Coyotes’ Vejmelka chased in loss to Flames to end tough homestand

TEMPE (AP) — The Calgary Flames chased Arizona goalie Karel Vejmelka early in a 6-2 victory over the Coyotes on Thursday night.

Yegor Sharangovich, Mikael Backlund, Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman scored in the Flames’ four-goal first period, and Sharangovich finished his second career hat trick in the third.

Jacob Markstrom made 33 saves to help the Flames win for the fifth time in seven games.

Lawson Crouse and Clayton Keller scored for the Coyotes, who trailed 4-1 after the first period. They have lost four of five at home after winning six of seven.

“It worries me,” said Arizona coach Andre Tourigny, whose team was coming off an overtime victory over Boston. “You saw what we can do against Boston. You saw the energy. You saw the desperation. That was a bright spot. Today, that’s why it is disappointing, surprising.”

Sharangovich has five goals in his last two games after scoring twice in a 6-3 victory over Ottawa on Tuesday night, when Coleman also had two goals. Backlund skated in his 950th game, second in Calgary franchise history.

Backlund opened the scoring 20 seconds into the game, when he skated in alone on Vejmelka after an Arizona turnover and scored on a wrist shot from the lower left circle.

Sharangovich made it 2-0 six minutes later on a short-handed goal after another turnover, taking a nifty backhand pass from Coleman to score from the right circle.

Andersson scored with 7:53 left for a three-goal lead. Nazem Kadri took a shot from the left circle that hit the back boards and ricocheted directly to Andersson, who tucked it in from then right side.

Connor Ingram then replaced Vejmelka, who gave up goals on three of the first four shots he faced and four of 12 overall. Ingram made 18 saves.

Crouse got the Coyotes’ first goal when he picked up a rebound of Nick Bjugstad’s shot and had a backhander bounce in off the Flames’ Martin Posipsil with 6:14 left in the period.

The Flames regained a three-goal lead 14 seconds later, when Coleman tipped in Chris Tanev’s shot from the right point.

Keller scored from the left circle on a 3-on-2 break two minutes into the second period to close the deficit to 4-2. Sharangovich scored 58 seconds in the third period and again on a power play seven minutes into the period to make it 6-2.

“We had a tough weekend,” Coleman said. “We wanted to bounce back and show we were better than that.”

The Coyotes are at Minnesota on Saturday night.

Follow @AZSports