Mikael Backlund scored twice in a three-point outing, and Johnny Gaudreau potted the game-winning goal in the third period as the host Calgary Flames beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 Friday night.

With the score tied 1-1 despite Calgary dominating all game, Gaudreau netted a power-play goal at 7:44 of the final frame to take the lead. Gaudreau, who rang three shots off the post on the night, sent a backhander into the cage for his 10th goal of the season and fourth in six games.

Flames goalie Mike Smith needed only 13 saves in winning his second consecutive start. His biggest save came early in the third period when it was a 1-1 game -- a clutch diving blocker stop on Dustin Brown.

The Flames, who are on a 5-1-1 run, gave up a season-low 14 shots on goal. By comparison, they fired 18 on the Kings net in the third period alone.

Backlund opened the scoring just 36 seconds into the affair with his first goal in 11 games, firing a long wrist shot that rang off the far post and into the net behind Kings goalie Cal Petersen.

With Petersen making several great saves to keep it a one-goal game, his squad drew even when Adrian Kempe scored at 13:41 of the second period. While the Kings were buzzing in the Calgary zone, Kempe set up shop at the left face-off dot and snapped home a short-side shot.

Backlund scored the first of two empty-net goals for the Flames with 32 seconds remaining for his first multi-goal game in more than a year. Sean Monahan added another empty-netter with 7.3 seconds left on the clock.

Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm, who played his 400th NHL game, each collected two assists for Calgary.

Petersen stopped 33 shots for the Kings, who have just two wins in their last six games and sit last in the NHL standings with 19 points.

--Field Level Media