Calgary Flames Season Chatter 22/23

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 31

 

Flames 2 Blues 5

 

Kyrou scores 2, Blues beat Flames 5-2 for third straight win

 

 

0:45

 

Jordan Kyrou nets goal vs. Flames

Jordan Kyrou nets goal vs. Flames

---

ByAP

Updated: 2 hours ago

 

CALGARY, Alberta -- — Jordan Kyrou scored twice, Ivan Barbashev and Pavel Buchnevich each had a goal and an assist, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 Friday night for their third straight win.

 

Brandon Saad also scored, and Brayden Schenn and Robert Thomas each had two assists for the Blues.

 

Coming off a 109-point season, St. Louis improved to 15-15-1 after an early eight-game losing streak set. Wins on back-to-back nights in Alberta and points in five of their last six have the team playing the type of hockey its expects.

 

“That’s huge, right? It’s a nice little streak we’ve got going right now,” Barbashev said. “Hopefully we keep winning. I think we’re just playing for each other.”

 

Thomas Greiss stopped 40 shots to win for the fourth time in five starts and improve to 4-4-0 on the season.

 

“We’re just playing very hard. Great team game,” Greiss said. “They had a lot of shots but I think around the net we played really hard and didn’t give them really any rebounds.”

 

Connor Mackey scored twice for Calgary, which has lost five straight (0-3-2) and was booed by the home crowd at the final buzzer. Dillon Dube and Elias Lindholm each had two assists, and Jacob Markstrom finished with 18 saves.

 

“The whole game was just very sloppy from our side,” Lindholm said. “We’ve all gotta just look at ourselves in the mirror and be better. Obviously, tonight, too many odd-man rushes and too many turnovers and I made a bad play there and it starts with me. I’ve got to be better.”

 

Tied 1-1 after 20 minutes, St. Louis took the lead for good early in the second period. Just seconds after Dube and Andrew Mangiapane failed to get a shot on goal during a dangerous 2-on-1 rush for the Flames, the Blues came back up the ice with a three-way passing sequence capped off by Kyrou, who snapped a shot over Markstrom’s shoulder for his 12th at 3:08.

 

The Blues made it 3-1 at 3:46 of the third when a lapse in defensive coverage gave Buchnevich an unimpeded path to the net and he fired a shot inside the goalpost for his 10th.

 

The Flames briefly got back into the game when Mackey scored his second of the night — and second of the season — at 7:40, beating Greiss over his glove after being set up by Dube.

 

St. Louis restored its two-goal advantage just 1:18 later thanks to a bad turnover by Mackey, who flung the puck up the middle from behind his net where it was intercepted by Saad, who took advantage, scoring his seventh of the season.

 

“I’ve got to be smart with the puck. I feel like I let the guys down there,” Mackey said. “I can’t be doing that right after we score to get right back in it.”

 

A minute later, Kyrou fired a shot that deflected in off the skate of Flames defenseman Mackenzie Weegar and in at 9:59. It was Kyrou’s team-leading 13th goal.

 

St. Louis opened up the scoring 4:07 into the game, capitalizing on a turnover in the offensive zone by Lindholm that led to a 2-on-1 with Thomas and Barbashev, who buried the return pass for just his second goal in his last 16 games.

 

Calgary tied it 1-1 with 3:59 left when Dube’s shot deflected in off Mackey. Dube has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his last 10 games.

 

LINEUP CHANGES

 

Dube was on a new line with coach Darryl Sutter flip-flopping his top two left wings. Dube joined Lindholm and Tyler Toffoli and Jonathan Huberdeau dropped down to play alongside Nazem Kadri and Mangiapane.

 

SINGING THE BLUES

 

The Flames continue to struggle head to head against St. Louis, losing seven of the last eight meetings.

 

MACKEY’S MOMENT

 

Mackey’s two goals were the second and third of his career but first in front of a crowd as his first one came in the final game of the 2020-21 season in an empty Saddledome, due to COVID restrictions. Connor’s dad, Dave, spent his final three NHL seasons from 1991-94 with the Blues.

 

 

 

[thegx.ca]

Man that Mackey pass to the other team for the 4th goal was deflating...

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 32

 

Flames 5 Sharks 2

 

Lindholm scores twice as Flames beat Sharks 5-2

 

 

1:25

 

Elias Lindholm scores 2 goals in 19 seconds

Elias Lindholm scores 2 goals in 19 seconds

---

ByAP

Updated: 4 hours ago

 

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- — Elias Lindholm scored two goals 19 seconds apart in the first minute of the third period, and the Calgary Flames beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 Sunday night.

 

Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist, and Milan Lucic and Dillon Dube also scored for the Flames, who had lost five straight. Jacob Markstrom had 23 saves for his ninth win in the opener of a rare two-game series between the clubs in San Jose.

 

Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist, and Timo Meier also scored for the Sharks, who lost their second straight and fell to 3-6-3 in their last 12. Kaapo Kahkonen finished with 20 saves.

 

Jonathan Huberdeau, appearing in his 700th career game, made a nice cross-ice pass to Lindholm, who had a wide-open net for a power-play goal 16 seconds into the third to give the Flames a 3-1 lead. Less than 20 seconds later, Lindholm got a pass from Rasmus Andersson in the left circle and beat Kahkonen for his 11th of the season to give Calgary a three-goal lead.

 

“(Huberdeau) made a really nice pass to me, and to just stay out there and then (get the) second one right away,” Lindholm said. “Probably not gonna happen again, to score two goals that quick, but I’ll take it.”

 

Dube made it 5-1 at 2:10 with his sixth before Hertl scored a power-play goal for his 11th at 7:56.

 

“We felt pretty good about the way the game was going,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “The second period was a pretty even period and just in a blink of an eye it’s 4-1.”

 

Toffoli got the Flames on the scoreboard first as he skated into the slot and fired a shot from between the circles that beat Kahkonen for his 11th at 7:13 of the first period.

 

Meier tied it nearly four minutes later with a one-timer on the power play in the first period. Erik Karlsson found Meier after a fake slap shot and pass for career point 700, becoming the first defenseman in the NHL to reach 40 points this season.

 

“I’m gonna have plenty of time by the time that I’m done with this game to reflect upon things this,” Karlsson said. “Right now I’m just living in the moment. I’m very fortunate to be in this league for a long time to get to where I’m at.”

 

Lucic put the Flames back ahead for good with a one-timer through traffic for his first of the season 6:01 into the second.

 

“It’s obviously good to contribute offensively. But the main thing is getting a big win here to start off the road trip,” Lucic said. It’s a huge time of year for us. (It is a) huge road trip for us before the Christmas break starts."

 

With 8:51 remaining in the second, Sharks forward Jonah Gadjovich and Flames defenseman Dennis Gilbert got into a fight. Both players traded haymakers, with Gilbert taking the worst of it after Gadjovich threw a right hook knocking Gilbert to the ice.

 

700 CLUBS

 

Huberdeau played in 671 games for the Florida Panthers before being traded to Calgary in the offseason. ... Karlsson became just the 27th defenseman in NHL history to reach the 700-point mark.

 

[thegx.ca]

Good win for Calgary but with Gilbert and Zadorov getting hurt I wonder who they can up next...

[Brewin Flames]

Game #33

 

Toffoli and Kadri both score twice, Flames beat Sharks 7-3

 

 

1:49

 

Late Flames surge secures win over Sharks

The Calgary Flames' four goals in the third period sees them to a 7-3 win over the San Jose Sharks.

---

ByAP

Updated: 3 hours ago

 

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- — Tyler Toffoli and Dillon Dube both scored in the first 30 seconds, Nazem Kadri got the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and the Calgary Flames beat the San Jose Sharks 7-3 on Tuesday night.

 

“(Elias Lindholm) won three faceoffs clean in a row, and our defense jumped, and away we went,” Calgary coach Darryl Sutter said.

 

Toffoli finished with two goals and an assist, and Kadri also scored twice. Trevor Lewis and Milan Lucic had the other goals for the Flames, who scored four unanswered in the final 9:56 after the game was tied at 3.

 

Lindholm and Jonathan Huberdeau each had three assists. Lucic, who assisted on Kadri's tiebreaking goal, has scored his first two goals of the season in the past two games.

 

Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves for back-to-back wins over the Sharks.

 

Toffoli scored 15 seconds in, and Dube followed 15 seconds later, tying them for the fifth-fastest two goals to start a game in NHL history.

 

“Feels good to get a lead, and especially we knew they’re going to come out after playing a team back-to-back. It’s hard to win another game against them, especially in their building,” Dube said.

 

Sharks forward Nico Sturm scored on a tap-in for his ninth of the season. Timo Meier and Alexander Barabanov also scored for San Jose. James Reimer made 32 saves.

 

Meier has goals in consecutive games.

 

The Sharks struggled to gain much traction early. It showed as they were outshot 24-14 through two periods. Barabanov's goal came with 37 seconds left in the second period, which swung the momentum in San Jose's favor.

 

“Obviously early on, I mean, we just give the puck away both goals, first two shifts, just big turnovers, and (they) end up in the back of our net,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “I thought after that we really played tentative.”

 

Markstrom had to be steady in the third as the Sharks had 13 shots on goal. Meier tied it 3-all 3:58 into the period.

 

Lucic's goal snuck through Reimer, making it 5-3 at 16:43. Toffoli added his second of the game into an empty net at 18:22, and Kadri scored again 20 seconds later.

 

“The first three goals they had, we gave it right to them,” San Jose defenseman Marc-Édouard Vlasic said. “So, puck management. That would help, (because) then we wouldn’t be chasing the game. But we came back from two goals down twice, and we just let it slip away.”

 

HOT START

 

The record for the fastest two goals to begin a game was set by the Edmonton Oilers with two in 24 seconds at Los Angeles on March 28, 1982.

 

[thegx.ca]

Never thought that splitting up their most successful line so far would get all the lines going haha never thought Dube would be 1st line either...well at least it seems to be working so far...

[Brewin Flames]

54 minutes ago, Villella McMeans said:

Never thought that splitting up their most successful line so far would get all the lines going haha never thought Dube would be 1st line either...well at least it seems to be working so far...

 

 

Sometimes, you gotta line juggle....

 

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 34

 

Flames 3 LA 4

 

Kempe strikes in OT, Kings top Flames after giving away lead

 

 

0:54

 

Adrian Kempe scores OT winner for the Kings

Adrian Kempe and Viktor Arvidsson show off nifty passing on the Kings' game-winning goal.

---

ByAP

Updated: 2 hours ago

 

LOS ANGELES -- — Adrian Kempe scored in overtime, Pheonix Copley made 27 saves to win his fourth straight start and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 on Thursday night.

 

Los Angeles fought back after squandering a two-goal lead in the third period, with Kempe scoring his 13th goal on the rush from Viktor Arvidsson at 3:23 of overtime. The Kings swept a three-game homestand and won their fourth in a row.

 

“Knew I had Arvy with me for a 2-on-1. … Obviously, I was expecting him to shoot, but I was staying back post in case the puck ended up there, and Arvy made a great play back to me for an easy tap-in,” said Kempe, who scored his fifth career overtime goal.

 

Gabe Vilardi had a goal and an assist, and Phillip Danault and Blake Lizotte scored 10 seconds apart early in the third period for Los Angeles.

 

“Good resiliency from our group, kind of letting them back in the game — and rightfully so, they made some good plays — but for us to kind of regroup and win that game in overtime is huge,” Lizotte said.

 

Tyler Toffoli had a power-play goal, and Dillon Dube and Jonathan Huberdeau also scored, but the Flames couldn’t get their third straight road win. Dan Vladar allowed four goals on 32 shots.

 

“We fought hard in the third to come back and get a huge point, but, obviously, in overtime you want to score and get a win,” Huberdeau said. “We battled ’til the end.”

 

The Kings looked to be in control after a backhand goal from Danault 1:29 into the third period off a tenacious forecheck by Alex Iafallo, and Lizotte made it 3-1 by swatting in Vilardi’s rebound at 1:39.

 

Toffoli buried a wrist shot for his fifth power-play goal at 6:46 to pull within 3-2, and the Flames caught a break when Kevin Fiala put his penalty shot wide just over a minute later.

 

Calgary tied it at 3 with 6:28 to go when Dube netted his eighth goal off Noah Hanifin’s pass.

 

“We were down two goals against a good team, didn’t panic, and we pushed the button and came back in the third. That shows a lot about our team,” said Huberdeau, who got first goal and fifth point during a three-game streak when he opened the scoring 3:23 into the game.

