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DETROIT -- Mikael Backlund and the Calgary Flames got their six-game road trip started in the best way possible.Backlund scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:46 left in the third period to give Calgary a 3-2 victory over the slumping Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night.This is huge, because were looking at these six games almost like a playoff series, said Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who had three assists. We know we have to pick up some wins on this trip, and this is a good start.Garnet Hathaway got his first career goal and Matt Stajan also scored for Calgary. Chad Johnson stopped 21 shots.I thought this was a very even game, but we did a nice job of capitalizing on our chances, Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. We didnt lose any momentum coming out of the Chicago game, where we played very well in a loss.Tomas Tatar and Anthony Mantha scored for Detroit, which lost its fourth straight game. Jimmy Howard made 23 saves.I think we gave them their chances. I think from the start, a few turnovers in our own end, all of a sudden they end up spending a minute, minute and a half in our end instead of making a simple play and move the play out to the neutral zone, Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said.Backlund broke a 2-all tie when he slammed Michael Froliks pass from the left circle past Howard and into the open side of the net for his second goal.We better pick ourselves up and we better come to work tomorrow to get better, Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. And we better put the work in that it takes to earn confidence come Wednesday (at Buffalo). Thats the bottom line. We better pick ourselves up in a hurry and focus on coming to win a hockey game on Wednesday.Mantha tied it 2-all 7:59 into the third with his first of the season. He put a snap shot under the crossbar on the short side after bringing the puck out from behind the net.Stajan gave the Flames a 2-1 lead at 2:31 of the third with his first goal of the season. He tipped in Hamiltons slap shot from the right point.Hathaway tied it 1-all at 3:40 of the second. Hathaway, who was beside the net and battling with a Red Wings player, got the shaft of his stick on a high shot by Hamilton from the top of the right circle and deflected it into the empty side of the net.Thats an amazing feeling. I saw Fer (Micheal Ferland) get the puck to Dougie, so I went to the net, Hathaway said. It was an odd play, because Howard was still flailing around, so I wasnt sure if he had the puck or if it had gone in. Ill probably tell people that I sniped it -- that sounds a lot better. Weve still got five more road games, so it is big to get this one and get some momentum.Tatar gave Detroit a 1-0 lead 8:06 into the game. He blindly slid a puck toward the net from the high slot that beat Johnson. It was Tatars third goal and only his second in 14 games.Howard was forced to make a couple of saves in close after Red Wings giveaways deep in their zone.Detroit defenseman Alexey Marchenko left with an upper-body injury after taking a hit from Ferland with a little less than 5:30 left in the second period. Blashill said Marchenko will likely be out a little while and the team would have more information Monday.Game notes Detroit LW Thomas Vanek returned after missing 11 games with a hip injury. The Red Wings were 3-7-1 without Vanek and averaged under two goals per game. He had four goals and eight points in seven games. ... Calgary forward Johnny Gaudreau missed his second game after sustaining a broken finger on a slash by Minnesota C Eric Staal. Gaudreau will miss six to eight weeks. ... Red Wings C Darren Helm missed his second game after dislocating his shoulder. He also will be out six to eight weeks.UP NEXTFlames: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.Red Wings: Visit the Sabres on Wednesday night. Custom Sammy Sosa Jersey . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. Ron Santo Jersey Large . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. http://www.customcubsjersey.com/custom-ron-santo-jersey-large-160n.html . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. Custom Fergie Jenkins Jersey . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. Billy Williams Jersey Large . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren is hoping a new look can give the Wolfpack a needed lift in the Atlantic Coast Conference.Theres a new offensive coordinator. Theres also a quarterback battle for a team seeking a third straight bowl bid.It wasnt a change because I didnt like our offense, Doeren said. I wanted to be different than we were, more than anything. ... Weve got to be really creative. Weve got to do some things some other people dont do and weve got to put our players in positions where they can compete sometimes against guys that are better than them.N.C. State (7-6) has lost shootouts with Atlantic Division powers Florida State and Clemson -- both ranked No. 1 at the time -- over the past two seasons with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. The Wolfpacks wins came against teams that were a combined 30-53 last year.With Brissett in the NFL, Doeren hired Eli Drinkwitz away from Boise State as the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. N.C. State ran plenty of no-huddle, fast-paced snaps in its April spring game.The most pressing question now is who will run that attack this fall.Redshirt sophomore Jalan McClendon and redshirt freshman Jakobi Meyers battled during spring drills. Then N.C. State added graduate transfer Ryan Finley -- who had played under Drinkwitz at Boise State -- in May.We always talk about how were a unit, were trying to be the best unit we can be, Finley said, so were all in this together.Here are some things to know about N.C. State for the 2016 season:RUNNING STRENGTHThe return of senior Matt Dayes from a toe injury that sidelined him for the final five games is a big boost. Dayes averaged about 108 yards rushing per game to go with 12 touchdowns on the ground. He was limited in spring drills but is back to headline a potentially strong depth chhart includes talented youngsters Reggie Gallaspy II and Johnny Frasier.dddddddddddd And dont forget all-ACC do-everything threat Jaylen Samuels, who can line up in the backfield or out wide to create matchup problems.KICKING GAMEN.C. State must solve its kicking woes from last year. Kyle Bambard struggled throughout his freshman year, making 7 of 14 field goals with none longer than 37 yards. Bambard is battling UNC Pembroke graduate transfer Connor Haskins for the job in training camp.SEASON OPENERThe Wolfpack will look to stay unbeaten in openers under Doeren when William & Mary visits on Sept. 1. The Championship Subdivision program was picked to finish second in the Colonial Athletic Association behind five all-conference picks. Considering whats ahead on the schedule, the Wolfpack cant afford to start with a loss.KEY GAMESThe Wolfpacks schedule looks daunting. Notre Dame (Oct. 8) and Florida State (Nov. 5) loom as the big home games, while trips to reigning ACC champion Clemson (Oct. 15) and Coastal Division champion North Carolina (Nov. 25) dont look inviting, either.It just gives us more of an opportunity to show everyone that we can be a top contender, Dayes said.PREDICTIONN.C. States improvement from an 0-8 ACC season in Doerens first year has come through developing young talent thrust into the lineup early. There is more experience and depth here after 15 wins the past two seasons, including a defense that could be a strength with eight returning starters. But that tough schedule could cap the Wolfpack at six or seven wins.---Online:Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the APs college football site at http://collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '