CHICAGO (Interstat) — Mikael Backlund and Yegor Sharangovich each recorded a goal and an assist as the Calgary Flames defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Thursday night at United Center. The Flames struck quickly, scoring twice in the first six minutes to erase an early deficit. Nick Foligno gave Chicago the lead just 2:38 into the game, but Sharangovich answered 36 seconds later. Backlund netted the game-winner at 6:05. Devin Cooley made 22 saves for Calgary, and Matt Coronato sealed it with an empty-net goal. Calgary improved to 20-27-0, while Chicago fell to 19-28-0 before an announced crowd of 16,652. The Flames finished a three-game trip with two victories.

CHICAGO (Interstat) — Mikael Backlund and Yegor Sharangovich each recorded a goal and an assist, and the Calgary Flames built an early lead and never relinquished it in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at United Center. Goaltender Devin Cooley turned aside 22 shots for Calgary, which won for just the second time in seven games and improved to 8-16-2 on the road this season. The Flames completed a three-game trip with two victories. Calgary, which entered as a pregame favorite, improved to 20-27-0. Chicago fell to 19-28-0 before an announced crowd of 16,652. The most important segment of the game unfolded in a frantic first period that saw three goals in a span of 3 minutes, 27 seconds, with Calgary emerging with a 2-1 lead it would not surrender. Chicago struck first at the 2:38 mark of the opening period. Nick Foligno collected his second goal of the season, finishing a play set up by Colton Dach and Landon Slaggert to give the Blackhawks an early advantage. The Flames responded quickly on the power play. Just 26 seconds after Foligno’s goal, Matt Grzelcyk was sent off for interference. Calgary needed only 10 seconds of the man advantage to convert. Backlund won an offensive zone faceoff, and after a Connor Zary backhand chance was stopped, Sharangovich buried a wrist shot for his ninth goal of the season at 3:14. Backlund and Zary were credited with assists. Calgary took the lead for good just over two minutes later. After killing off a tripping penalty to MacKenzie Weegar, the Flames transitioned to offense. Backlund intercepted a puck in the neutral zone, skated in on a partial breakaway and beat Chicago goaltender Spencer Knight with a wrist shot at 6:05 for an unassisted, shorthanded goal, his 12th of the year. That two-goal burst proved decisive. The Flames clamped down defensively from there, limiting Chicago’s high-danger chances despite the Blackhawks holding a 23-22 edge in shots on goal. The second period was a penalty-filled affair that featured 10 infractions, including a fighting major to Calgary’s Joel Farabee and Chicago’s Connor Murphy after a scrum at 14:51 of the frame. Cooley and the Flames’ penalty kill were perfect on the night, thwarting all four Chicago power plays. Knight kept the Blackhawks within striking distance with several key saves, finishing with 20 stops. His best sequence may have come early in the third period when he denied Matt Coronato on a tip-in attempt from the slot. Chicago pressed for the equalizer in the third, pulling Knight for an extra attacker with over two minutes remaining. The Flames sealed the victory when Coronato intercepted an Andre Burakovsky clearing attempt at the Calgary blue line and fired the puck the length of the ice into the empty net with 5:01 remaining for his 13th goal. Sharangovich earned the lone assist. The victory avenged a 5-2 loss for the Flames in Chicago on Nov. 18. The teams have split their two meetings this season. Backlund, named the game’s top star, continued his strong recent play. The veteran center from Vasteras, Sweden, now has two goals and three assists in his last four games. His shorthanded marker stood as the game-winner. For Chicago, Foligno’s goal was a bright spot on a night where the offense struggled to solve Cooley. The Flames’ netminder from Los Gatos, California, was particularly sharp in the second period, making several stops during a chaotic stretch of special teams play. Calgary returns home to host the New York Islanders on Saturday. Chicago continues a homestand against the Boston Bruins, also on Saturday.

Preview: Flames at Blackhawks, January 15, 2026 CHICAGO (Interstat) — Two Central Division teams seeking momentum will meet Thursday night when the Calgary Flames visit the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Both clubs enter with nearly identical, struggling records. The Flames (19-26-0) sit just one point ahead of the Blackhawks (19-27-0) in the standings, making this a critical matchup in a tight Western Conference playoff race. The game features a compelling goaltending duel. Calgary will likely start Devin Cooley, who is coming off a 27-save performance in a 2-1 road win over Pittsburgh on Jan. 10. In his last two starts, both wins, Cooley has stopped 60 of 64 shots. Chicago is expected to counter with Spencer Knight. The Blackhawks netminder has faced heavy volume recently, making 33 saves in a 4-1 loss to Edmonton on Monday. Knight’s form has been inconsistent; he allowed seven goals on nine shots in a relief appearance against Pittsburgh on Dec. 28, but also backstopped a 7-3 win over St. Louis on Jan. 7. Recent history favors the Blackhawks. Chicago has dominated the season series, outscoring Calgary 9-2 in two meetings last November. The Blackhawks won 4-0 in Calgary on Nov. 7 before securing a 5-2 victory at home on Nov. 18. Both teams are looking to rebound from recent slides. The Flames had lost four straight before their win in Pittsburgh, while the Blackhawks have dropped seven of their last ten games. For Calgary, forwards Matt Coronato and Connor Zary, who each scored in the win over Pittsburgh, will be relied upon for offense. Chicago will look for production from Tyler Bertuzzi, who scored the lone goal in Monday’s loss, and defenseman Wyatt Kaiser, who added an assist. Following this contest, Calgary continues a road swing with a game against the New York Islanders on Saturday. Chicago remains at home to host the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CST.