Calgary Flames left wing Ryan Lomberg (70) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the San Jose Sharks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

CALGARY — Ryan Lomberg's exuberance took the spotlight Saturday when a single shift turned up the heat for the Calgary Flames.

Lomberg scored on a two-on-none on his lone shot of the game and immediately fought Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Jeremy Lauzon on the ensuing faceoff in the first period of a 6-3 victory at the Saddledome.

"Is that what we're calling it 'The Shift'? Yeah, it was a great shift," said defenceman MacKenzie Weegar.

"I would have liked him to come back and get an assist and call it the 'Gordie Howe Shift', but I'll give it 'The Shift' for now until I come up with something better."

Lomberg, a fourth-line energy forward whose nickname is 'Lomborghini', scored his second goal in three games after notching his first of the season in San Jose, Calif., five nights earlier.

"Lombo is great for the locker room. He's great for just life in general," Weegar said.

Lomberg intended to challenge Lauzon after the latter checked Flames forward Matt Coronato, but before Lomberg got to that order of business, Connor Zary dished the puck to him for a breakaway.

"He kind of head-manned the puck there and I almost lost it so I don't know if he would have looked at me the same way ever again if I lost it, but luckily I put it in and I owe him something for sure," said Lomberg before recounting what led to his tilt with Lauzon.

"He hit Matty pretty good a couple of shifts before, and I was planning on going and asking him and it just kind of worked out that I scored before I got the chance to ask him and then I asked him right after and he said yes," Lomberg said.

"In his position, they're down 3-1, it was a good opportunity for them and for me just sticking up for one of the boys."

As for a Gordie Howe hat trick — a goal, assist and a fight — the 31-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., treated that possibility with his trademark levity.

"I told the boys, 'if I give it to you in the O-zone, I don't want it back. Shoot it,'" he joked.

Lauzon, who has 40 pounds and half a foot on Lomberg, put the Flame down quickly, but Lomberg regained his feet to re-engage.

"Yeah, he's a big boy. He pushed me over, lost my balance there, and I asked him to let me up and he did," Lomberg said. "I think he was more than happy to let me up and continue the fight."

The Flames (15-17-4) improved to 7-1-1 in their last nine games at the Saddledome.

Flames captain Mikael Backlund scored twice. Zary and Weegar had three assists apiece. Joel Farabee, Adam Klapka and Jonathan Huberdeau, with an empty-netter, also scored.

Devin Cooley made 34 saves in Calgary's net for the win

SHORT-HANDED PROWESS

The Flames are among the NHL's most productive short-handed.

Joel Farabee's third short-handed goal this season, which gave the Flames a 5-1 lead in the second period, tied for the league lead with four other players including teammate Blake Coleman.

Six short-handed goals tied the Flames for the league lead with the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings.

"When teams are a little bit more aggressive, sometimes you force the power play to hurry a decision, and we've been better in the aggressive category over the last little while," said Flames head coach Ryan Huska. "We have some players that read the game well."

Farabee lugged the puck zone to zone, cut in front of the Vegas crease to change the angle of his shot and put the puck off the post and by Akira Schmid.

"Joel Farabee's got really good hockey sense. He has a good understanding of where pucks are going to go," Huska said. "He's good with his stick and puts it in lanes and he has got good skill.

"We've seen it from him at different times over the course of the year. Having patience like he did on that goal was a really high-end goal."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 21, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025