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Mika Zibanejad's natural hat trick leads Senators past Flames 6-4

Sunday, 02.28.2016 / 12:55 AM / News

The Canadian Press

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Mika Zibanejad's natural hat trick leads Senators past Flames 6-4

CALGARY - Mika Zibanejad's natural hat trick in a 2:38 span in the third period led the Ottawa Senators to dramatic 6-4 comeback victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.

Zack Smith, Nick Paul and Jean-Gabriel Pageau into an empty net also scored for Ottawa (30-27-6). The Senators have won five of their last six and remain six points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Johnny Gaudreau had two goals and an assist to lead the way for Calgary (27-31-4). Joe Colborne and Sean Monahan also scored. Winless in their last four, the Flames open up a four-game road trip in Philadelphia on Monday.

Trailing 4-2, Zibanejad got the rally started at 6:10, beating Joni Ortio on a wrist shot.

At 7:59, he tied the game scoring into an empty net after Ortio was interfered with by Bobby Ryan. However, the contact happened outside the crease and the goal was allowed to stand after Flames coach Bob Hartley challenged it.

Forty-nine seconds later, Zibanejad capped his first career three-goal game, chipping the puck into the net from in close. The 22-year-old Swede entered the game with one goal in his previous 15 games.

Despite a noisy legion of supporters, no hats were thrown on the ice from Senators fans but a Flames jersey was tossed onto the ice from the crowd. It was quickly scooped up.

On the day his linemate Jiri Hudler was traded to the Florida Panthers, Gaudreau didn't miss a beat, extending his point streak to a career-best seven games. He has three goals and eight assists in that span.

Gaudreau's first of the night came at 10:23 of the second. Giving Calgary a 3-1 lead, he darted in and from the face-off circle whipped a shot into the top corner.

After Paul drew the Senators back within one four minutes later, Gaudreau scored top corner again with 23 seconds left in the period to restore a two-goal cushion.

Craig Anderson had 34 saves for Ottawa. He improves to 27-20-4.

With 20 stops, Ortio falls to 0-5-2.

Calgary got off to a fast start getting goals 42 seconds apart from Colborne and Monahan early in the first period.

Smith's power-play goal at 18:21 got the Senators on the scoreboard.

Notes: Flames D Kris Russell (lower body) missed his seventh consecutive game... RW David Jones took Hudler's spot on the Flames top line with Gaudreau and Monahan... Senators announced that RW Chris Neil has signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract extension... Calgary D Dennis Wideman served the 13th game of a 20-game suspension.

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