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National Hockey League
Calgary 4, Arizona 2
When: 10:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 31, 2016
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta
Referees: Kendrick Nicholson, Francois St. Laurent
Linesmen: David Brisebois, Scott Cherrey
Attendance: 19289

CALGARY, Alberta -- It's safe to say that Michael Frolik likes playing against the Arizona Coyotes.

Frolik had a goal and an assist to lead the Calgary Flames to a 4-2 victory over the Coyotes on Saturday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

It was his first goal in 21 games since he notched the winner and added an assist during a 2-1 victory over the Coyotes in Calgary on Nov. 16.

"It's been awhile," Frolik said of his goal drought. "It's hockey. Sometimes it's like that. I know the start for me was good and then I kind of couldn't get it in.

"I'm happy that it went in (on Saturday) and hopefully it's going to build the confidence a little bit back again and we keep going. I think it's just working hard and hopefully it's going to go this way."

Dennis Wideman, Lance Bouma and Mikael Backlund also scored for the Flames (20-17-2), who jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one period.

Goaltender Brian Elliott (7-9-1) made 27 saves in the Calgary net to post his fourth straight win.

Brendan Perlini and Martin Hanzal scored for the Coyotes (11-21-5), who lost their seventh straight game.

"It's just getting to the point where it's embarrassing," Hanzal said. "It's on us. It's on the players. We've got to stick together and start playing desperate, because it's just not desperate enough."

Backup goalie Louis Domingue finished with 20 saves while making a rare start in net for Arizona.

"I dug the team into a hole in the first period," Domingue said. "I can take the blame because every time you give up four goals on nine shots, you've just got to look at yourself in the mirror. You can't point fingers.

"It's just bad on my part. A lot of good things after, but I've just got to play 60 minutes. It's my job and I didn't do that tonight at all."

Frolik opened the scoring for Calgary at 6:08 with a power-play goal. Rookie left winger Matthew Tkachuk took the initial shot that bounced off Arizona defenseman Connor Murphy right out front to Frolik for an easy goal. That extended Tkachuk's point-scoring streak to six games.

The Coyotes appeared to draw even four minutes later, but the goal was disallowed because Hanzal directed the puck into the net with a high stick.

Wideman then blasted a point shot past Domingue at 12:09 before Bouma bounced a pass, intended for Garnet Hathaway, off Arizona defenseman Alex Goligoski and in only 29 seconds later. For Wideman, it was his first goal in 27 games.

Backlund wrapped up a strong first period for the Flames with a power-play goal at 15:42 when he redirected Mark Giordano's point shot past Domingue.

The Coyotes responded with a much better second period as they outshot the Flames 16-6. They were rewarded for their hard work when Perlini tapped a feed from Shane Doan past Elliott at 15:40.

"Our second period was awful," said Backlund, who has four goals and three assists in his past four games. "It was a really bad period for us. That was unacceptable.

"I thought in the third we came up a little better and spent more time in their zone and had a little more pressure. Not our best game, but we'll take the two points and move on."

Arizona nearly cut the deficit to two goals one minute later, but Elliott did the splits to make a nice toe save to stop a breakaway attempt by Tobias Rieder.

"It was a big save for us," Backlund said. "At times, he stood on his head and saved us. I don't think we were the better team the whole game. He came up big for us."

Hanzal scored the lone goal of the third period when he redirected a shot taken by Jordan Martinook past Elliott at 11:53.

NOTES: G Mike Smith started 12 straight games before Arizona coach Dave Tippett decided to go with G Louis Domingue against the Flames on Saturday. It was Domingue's first start since Dec. 5 and first action since a relief appearance on Dec. 12. "Sometimes you've just got to change a few things up to get a different look," Tippett told reporters after Arizona's morning skate Saturday. ... Arizona C Ryan White missed his fourth straight game with a lower-body injury. ... The Coyotes assigned D Kevin Connauton to the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League on Friday for a conditioning stint. ... Arizona's lone healthy scratch was RW Josh Jooris. ... D Tyler Wotherspoon and C Freddie Hamilton sat out for Calgary. RW Troy Brouwer missed his third straight game with a broken finger. ... Flames D Dougie Hamilton (illness) made his return to Calgary's lineup after sitting out Thursday's 3-1 loss at home to the Anaheim Ducks.
Top Game Performances
 
Arizona   Calgary
Martin Hanzal 1 Points Michael Frolik 2
Martin Hanzal 1 Goals Michael Frolik 1
Shane Doan 1 Assists Michael Frolik 1
N/A Power Play Goals Michael Frolik 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Louis Domingue .833 Save Percentage Brian Elliott .931
Louis Domingue 20 Saves Brian Elliott 27
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Arizona 29 2 0-4 2-4 20 29
Calgary 24 4 2-4 4-4 10 35
Upcoming Games
  • Calgary will play their next game at home against Colorado. The Flames have a W/L % of .526 after a win and .500 after a loss.
  • Arizona will play their next game on the road against Vancouver. The Coyotes have a W/L % of .333 after a win and .280 after a loss.