Blackhawks flame out in overtime
Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, Reto Berra made 42 saves in his first NHL game and the Calgary Flames defeated the Blackhawks 3-2 on Sunday night at United Center.
Russell’s shot from the blue line clanked off the crossbar and past Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, ending Calgary’s 10-game losing streak in Chicago. The Flames won at the United Center for the first time since March 2008.
Mike Cammalleri and Curtis Glencross scored in regulation for the Flames. Calgary’s T.J. Galiardi missed on a second-period penalty shot.
Chicago’s Marian Hossa scored a power-play goal with 4:19 left in the third period to tie it at 2. Patrick Kane also scored for Chicago, which had won three in a row.
Crawford made 27 saves.
The 26-year-old Berra was recalled from Abbotsford of the AHL on Saturday after the Flames waived Joey MacDonald. The 6-foot-4 Swiss goaltender was acquired in the trade that sent defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to St. Louis last April.
Berra was sharp against the Blackhawks, making a handful of point-blank and flashy stops.
After a slow start this season offensively, Chicago had scored 24 times in its previous five games. But the Stanley Cup champions showed little of that explosive skill and tempo against Calgary.
The Blackhawks outshot the Flames 18-11 in the scoreless first. Berra coolly swept away Chicago’s routine chances and turned in a couple of tough stops, including a quick glove save on Andrew Shaw with 5:00 left in the period.
Calgary’s best chance came with 1:28 left, but Dennis Wideman’s shot capping a 3-on-2 break was smothered by Crawford.
Galiardi was awarded his penalty shot — the first for Calgary and first against Chicago this season at 4:06 of the second after he was hooked from behind on a breakaway by Hossa. He fired wide on the attempt.
Kane opened the scoring, beating Berra on Chicago’s 23rd shot at 6:25 of the second.
After cutting across the top of the Calgary zone, Kane moved to the left faceoff circle and wristed a shot through a screen that fooled Berra on the short side.
Cammalleri tied it at 1 just 50 seconds later. Left open at the edge of the crease, Cammelleri was able to deflect Wideman’s shot from the right point in midair and past Crawford.
Cammalleri has seven points in seven games since returning from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for the start of the season.
Glencross gave Calgary a 2-1 lead at 2:16 of the third on a shot that sailed past Crawford’s glove, clanked off the right post and landed in the net.
Glencross cut in from left wing and gained a step on Chicago defenseman Sheldon Brookbank. He fired from the circle and Crawford fanned on a glove save attempt.