Calgary Flames centre Mikael Backlund (11) scores a goal against Philadelphia Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth (30) during overtime at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015. The Flames won 2-1.Sergei Belski
Mikael Backlund scored 35 seconds into overtime and also had an assist to give the Calgary Flames a badly needed 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.
Breaking in on a 2-on-1, Johnny Gaudreau's shot was stopped by Michal Neuvirth but the rebound popped straight out, hit the leg of Backlund as he skated to the crease and went in.
Calgary improves to 3-0-0 in overtime while Philadephia falls to 1-3-0 in extra time.
Josh Jooris also scored for Calgary was (4-9-1). The Flames improve to 2-5-0 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Michael Raffl scored his first of the season for Philadelphia (4-6-3). The Flyers are 0-3-1 on a five-game road trip that wraps up Saturday in Winnipeg.
In a match-up between two struggling teams – the Flames with one win in their previous six and the Flyers winless in five – both teams looked tentative all night in a sloppy affair. Neither side could generate any sustained pressure and there were numerous turnovers, bobbled passes, and no real flow.
It looked like Calgary was going to head to the second intermission with a lead for just the second time this season but the Flyers tied it 1-1 with 36 seconds left in the period.
Controlling the puck behind the Flames net, Claude Giroux centred a pass to Raffl, whose shot from 15 feet out fluttered past Karri Ramo, who only got a piece of it.
Dating back to last year, it was the first goal in 17 games for Raffl, who scored 21 goals last year in his sophomore season.
It was a familiar storyline for Calgary, who has been outscored 23-8 in second periods this season.
Opening the scoring for the eighth time, the Flames took a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. After serving a minor penalty, Jooris stepped out of the penalty box just in time to scoop up the puck at centre and charge in on a breakaway.
Neuvirth stopped his initial shot, stopped Backlund on the rebound, but the Flyers goaltender couldn't control the puck and it squirted back out front where Jooris whipped it in for his second of the season.
In his third consecutive start, Ramo had 26 saves. He entered the game ranked second-last in the NHL in save percentage at .871. He improves to 2-4-0.
With Steve Mason feeling ill so getting the night off, Neuvirth had 28 saves in falling to 2-3-0.
Notes: Philadelphia healthy scratches were Sam Gagner and David Drewiske... Mason Raymond and Ladislav Smid did not dress for Calgary... Philadelphia's Sean Couturier (concussion) returned after missing six games.... Jakub Voracek was held without a shot. Still without a goal on the season, he entered the night with 50 shots, which was fourth most in the NHL.