Johnny Gaudreau’s goal early in the first period held up and Chad Johnson stopped 27 shots for Calgary’s first shutout of the season, fueling a 1-0 victory for the Flames over the Minnesota Wild.
Outscored 17-4 over a four game skid, with two of those goals from Gaudreau, Johnson and the Flames gave their NHL-worst goals against average a big boost. Their scoring differential, now at minus-19, is last in the league.
Flames goalie Brian Elliott, formerly of the St. Louis Blues, has an 8-2 record with a 2.18 goals against average in 12 career games against the Wild, but Johnson got the call from coach Glen Gulutzan instead.
Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves for the Wild and has given up only nine goals in his last eight games, stopping 245 of 254 shots.
