Backlund scores twice, Calgary Flames beat Vegas Golden Knights 6-3 – Brandon Sun

CALGARY — Mikael Backlund scored twice to propel the Calgary Flames to a 6-3 victory over the visiting Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.

Joel Farabee, who scored short-handed, and Ryan Lomberg, Adam Klapka and Jonathan Huberdeau, who scored on an empty net, also scored for the Flames (15-17-4), who improved to 7-1-1 in their last nine games at the Saddledome.

Connor Zary and defenseman Mackenzie Weegar each had three assists. Goaltender Devin Cooley made 34 saves for the win.

Reilly Smith, Kadan Korczak and Mark Stone scored for the Golden Knights (16-7-10), who suffered their first regulation loss in December. Akira Schmid stopped 20 shots in the loss.

Stone deflected Noah Hanifin's shot off Cooley's backboard for a power-play goal at 14:34 of the third period.

Korczak scored his second goal for Vegas with a quick wrist shot from the faceoff circle that beat Cooley on the far side at 14:34 of the second.

But Calgary led 5-1 at 12:21 on Farabee's third shorthanded goal of the season.

Backlund earned his second of the game at 8:38, deflecting his rebound from Schmid off a feed from Weegar, who earned his 200th career assist.

Lomberg made it 3-1 in favor of the hosts at 15:45 of the first period after a two-on-nil break from Zarya. Lomberg, who scored his second goal in three games, then fought Jeremy Lauzon.

Calgary held a two-goal lead when Smith, coming off the bench, converted a breakaway to cut the deficit in half at 10:03.

Kuznetsov's shot from the point deflected off the six-foot-seven Klapka's foot for forward momentum and Calgary's second goal of the game at 8:42.

Backlund made a pass in the defensive zone and completed the rush with Blake Coleman and Zary, deflecting the puck over Schmid at 3:54.

TAKE AWAY

Flames: Their sixth shorthanded goal this season tied the Flames with the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings for the most points this season. Backlund recorded the 23rd multi-goal game of his career.

Golden Knights: Minus forward Jack Eichel (illness) and defenseman Shea Theodore (upper body). Ivan Barbashev moved to center between Mitch Marner and Brayden Bowman.

KEY POINT

Farabee carried the puck from zone to zone, cut in front of the net to change the angle of his shot and fired it off the post for a shorthanded goal, Calgary's fifth goal of the game. He is tied with four players, including teammate Blake Coleman, for the most shorthanded goals this season with three.

KEY STATISTICS

Backlund's 47th goal to open the game tied Theo Fleury for the second-most in Flames history behind Jarome Iginla (93).

NEXT

Golden Knights: Host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

Flames: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2025.