Giordano hits milestone as Flames thrash Coyotes
CALGARY: Mark Giordano collected two goals and one assist to move into the top 10 on the franchise’s all-time points list as hosts Calgary Flames blasted the Arizona Coyotes 7-1 Sunday night. Giordano — skating in his 800th career game — moved ahead of Jim Peplinski on Calgary’s all-time point list in collecting his 425th career point. Goalie Mike Smith made 22 saves for the Western Conference-leading Flames, who are riding a five-game winning streak. While Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan both netted one goal and one assist, TJ Brodie, Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik also had two-point games for Calgary, who have scored seven or more goals six times this season, the most since reaching that feat eight times in the 1992-93 season. The Flames have lately been guilty of slow starts, but not on this night. Giordano and Monahan scored 68 seconds apart late in the first period to send them off and running. In Brookly, the New York Islanders scored three times in the first five minutes and Thomas Greiss made 38 saves in a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brock Nelson, Cal Clutterbuck, Devon Toews, Casey Cizikas and Josh Bailey scored for the Islanders, who won for the 11th time in 14 games, moved to 17-7-4 against the Eastern Conference and became the first Metropolitan Division team to beat Tampa Bay in 13 games this season.