Stone batted a Noah Hanifin shot off the backboards off Cooley and in for a power-play goal at 14:34 of the third period.

Korczak generated a second goal for Vegas with a quick wrist shot from the faceoff circle that beat Cooley far side at 14:34 of the second.

But Calgary led 5-1 at 12:21 on Farabee’s third short-handed goal this season.

Backlund collected his second of the game at 8:38 by shovelling his own rebound by Schmid off a feed from Weegar, who earned his 200th career assist.

Lomberg made it 3-1 for the hosts at 15:45 of the first period on a two-on-none breakaway with Zary. Lomberg, who scored his second goal in three games, then fought Jeremy Lauzon.

Calgary held an early two-goal lead when Smith, coming off the bench, converted a breakaway to halve the deficit at 10:03.

Kuznetsov’s shot from the point deflected off the foot of six-foot-seven Klapka providing net-front traffic for Calgary’s second goal of the game at 8:42.

Backlund collected a defensive-zone turnover and finished a rush with Blake Coleman and Zary by batting the puck over Schmid at 3:54.

TAKEAWAYS

Flames: Sixth short-handed goal this season tied the Flames with the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings for the most this season. Backlund recorded the 23rd multi-goal game of his career.

Golden Knights: Minus forward Jack Eichel (illness) and defenceman Shea Theodore (upper body). Ivan Barbashev shifted to centre between Mitch Marner and Braeden Bowman.

KEY MOMENT

Farabee lugged the puck zone-to-zone, cut in front of the net to change the angle of his shot and put his shot off the post and in for a short-handed goal, and Calgary’s fifth of the game. He’s tied with four players, including teammate Blake Coleman, for the most short-handed goals this season at three.

KEY STAT

Backlund’s 47th career game-opening goal tied Theo Fleury for the second most in Flames history behind Jarome Iginla (93).

UP NEXT

Golden Knights: Host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

Flames: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2025.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press