 

MORE THAN SCORING

 

Vilardi tipped in his own rebound from close range with 2:19 to go in the first after redirecting Sean Walker’s shot from the right point. Vilardi had not scored since Nov. 29, going 10 games without a goal but remained the team leader thanks to his hot start.

 

Coach Todd McLellan was pleased with how Vilardi navigated the drought, a sign of the 2017 first-round draft pick’s continued development.

 

“When we compare his four years with us now, when he wasn’t scoring he didn’t bring a lot to the table. Now he is. It’s not just about scoring,” McLellan said.

 

THE CLEANER

 

Iafallo has been slotted further down the lineup the past two seasons as the Kings have improved their overall talent level, but McLellan said he remains an important contributor.

 

“He’s deodorant, and what does that mean? Well, he cleans up a lot of messes and makes things smell pretty good when it’s not going well,” McLellan said.

 

[thegx.ca]

Well...at got one point...they better get 2 against Disneyland tomorrow...

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 35

 

Flames 3 Ducks 2

 

Andersson's OT goal gives Flames 3-2 win over Ducks

 

 

0:55

 

Rasmus Andersson nets OT winner for the Flames

Rasmus Andersson nets OT winner for the Flames

---

ByAP

Updated: 2 hours ago

 

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- — Rasmus Andersson scored 2:24 into overtime and the Calgary Flames beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Friday night.

 

Andersson beat Lukas Dostal with a wrist shot from the right circle to extend Calgary’s pointS streak to four games, with three wins in that stretch.

 

“Overtime is a possession game, we all know that,” Andersson said. “I think they had a couple of tired guys out there and we managed to capitalize. … Now we have a couple days off and enjoy Christmas with friends and family, then we get back to it.”

 

Michael Stone and Brett Ritchie also scored and Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves as the Flames wrapped up a successful four-game California trip.

 

Calgary has picked up 16 points so far in December, getting six wins and four overtime or shootout losses out of 13 games.

 

“It was a pretty greasy win, a lot like the other points and wins we got,” Ritchie said. “We could have had a two or three goal lead there, but they tied it late, and it goes to the extra frame.”

 

Mason McTavish and Jakob Silfverberg had power-play goals — the sixth time this season Anaheim had mutlple goals with the man advantage. Dostal made 42 saves for the Ducks, who have lost the first two games of their franchise-record 10-game homestand.

 

The Ducks struck on the power play 3:28 into the third to tie the game at 2. Silfverberg’s wrist shot from the left circle was helped in by a deflection off the stick of MacKenzie Weeger.

 

“It wasn’t pretty before that,” Silfverberg said. “We were struggling to get into the zone but we managed to catch them in a transition play."

 

Ritchie put the Flames back in front 2-1 2:56 into the second period with a slick backhand from the left circle, set up by Trevor Lewis getting the puck after Ducks defenseman John Klingberg’s attempt to clear it hit the referee.

 

The Ducks tied at 1 on a 5-on-3 power play with 3:16 to go in the first when McTavish buried a one-timer from the right circle. It was the sixth goal and 20th point for the rookie, who has come on strong in December with nine points.

 

“He doesn’t come to the rink and just spend time here," Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. "He invests time every day in his game, and that’s the evolution."

 

Despite playing the second game of a back-to-back following a 4-3 overtime loss at Los Angeles on Thursday, the Flames were the sharper team at the start and went ahead on Stone’s blistering slap shot from the left point 4:19 into the game.

 

“I think, 5-on-5, we controlled the game,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. “Obviously, those kids get on the power play, they’re pretty good.”

 

Shocking Second

 

Besides ending up on the wrong side of a bad bounce that set up Ritchie’s sixth goal, the Ducks had to deal with plenty of adversity of their own doing in the middle 20 minutes. Anaheim committed four penalties in the second, with Klingberg tripping Ritchie just after exiting the box for a high-sticking foul. The Ducks were also outshot 23-1.

 

“The parade to the penalty box, it has to stop. And, for whatever reason, it’s the second period. These second period penalties, they come in bunches, and it’s affecting the whole flow of the game,” Eakins said.

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Brewin Flames

[thegx.ca]

Good job for the Sutter Boys getting the job done and turning things around just in time for the holiday break

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 36

 

Flames 1 EDM 2

McDavid, Oilers score on late power play to beat Flames 2-1

 

 

---

ByAP

Updated: 3 hours ago

 

CALGARY, Alberta -- — Connor McDavid scored his NHL-leading 31st goal on a power play in the third period and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 on Tuesday night.

 

Tyson Barrie, with his 100th career goal, also scored for Edmonton.

 

Mikael Backlund scored the lone goal for Calgary, which had its four-game point streak snapped.

 

Stuart Skinner made 46 stops for Edmonton. At the other end, Jacob Markstrom had 20 stops.

 

Tied 1-1, Edmonton got its third power play of the night at 7:15 of the third period when Andrew Mangiapane was whistled for holding Darnell Nurse.

 

“In a 1-1 game, you look up holding in the dictionary, that’s holding,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter said.

 

Stymied on their first two-man advantages, it took just 13 seconds for Edmonton to convert with McDavid taking a pass from Leon Draisaitl from the middle of the slot, whipping a wrist shot past Markstrom’s glove.

 

“It was a nice play by Leo, as usual,” McDavid said. “(Zach) Hyman keeps it alive and he puts it on my tape. Just tried to work across and get my shot off. I’d been pretty quiet all night so just tried to get a shot on net and it went in.”

 

McDavid’s 16-game point spree (15 goals, 17 assists) is the longest active streak in the NHL and one short of his career high.

 

“It’s my job to produce and I always try to get a touch on games,” McDavid said. “Just tried to get my little piece in there.”

 

After a scoreless opening period, Calgary struck first when Backlund buried Blake Coleman’s rebound at 1:12.

 

The lead was short-lived with the Oilers pulling even at 4:58.

 

BATTLE OF ALBERTA OVER

 

Coming off their first post-season meeting since 1991, the Flames and Oilers only meet three times this season and the season series is now over with Edmonton taking two of three. They had split their two games in October, each winning in the other team’s building.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 37

 

Flames 3 Kraken 2

 

Jonathan Huberdeau breaks tie in 3rd, Flames beat Kraken 3-2

 

 

 

---

ByAP

Updated: 3 hours ago

 

SEATTLE -- — Calgary has been waiting for Jonathan Huberdeau to start scoring points the same way he did a season ago.

 

Maybe a winning goal will be what Huberdeau and the Flames needed.

 

Huberdeau broke a tie with eight minutes left in the third period with his seventh goal of the season and Calgary beat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on Wednesday night.

 

“We all know what he’s capable of and we all know his numbers from last year and all that kind of stuff,” Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson said. “The goal today probably means a lot to him.”

 

Huberdeau found himself unmarked in the slot in front of goalie Philipp Grubauer after Andersson’s shot from the point was deflected. Huberdeau was denied by Grubauer in a similar circumstance in the opening moments of the third period, but this time beat the goalie to the stick side.

 

The Flames bounced back after losing at home to Edmonton on Tuesday night.

 

Tyler Toffoli scored his 15th of the season in the first period and Nazem Kadri scored on the power play in the second period for the Flames. Elias Lindholm had two assists and Kadri added an assist to go along with his 14th goal.

 

Dan Vladar made 30 saves for Calgary, including a few chances in the closing second after Seattle pulled Grubauer. Calgary improved to 7-3-2 against Pacific Division opponents this season.

 

“He did exactly what your backup guy is supposed to do on a back-to-back,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter said.

 

Ryan Donato scored late in the first period to pull Seattle even and Jamie Oleksiak connected 1:15 into the second period to give the Kraken a 2-1 lead. Grubauer was terrific stopping a number of high-quality chances for the Flames, and his 41 saves were the most he’s made in his two seasons with the Kraken.

 

Donato’s goal was the fifth time in the last six games he’s scored. Donato had a four-game goal streak snapped in Seattle’s overtime loss in Vancouver in its final game before the Christmas break, but picked up where he left off.

 

Jordan Eberle assisted on both Seattle goals.

 

“I thought the second half (of the game) we didn’t generate enough zone time,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. "To be able to get in the zone and then be able to hold possession and do some work in the offensive zone and create some opportunities, we didn’t get enough of that in the second half.”

 

BACK TO BACK

 

Calgary played its third back-to-back in the month of December and fourth for the season. Seattle has played just one back-to-back and that came in games Nos. 1 and 2 back in October. But the Kraken will make up for it with seven the rest of the season.

 

[thegx.ca]

Looks like Sutter style defensive hockey finally starting to settle in for Calgary

[Brewin Flames]

46 minutes ago, Villella McMeans said:

Looks like Sutter style defensive hockey finally starting to settle in for Calgary

 

 

not at all worried about the defense or netminding....gotta put pucks in the net.

[thegx.ca]

23 hours ago, Brewin Flames said:

 

 

not at all worried about the defense or netminding....gotta put pucks in the net.

Very true...but I'm hopeful these new lines mean more consistent scoring...

[JR Ewing]

On 12/29/2022 at 3:25 AM, Villella McMeans said:

Looks like Sutter style defensive hockey finally starting to settle in for Calgary

 

The Flames have had the toughest schedule in the NHL, so far this season. I'm expecting them to tear it up most of the rest of the way.

[thegx.ca]

6 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

 

The Flames have had the toughest schedule in the NHL, so far this season. I'm expecting them to tear it up most of the rest of the way.

F YEAH that what I'm thinking too GOGOGO

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 38

 

Flames 3 Van 2

 

Weegar gets 1st goal with Flames in 3-2 win over Canucks

 

 

0:42

 

MacKenzie Weegar scores goal vs. Canucks

MacKenzie Weegar scores goal vs. Canucks

---

ByAP

Updated: 1 hour ago

 

CALGARY, Alberta -- — Flames defenseman Mackenzie Weegar scored his first goal with Calgary and added an assist Saturday night in a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

 

Elias Lindholm and Blake Coleman also scored for Calgary (18-13-7), which has points in 12 of its last 15 games (8-3-4).

 

“We’re on the right track,” Lindholm said.

 

It was Weegar's first multipoint game since opening night.

 

“It feels great. Even better with the two points, obviously,” said Weegar, who scored a career-high eight goals last season with Florida.

 

Sheldon Dries and Elias Pettersson scored for Vancouver (16-17-3), which has dropped two straight on the road after winning seven in a row in opposition rinks.

 

“I don’t think our first two periods were good. Especially me. I made too many turnovers, too many simple mistakes,” Pettersson said. “Always try to make the hard play, so I’ve got to definitely be better.”

 

Jacob Markstrom made 22 stops against his former team to improve to 12-9-4. He is 9-3-1 versus Vancouver with a .921 save percentage.

 

Markstrom spent seven seasons with the Canucks before signing with Calgary as a free agent in 2020.

 

At the other end, Spencer Martin had 27 saves. His record slipped to 11-6-1.

 

“We’ve been playing great on the road so it’s disappointing that we didn’t come home with any points on this trip,” Martin said. “We’re going to have to bounce back and make it really hard to play in Vancouver.”

 

After a scoreless first period, Calgary surged in front 1:21 into the second when Lindholm kept the puck on a 2-on-1 rush and fired a shot past Martin.

 

The Flames made it 2-0 on a short-handed goal at 9:32 of the second on a sequence set up by a superb outlet pass from Weegar.

 

Weegar made it 3-0 at 14:17 when his point shot eluded Martin. And even though it was his first goal, the defenseman's celebration was muted.

 

“It was a weird play. I honestly thought that it was going to be offside. (Chris Tanev) kept a good puck in and I didn’t want to jinx it by over-cellying,” Weegar said.

 

He also helped orchestrate Coleman’s short-handed goal five minutes earlier, springing Rasmus Andersson, who set up Coleman on a 2-on-1.

 

“It was a turnover at the blue line. I knew that they were kind of tired. I heard the coaches yelling at them to change, so I hung onto the puck a bit,” Weegar said. “I was actually looking for (Coleman) to go for a breakaway. But Ras was yelling at me and I just got it to him.”

 

Weegar came over to Calgary with Jonathan Huberdeau in the offseason deal that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Panthers.

 

“Weegs is the best, man. He’s a great guy, great teammate. We joked about it this morning — we thought he was gonna get one and he did,” Coleman said. “We’re happy for him. He’s a big part of our team. It’s going to be the first of many. Sometimes it’s just funny how it works like that.”

 

Dries got one back for Vancouver at 15:28 on a strange one, knocking a puck in from waist level after it had fluttered into the air on one side of the net and came down on the other side where Dries was the first to spot it.

 

The Canucks climbed within one at 4:06 of the third when Pettersson buried a rebound, but Vancouver could not score the tying goal despite pushing hard.

