Flames win 1st game when trailing after 2 periods: 'It's about time'

The Calgary Flames were finally able to rise from the ashes.

In the thick of a hunt for one of the last playoff spots, the Flames earned their first victory of the season when trailing after two periods by defeating the Vancouver Canucks 5-4 in overtime on Friday night.

"It's about time we came back and won a game," forward Tyler Toffoli, who potted two goals (Nos. 32 and 33 on the season), including the OT winner, said postgame.

"We needed it."

They certainly did. The Flames sit two points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the Western Conference's second wild-card spot. The two sides will meet one last time on Wednesday in what will undoubtedly be a crucial contest. MoneyPuck gives Calgary a 30.3% chance of making the postseason.

The much-maligned Jonathan Huberdeau also came up clutch, scoring the equalizer with less than four minutes left in regulation to force OT.

"We knew we needed that win," Huberdeau said. "After the second period we didn’t panic, we were playing well, we were getting chances, so we just stuck with it and came out with the huge two points, finally, in OT."

The Flames were deserving of the victory, as they outshot the Canucks 41-20 and controlled 68.4% of the expected goals.

Unheralded trade deadline pickup Troy Stecher, a former Canucks defenseman, did some damage against his former team, notching a goal and an assist.

"I think it speaks volumes to the character we have in the room," Stecher said. "We touched on it at the intermission, we didn’t play well against San Jose at home, found a way to win.

"Tonight, it seemed like any time we scored we took a step backwards. That’s not something you want to do, but at the end of the day you found a way to get two points and stay in the hunt."

The Canucks, meanwhile, tied a franchise record with their ninth loss this season when leading by multiple goals.