Liam Ohgren fuels third‑period surge as Canucks rally past Flames

Liam Ohgren turned his 100th NHL appearance into a statement performance Saturday, scoring once and setting up Elias Pettersson’s decisive goal in a 4-1 Vancouver Canucks win over the Calgary Flames. Trailing 1-0 after two periods at Rogers Arena, the Canucks erupted for four unanswered goals in the third to improve to 2-1-0, handing the Flames a second straight loss to open the season.

Video review sparks Canucks’ comeback

Calgary opened the scoring late in the first period when Matt Coronato struck on the power play at 14:51, giving the visitors a lead they carried deep into the night. Vancouver’s attack was slow to get going, as the club went nearly seven minutes before recording its first shot, but the game flipped in dramatic fashion in the final frame.

Ohgren tied the game early in the third on a controversial play that required a lengthy video review. His attempt struck goaltender Devin Cooley and slipped under the netminder’s arm toward the goal line. The on-ice call initially ruled that Cooley had secured the puck before it fully crossed, drawing frustration from the home crowd, but the review overturned the decision and awarded Vancouver the equalizer.

With momentum shifting, Ohgren then played setup man on the eventual winner. He fed defenceman Elias Pettersson, who cut in and lifted a backhander past Cooley to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead. The marker was only the fifth goal of Pettersson’s 101-game NHL career, adding an extra layer to his clutch moment.

Merilainen delivers in first Canucks start

Goaltender Leevi Merilainen made 23 saves in his first start for Vancouver, delivering several important stops to keep the game within reach. His standout sequence came late in the second period when the Flames generated a three-on-one rush, only for Merilainen to deny Zayne Parekh. Seconds later at the other end, Canucks centre Elias Pettersson rang a shot off the crossbar, and Marco Rossi couldn’t settle the lively rebound.

Drew O’Connor gave Vancouver breathing room at 16:33 of the third, finishing a two-on-one rush to extend the lead to 3-1. Aatu Raty sealed the result with an empty-netter, capping a dominant third period for the home side. Defenceman Tom Willander and centre Linus Karlsson each chipped in two assists as Vancouver’s depth played a prominent role in the turnaround.

Physical edge, Flames shake up lineup, next up

The physical tone ramped up in the second period when Raty was left down in the corner after being hit from behind by Flames defenceman Kevin Bahl, shortly after Raty had forced Cooley into a strong save. Bahl was assessed a cross-checking minor on the play.

Coming off a 6-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken in their home opener, the Flames responded with lineup changes. Defenceman Joel Hanley drew in for Yan Kuznetsov on the blue line, while centre Connor Zary was scratched in favour of left-winger Brennan Othmann. The adjustments produced an early lead but not enough sustained offence to hold off Vancouver’s late push.

Calgary continues its road swing Sunday in Seattle against the Kraken in the second half of a back-to-back. The Canucks stay home to host the Vegas Golden Knights, hoping their third-period outburst can serve as an early-season springboard.