MATTHEW TKACHUK

Oilers Flames Hockey Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, right, celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers with forward Johnny Gaudreau during the third period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP) (Jeff McIntosh)CALGARY, Alberta — (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk had his first career playoff hat trick and the Calgary Flames beat the Edmonton Oilers 9-6 Wednesday night in Game 1 of their second-round series. Game 2 is Friday at the Saddledome before the series heads to Edmonton for Sunday’s Game 3 and Tuesday’s Game 4. The Flames scored twice in a 25-second span in the first minute and led 3-0 by 6:05 when Smith was replaced by Koskinen. ... Game 1 was the highest scoring playoff game involving Calgary and Edmonton, surpassing the previous high of 12 goals scored in Game 3 of the 1983 Smythe Division final.

Stars Flames Hockey Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, right, celebrates his goal with teammates during second period NHL playoff hockey action against the Dallas Stars in Calgary, Alberta, Sunday, May 15, 2022. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP) (Jeff McIntosh)CALGARY, Alberta — (AP) — Johnny Gaudreau scored 15:09 into overtime to lift Calgary past the Dallas Stars 3-2 in Game 7 on Sunday night, giving the Flames just their second playoff series win in the last 17 years. The Flames will face the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference’s semifinal in the first postseason Battle of Alberta since 1991. Tyler Toffoli and Matthew Tkachuk scored their first goals of the series for the Flames. Jamie Benn and Vladislav Namestnikov scored for the Stars.

Miro Heiskanen scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period and the Dallas Stars beat Calgary 4-2 to force a Game 7 in their first-round Western Conference series.

Rasmus Andersson scored Calgary’s first power-play goal since early in the playoff opener, Jacob Markstrom had 34 saves and the Flames beat the Dallas Stars 4-1 in Game 4 to even their first-round series.

The pressure is squarely on the Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Calgary Flames down two games to one in their respective first-round series.

Joe Pavelski scored twice and got the game-winner on the first power-play goal in the series for Dallas as the Stars beat the Calgary Flames 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

The Buffalo Sabres have removed the interim tag from Don Granato and named him the team's full-time coach.