Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano, right, celebrates with Johnny Gaudreau (13) after Giordano scored against the Nashville Predators during overtime.Mark Humphrey/The Associated Press
Mark Giordano scored 43 seconds into overtime, and the Calgary Flames edged the Nashville Predators 6-5 on Tuesday night in a crucial game between teams holding the Western Conference's wild cards.
The Flames have won two of their last three games. They pulled within a point of Nashville, though the Predators have a game in hand.
Mikael Backlund tied it at 5 at 10:50 of the third with his second goal of the game and 17th this season with a wrist shot.
Micheal Ferland also had two goals, Dougie Hamilton added a goal and Johnny Gaudreau had four assists.
Filip Forsberg had a hat trick in the second period, and Colin Wilson and P.K. Subban each had a goal and an assist for Nashville. The Predators have lost four of their last six.
Giordano's game-winner appeared to go off Forsberg's skate past goalie Juuse Saros.
The Flames chased goalie Pekka Rinne by scoring four goals on 13 shots. It's the second time he's been pulled in his past four starts, and Rinne went to the bench at 5:12 of the second period after giving up a goal to Hamilton.
Ferland gave Calgary a 1-0 lead within the first minute. Subban tied it up with a slap shot at 9:20 that was immediately waved off for Kevin Fiala making contact with goalie Brian Elliott. But the brief contact came outside the crease, and Nashville won its challenge to overturn the call.
The Flames quickly answered with Backlund scoring on a snap shot off a rebound at 11:00, then Ferland scored his second of the period and 10th this season for a 3-1 lead.
Forsberg started the rally with his 17th goal this season on a backhander at 10:50. Hamilton went to the box for tripping, and Wilson scored on a tip-in 33 seconds into the man advantage to pull the Predators within 4-3. He tied it at 4-4 at 16:07 by beating Elliott's glove with a wrist shot. Then he started the hats flying onto the ice with his snap shot for his 19th goal this season.
But Backlund scored, and Elliott killed a penalty inside the final three minutes to get the Flames to overtime.