CALGARY — It has been a smooth transition in Calgary for Nazem Kadri.
Kadri remained red-hot on Tuesday, extending his NHL points streak to six games with two goals and an assist to lead the Flames to a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After helping the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup, Kadri hasn't missed a beat since signing a seven-year, $49-million deal with Calgary.
“It's been good, for sure,” said Kadri, who leads the team with nine points (four goals, five assists). “Credit to the guys, they've made me feel pretty welcomed, and the staff, and everybody in the city of Calgary. It's always nice getting wins.”
His points streak is the fourth longest to begin a Flames career. Mel Bridgman (1980-81), holds the record at eight games while Phil Housley (1994-95) and Sergei Makarov (1989-90) had seven-game sprees.
“He's been playing well,” Jonathan Huberdeau said about his fellow newcomer. “Such a good player, he works hard and it's been working for him. He creates a lot of things on the ice defensively, offensively, and he's gonna keep going, too.”
Huberdeau, with his first as a Flame, and Michael Stone also scored for Calgary (5-1-0).
Evgeni Malkin had the lone goal for Pittsburgh (4-2-1), which lost both ends of its back-to-back set in Alberta in regulation after starting the season with points in their first five games.
Sidney Crosby, who entered the night with 11 points in six games and was seeking his 900th career assist, was kept off the scoresheet.
It was all Calgary in the first period as the Flames built a 2-0 lead and held a 20-2 edge in shots before the besieged Penguins pushed back in the final two minutes.
“They obviously knew we played last night (in Edmonton). They tried to establish that heavy forecheck that they have,” said Penguins defenceman Brian Dumoulin.
Pittsburgh goaltender Casey DeSmith was spectacular in keeping the game scoreless until Calgary's 15th shot beat him. Andrew Mangiapane's centring pass was neatly redirected in by Kadri at 14:11.
Kadri added his second of the game less than four minutes later picking the top corner for an unassisted goal.
“A good start, that's probably what did it for us,” Kadri said. “We came out hot. I'd like to see us have a better second period, but for the most part, we stayed with it, had a great start and that's definitely a positive sign.”
Huberdeau made it 3-0 early in the second on the power play, but after that, Pittsburgh tilted the ice in their favour beginning with Malkin's power-play goal at 4:32.
The Penguins outshot Calgary 20-4 in the second period, but thanks to Jacob Markstrom's stellar work in net, their deficit grew to three goals with Stone's slapshot at 11:20 making it 4-1.
Markstrom finished with 32 stops to improve to 4-0-0. DeSmith had 31 saves to fall to 0-1-1.
“Big second period,” said Flames coach Darryl Sutter, when asked about his goaltender. “We'd miss a scoring chance, they come down with a scoring chance. He probably kept it at a two-goal game.”
It was an usually quiet night offensively for Pittsburgh, who recorded six goals in four of their first six games.
"When you're scoring six a night, you get in that mode of 'we can do it every night' and we have a team that could do it every night,” said Penguins forward Jeff Carter.
“But I think at the start of the year we were scoring six goals because we were playing the right way. We're checking and creating our opportunities from our own end out, really, and grinding teams down when we get into the offensive end."
POULIN'S EVENTFUL DEBUT
With Jason Zucker shaken up against the Oilers and Jake Guentzel (upper body) not ready to return, 2019 first-round pick Sam Poulin, 21, made his NHL debut for the Penguins.
Called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) on Sunday, Poulin centred a line with Brock McGinn and Kasperi Kapanen and he found himself on the scoresheet a couple times. He was in the penalty box for slashing when Huberdeau made it 3-0. Shortly after he helped set up Malkin's power-play goal for his first NHL point.
"I thought Sam played well. He brought us a lot of energy,” said head coach Mike Sullivan. “We're just really encouraged with how far he's come and how his game is evolving and he's earned the opportunity to play in this game tonight. I thought he had a strong game."
FAST START
The Flames have won five of their first six games for the first time in franchise history. The only other time the team has picked up 10 of 12 points to start the season was 1978-79 when the club was still based in Atlanta. They started that season 4-0-2.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Will try to bounce back on Friday in Vancouver when their five-game road trip continues against the Canucks.
Flames: Their season-long eight-game homestand continues on Saturday when the Edmonton Oilers visit.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2022.
Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press