 

 

“Sometimes your best players have to be your best players, and I didn’t think our best players in that second period were our best players,” Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Consequently when that happens, you get behind the 8-ball.”

 

Calgary played the second half of the game with 11 forwards after Brett Ritchie left early in the second period after appearing to injure his hand or arm in a collision along the boards.

 

“Sometimes your best players have to be your best players, and I didn’t think our best players in that second period were our best players,” Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Consequently when that happens, you get behind the 8-ball.”

 

Calgary played the second half of the game with 11 forwards after Brett Ritchie left early in the second period after appearing to injure his hand or arm in a collision along the boards.

[thegx.ca]

I can't say anything bad about the new lines now so GO FLAMES GO

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 39

 

Flames 2 Jets 3

 

Sam Gagner breaks late tie, Jets beat Flames 3-2

 

---

ByAP

Updated: 5 hours ago

 

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- — Sam Gagner tipped in Ville Heinola's point shot with 5:40 left to help the Winnipeg Jets beat the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Tuesday night.

 

“Just was able to get my backhand on it,” the 33-year-old Gagner said after his 1,002nd NHL game. “It was a great shot by Ville. He kept it low and allowed me to see it the whole way. It’s definitely a good feeling.”

 

Brenden Dillon and Josh Morrissey also scored for Winnipeg and Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves. The Jets improved to 24-13-1 in the opener a three-game homestand, winning their third straight after dropping three in a row.

 

Nikita Zadorov and Mikael Backlund scored Calgary and Jacob Markstrom stopped 22 shots. The Flames dropped to 18-14-7.

 

“It’s another one that we let go, didn’t find a way to win,” Backlund said. “It’s frustrating, this one and (a recent 2-1 loss to) Edmonton, two games that I think we should have won and could have won and we find a way to lose instead.”

 

Morrissey gave Winnipeg a 2-1 lead with 9:38 left. The Flames responded quickly, with Backlund’s backhander getting between Hellebuyck’s pads with 8:02 to go.

 

[thegx.ca]

Calgary outplayed Winnipeg so I still think the new lines are working good...

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 40

 

Flames 4 NYI 1

 

Flames get 3 goals in 1st period, defeat Islanders

Kadri scores for Calgary in 3rd; Barzal misses game for New York with lower-body injury

by Aaron Vickers / NHL.com Independent Correspondent

 1:34 AM

•  

CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames scored three times in the first period in a 4-1 win against the New York Islanders at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.

 

Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves for the Flames (19-14-7), who have won three of their past four and six of nine (6-2-1) after losing five straight.

 

"We're climbing up in the standings," Coleman said. "We're scratching and clawing to keep moving up here. You've got to win home games. You've got to have a good home record to put yourself in a good position down the stretch. Just another one to check off."

 

Zach Parise scored, and Semyon Varlamov made 17 saves for the Islanders (22-17-2), who lost the second of a back to back following a 4-2 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, and the third of a four-game road trip (1-3-0).

 

New York played without forward Mathew Barzal, who participated in warmups but is day to day with a lower-body injury. It was Varlamov's first start since Dec. 17 following a lower-body injury.

"I think right now there's not much we can do about tonight," Islanders forward Josh Bailey said. "There [were] some good things. Obviously, not the result we're looking for, go back home.

 

"We'll reset here and then we've got a little homestand, and we want to make the most of that. Get some rest here the next couple days, first and foremost."

 

 

 

Milan Lucic gave Calgary a 1-0 lead at 4:36 of the first period on its first shot, a one-timer on a cross-slot feed from Jonathan Huberdeau over Varlamov's glove.

Coleman made it 2-0 at 6:05 when he tucked in his own rebound from a sharp angle.

 

Nikita Zadorov extended the lead to 3-0 at 14:41 after one-timing a shot from the point over Varlamov's glove.

 

"It was a good start for the group, I thought," Coleman said. "Six shots in the first isn't ideal, but capitalized on our opportunities, which has been a bit of a miss for us in some of these games. Good to get rewarded on a few chances. Obviously, that gave us the start we needed."

 

Parise cut it to 3-1 at 19:00, puck-handling around Zadorov before firing a shot top-corner over Markstrom's glove.

 

"I don't think by any means we felt like we were getting outplayed," Parise said. "We had our looks in the second, couple breakaways, couple chances in the slot. Had some chances in the third again, didn't convert.

