Calgary Flames
Rittich stops 43 shots as Flames beat Blue Jackets 3-0
Calgary Flames

Rittich stops 43 shots as Flames beat Blue Jackets 3-0

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:38 p.m. ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Calgary's Sean Monahan ended a personal 13-game scoreless streak with a goal that proved to be the winner.

Monahan, Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk scored, and David Rittich recorded the shutout as the Flames beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 Saturday night.

The Flames (8-6-2) won their second game in two nights and dealt Columbus its fourth straight loss, and second straight at home.

Rittich stopped 43 shots for his seventh victory and second shutout.

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"Rittich was dialed in and in control all night long," Flames coach Bill Peters said. "It was a real good effort by him. He's been solid all year."

Columbus (5-6-3) outshot the Flames 43-29 and goalie Joonas Korpisalo lost his third straight start.

Monahan got the Flames on the board early, beating Korpisalo with a high shot from right in front of the net at 3:44 of the first period. Elias Lindholm and Johnny Gaudreau assisted on Monahan's third goal of the season.

It was his first goal since Oct. 5.

"You play in this league a long time, you are going to go through stretches and not find the back of the net," Monahan said. "You've got to focus on the little things. That what I tried to do."

Calgary led 2-0 after Korpisalo chased a wide shot by Derek Ryan, leaving an open net for Bennett, who buried the puck at 8:20 of the second period for his third goal of the season.

Matthew Tkachuk made it 3-0 with an empty-net goal at 17:21 of the third.

Jackets captain Nick Foligno said letting opposing teams get on the board first has been a challenge for Columbus.

"I think the real tale of this game is honestly our start," he said. "For whatever reason, we have a difficult time setting the tone of how we want to play. I think that's the difference in the game."

Coach John Tortorella agreed.

"Our start was terrible," he said. "After that, I thought we played hard. Did we make a lot of plays? No. We just didn't execute. It's unacceptable how we started the game."

NOTES: Sonny Milano's penalty with 27.5 seconds left in the first period was his sixth in 12 games. ,,, With the win, Calgary started its third back-to-back series of the season, while the Jackets finished their fourth. ... Kole Sherwood, a native of New Albany, Ohio, left in the second period after a punch in the face by Milan Lucic, but later returned.

NEXT UP

Flames: At Washington on Sunday.

Blue Jackets: Host Las Vegas on Tuesday.

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