![](Oct 30, 2017 CALGARY, Alberta Sean Monahan scored the tiebreaking goal 9:09 into the third period and the Calgary Flames" data-canon="Calgary Flames" data-type="SPORTS_OBJECT_TEAM" data-league-abbreviation="NHL" data-team-abbreviation="CGY">Calgary Flames broke a four-game home losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals" data-canon="Washington Capitals" data-type="SPORTS_OBJECT_TEAM" data-league-abbreviation="NHL" data-team-abbreviation="WAS">Washington Capitals on Sunday night. The decisive goal was set up by Johnny Gaudreau, who carried the puck in on the rush. After not finding anyone open, he curled back at the faceoff dot and tried again, this time spotting Monahan alone at the far post. All the Flames' leading goal scorer had to do was slide in his sixth of the season. It was the 11th assist for Gaudreau, who leads the team with 14 points. Micheal Ferland also scored for the Flames, who improved to 1-1-0 on a seven-game homestand that continues Thursday when the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins visit. Jakub Vrana scored for the Capitals, who finished 1-2-0 on a road trip through Western Canada. Calgary took a 1-0 lead into the third before Washington tied it at 4:19. TJ Brodie's outlet pass to Matthew Tkachuk along the sideboards bounced off him and back toward the slot, where T. J. Oshie set up Vrana. The rookie fired a shot that slipped under the glove of Mike Smith. But that was the only puck to elude Smith, who made his NHL-leading 11th start. Acquired in an offseason trade with Arizona, Smith has been the Flames' best player all season and he was excellent again against the Capitals. Smith stopped 30 shots and improved his season save percentage to .931. Calgary opened the scoring 2:08 into the second. Flames defenseman Brett Kulak, who had just stepped onto the ice, kept the puck in at the blue line and fired a quick shot toward the net that Ferland neatly deflected past Philipp Grubauer. With top goalie Braden Holtby getting the night off after beating Edmonton 5-2 on Saturday, Grubauer made his fourth start and finished with 36 saves. Grubauer's best save kept the score 1-all in the third. He jabbed out his glove to rob Mark Giordano after he was set up by Gaudreau on a rare 4-on-1 rush. NOTES: Jaromir Jagr (lower body) is eligible to come off injured reserve and he's back skating with the Flames, but he missed his fourth straight game. ... Sam Bennett has yet to pick up a point in Calgary's 12 games. ... The Flames made two changes, putting Kulak and RW Curtis Lazar in the lineup. It was just the third game for Kulak. ... Washington made one personnel change from Saturday, inserting Aaron Ness on defense in place of Taylor Chorney. UP NEXTCapitals: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday night. Flames: Host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.---More NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey)
Time: 9:00 PM EDT Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Canada, T2G 2W1 CALGARY, Alberta -- Travis Hamonic has seen his fair share of Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby over the years. In his first year as a defenseman with the Calgary Flames" data-canon="Calgary Flames" data-type="SPORTS_OBJECT_TEAM" data-league-abbreviation="NHL" data-team-abbreviation="CGY">Calgary Flames, Hamonic will renew acquaintances with both his old Metropolitan Division foes over the next five days." I've spent a lot of time on the ice against those guys," said Hamonic, who spent his first seven NHL seasons playing for the New York Islanders before being acquired by the Flames on June 24. "It drives you to be better, whether you're playing them or any other top player in the league, you want to measure yourself. You want to see where you're at." It's a barometer test for you and your team and individually as well. You want to try to put your best foot forward against some of the best in the league and come out on top." The Flames (5-6-0), who lost 2-1 to the Dallas Stars at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday, will continue their seven-game homestand when they host Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals" data-canon="Washington Capitals" data-type="SPORTS_OBJECT_TEAM" data-league-abbreviation="NHL" data-team-abbreviation="WAS">Washington Capitals on Sunday. They'll then get a four-day break before taking on Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. After starting the season with four wins in their first six games, the Flames have gone 1-4 in their past five contests." Obviously special teams hasn't been the strongest area for us as of late, but five-on-five I think we're doing a lot of good things," Hamonic said. "We're certainly not giving up much and there's a lot of things to be excited and happy about in our game. We've got to keep those things rolling forward and get some of the other aspects of our game cleaned up and get rolling here." Flames right winger Jaromir Jagr, who has missed the past three games with a lower-body injury, will be a game-day decision as to whether he plays against the Capitals on Sunday." He's still day-to-day, so we'll see where he's at," Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan said. "He wants to play as soon as he (can). When our medical guys think he's ready to play, he's going to play. He doesn't stay out an extra day or two. If he's ready, he's going to play. We'll see how he is in the morning skate (on Sunday)." After going 3-1-1 in their first five games, the Capitals lost four of their next five. Led by a pair of goals by Evgeny Kuznetsov and three assists from Ovechkin, Washington (5-5-1) bounced back Saturday night in Edmonton with a 5-2 victory over the Oilers." We needed that win to feel a little bit comfortable," said Ovechkin, while noting he and his teammates were going to enjoy the victory before switching their attentions to face the Flames. "(Sunday)'s another big one. I don't think we have good success this year on back-to-backs, so it's going to be a big test for us." The Caps are 0-2 this season in the second half of back-to-back games, which is something that right winger Devante Smith-Pelly isn't too concerned about." I think most guys would say that rather than sitting around and waiting for the next game, that you get right back at it," said Smith-Pelly, who scored his first goal of the season against the Oilers. "If we play like we did those last two periods, we're going to win a lot more games than we lose." While right winger Brett Connolly missed Saturday's game as he undergoes the NHL's concussion protocol, the Capitals welcomed back center Nicklas Backstrom to their lineup Saturday after he missed Thursday's 6-2 loss in Vancouver because of illness.
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