 30 shots for the Calgary Flames in a 2-1 win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday at American Airlines Center.
Monahan scored the eventual game-winning goal with Calgary on the power play 9:49 into the third period, he collected his own rebound to net his eighth goal of the season.
Calgary (14-13-2) won its fourth consecutive game and prevailed for the sixth time in its past eight games. The Flames are 8-6-2 on the road.
Curtis McKenzie scored the lone goal for Dallas (10-11-6).
Dallas took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission after McKenzie scored an unassisted goal with 6:45 remaining in the opening period. McKenzie forced a turnover in the Stars' zone and dashed up the ice before sending a wrist shot under Johnson's glove from the right circle.
Calgary looked to tie the game 6:27 into the second period when Gaudreau had a breakaway, but Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen, who stopped 18 of 20 shots, robbed Gaudreau at the near post with a pad save to preserve Dallas' slim lead.
The Flames pulled level with 7:41 remaining in the second when Gaudreau capped a two-on-none sequence with his seventh goal of the season and fifth over the past five games.
Sean Monahan started the play by knocking the puck off the boards from inside the Calgary zone. Former Stars right winger Alex Chiasson then gained possession inside the neutral zone. With no Stars in sight, Chiasson and Gaudreau executed a textbook give-and-go, and Gaudreau finished the rush with an easy tap-in at the near post.
The Flames looked to have taken their first lead with 4:47 remaining in the second when Mark Giordano blasted a slap shot past Lehtonen from the right point. However, Dallas coach Lindy Ruff issued a coach's challenge, asserting that Chiasson was offside prior to the goal. Following a short official review, the goal was nullified and the game remained 1-1.
Dallas created an excellent opportunity to pull ahead 1:05 into the third period, but Patrick Eaves' wrist shot from the right circle found the near goalpost.
Stars defenseman Julius Honka sustained an upper-body injury late in the second period and did not return to the ice.
Monahan scored the eventual clinching goal 33 seconds into a power play resulting from a holding call on Dallas' Brett Ritchie 9:16 into the third.
Ritchie appeared to have scored the tying goal with 4:35 remaining, but since he used a distinct kicking motion to score, the goal was quickly nullified.
Lehtonen left the ice with 1:22 remaining, but Dallas was even with the extra attacker, and the Stars were unable to force overtime.
NOTES: The Flames scratched C Freddie Hamilton and D Brett Kulak. ... The Stars scratched C Jason Dickinson, who was recalled from AHL Texas on Tuesday morning, D Patrik Nemeth and D Jamie Oleksiak. ... Flames G Chad Johnson was starting his fourth consecutive game. ... Stars G Kari Lehtonen was appearing in his 16th game of the season. ... Calgary was starting a two-game road trip that will also take it to Arizona on Thursday. ... Stars coach Lindy Ruff made morning skate on Tuesday morning optional. ... Flames coach Glen Gulutzan was making his first appearance in Dallas as Calgary's coach. Gulutzan coached the Stars for two seasons, 2011-12 and 2012-13. ... On Tuesday morning, Eakin's Ginger Ninja Burger, inspired by Stars C Cody Eakin, was unveiled. The $13 burger will be sold at arena concession stands during December. ... The Flames and Stars were facing one another for the second of their three meetings this regular season.