 

"I don't think as a whole we played that bad of a game. I think we played hard, we competed. We need the result, but we didn't get it."

 

Markstrom made a pad save on Casey Cizikas on a breakaway at 10:05 of the second period, eight seconds after his hooking minor expired, and a stick save on Jean-Gabriel Pageau's short-handed break at 10:46.

 

"It was huge because I think at that point, especially first and second breakaway, I don't think we were having a very good period at the time and he kept it a two-goal lead going into the third," Lucic said. "It's good to see him finding confidence in his game as well, and we need him to be good every night to give us a chance to win."

 

 

Kadri gave the Flames a 4-1 lead at 6:59 of the third period on a sharp-angle shot from just above the goal line that glanced off Varlamov's mask and in.

"I did not call bank, but that's where I was shooting it," Kadri said. "Luckily it went in. Big goal for us."

[thegx.ca]

Good win but lucky Markstrom saved those 2 breakaways or it would've been tied going into 3rd...

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 41

 

Domi scores in OT to lift Blackhawks over Flames 4-3

 

Flames 3 Hawks 4 

By MATT CARLSON

Associated Press

 

CHICAGO (AP) Maxi Domi scored at 1:04 of overtime and had an assist as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 Sunday night for their second straight win.

Lukas Reichel batted in his his first NHL goal and had two assists, and Philipp Kurashev and Colin Blackwell also scored for the last-place Blackhawks, who ended a five-game losing streak against Arizona on Friday and are 3-13-0 in their last 16 games.

"It was dream come true," said Reichel, who took five shots in his 14th NHL game and third this season. "The first NHL goal is a pretty special moment for me and I want to keep buzzing.

"The last game too, I had so many chances and it didn't go in, but you've got to work hard for it and keep going."

Alex Stalock made 44 saves in third straight start and sixth in eight since returning from a concussion.

Elias Lindholm had a power play goal and an assist, Nazem Kadri scored his team-leading 16th goal during a man advantage and Jonathan Huberdeau connected at even strength for Calgary. Tyler Toffoli added two assists as the Flames came back from a two-goal deficit to tie it after coach Darryl Sutter replaced starting goalie Jacob Markstrom with Dan Vladar just 35 seconds into the second period.

Markstrom allowed three goals on 11 shots and Vladar stopped 13 of 14 shots.

"Should win," Sutter said. "Take one penalty, score two power-play goals and only give up a handful of shots. Should win the game."

In the extra period, Domi drove down the slot, stumbled then got back on his feet to tuck a shot past Vladar to give the Blackhawks consecutive victories for the first time since a four-game winning streak in October.

"In the first period I thought we really took it to them," Domi said. "In second we fell off a little bit, but Stalock was unbelievable once again. ... In overtime anything can happen. That was a fun one to win, for sure."

Reichel assisted on the game-winner.

"He's only going to get better every day," Domi said. "He had an awesome game tonight. He was a huge part of this win."

The Blackhawks played a second straight game without star forward Patrick Kane, who has a lower-body injury but is expected to return this week.

Reichel opened the scoring 2:39 into the game from the edge of the crease when he batted in a rebound of Seth Jones' shot from the point.

Lindholm tied it during a power play at 8:49, firing a rebound of Toffoli's shot into an open net.

Blackwell put Chicago back ahead 2-1 just over 2 minutes later, popping in a rebound.

Reichel set up Kurashev to complete a 2-on-1 break 35 seconds into the second period to make it 3-1 - and earn his second career assist. That ended Markstrom's night.

Huberdeau scored from the slot off a faceoff 27 seconds later to pull the Flames within one and Kadri tied it with a power-play goal from the slot at 9:50 as Calgary outshot Chicago 16-4 in the second period.

KANE UPDATE

Coach Luke Richardson said Kane probably would return for the Blackhawks' next game, against Colorado on Thursday.

"I think it will give him the proper rest and he'll feel more comfortable," Richardson said. "Skating's good. It's the wear and tear and banging of the game that we're concerned about. If it just catches the wrong way, it could catch on him and he's probably going downwards in progression. A couple more days (off) this week will really make a difference."

Kane sat out the third period of a loss to against Tampa Bay on Tuesday, then missed Friday's 2-0 win over Arizona.