Johnny Gaudreau scores overtime winner as Calgary Flames take Game 7
Jake Oettinger could only stop the Calgary Flames for so long. The Dallas Stars goaltender had another spectacular performance in arguably the biggest game of his career, but it wasn’t enough, as the Calgary Flames would move on to win the Game 7 at home 3-2 in overtime.
The Stars gave the Flames their fair share of scares though, as Jamie Benn would score just 40 seconds into the period to give the Stars a 1-0 lead, the lone goal in the period.
The action picked up in the second, as Tyler Toffoli scored to tie the game just 1:46 into the period. But that wouldn’t last long, as the Stars would get it right back with a goal from Vladislav Namestnikov just 31 seconds later. Matthew Tkachuk later evened up the score again for the Flames, getting his first goal of the series, and his first since Game 3 against the Winnipeg Jets during the play-in tournament in the bubble in 2020.
The third period would be a scoreless one, which isn’t exactly a rarity for this series, but what was a rarity was the Stars outshooting the Flames in the period 11-9. Both goalies were excellent, and the game would go to overtime.
The Flames returned to normal in overtime, firing everything at Oettinger, who seemed unbeatable yet again. His biggest moment saw him make at least five saves in a short span to keep the puck out of the net.
This sequence will live on forever https://t.co/bWRbs9oGL5
— Gregory Balloch (@GregBalloch) May 16, 2022That sequence seemed to be Oettinger’s last miracle in this series, as Johnny Gaudreau would beat him a bit over a minute later to win the series for the Flames.
Johnny Gaudreau wins it in OT! 🔥🚨
(🎥: @Sportsnet)
pic.twitter.com/bMYDndvl1v
Oettinger ended up making 64 saves in the loss, the ninth most saves all-time in an NHL game. Both Gaudreau and Tkachuk would finish with two points each, assisting on each other’s goals, while Jacob Markstrom would only make 26 saves on 28 shots.
The Calgary Flames will move on to the second round, setting up the Battle of Alberta against the Edmonton Oilers, the first time they’ve met since 1991. The Flames split their season series with the Oilers, both of them winning two games each.
The Dallas Stars head into the offseason with a few big decisions to make, most notably extensions for Oettinger and Jason Robertson, who are restricted free agents, and potentially looking to bring back John Klingberg, who is a UFA.