Calgary Flames Win In the Most Improbable of Ways

Oct 15, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Calgary Flames goalie Jonas Hiller (1) makes a save on Chicago Blackhawks left wing Daniel Carcillo (13) during the first period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Blackhawks outshot the Calgary Flames 50-18.  FIFTY – EIGHTEEN!!  Yet somehow the Flames found themselves in overtime.  “Somehow” is not the right word, allow me to correct myself.

Jonas Hiller carried the Flames into overtime and Mikael Backlund scored a beautiful goal to send the Flames to Columbus with two points they clearly did not deserve.

1st period firewood

Three successful penalty kills by our Calgary Flames.  2 of 3 penalty kills held the Blackhawks without so much as a shot.

The shots at the end of the 1st period were 18-2 for the Blackhawks.  So, while one wants to point at the three Blackhawk powerplays as the reasoning, it clearly was not.

The only Calgary Flames shots on net were by Sean Monahan and Brian McGrattan.  Yes, that Brian McGrattan.

The rest of the period can be summed up with the following Twitter conversation:

2nd period firewood

At the end of the this period, the shots were 32-10 for the Chicago Blackhawks.  The Hawks had won 23-40 faceoffs which lends itself to some of their dominance of the game.  Yet on the Calgary Flames 8th shot of the game, Dennis Wideman put the Calgary Flames up 1-0.

Dennis Wideman would do a little bit of embellishing which afforded our Calgary Flames their one and only powerplay.  In hindsight, it’s seems like poetic justice that the Flames could not muster any sort of offence on their sole powerplay attempt.

3rd period firewood/overtime firewood

The Chicago Blackhawks Daniel Carcillo completed his hat-trick of blown opportunities that should have had the home team up 3-1.  Carcillo owns my Flames 3rd star tonight.

It scared me that every time I saw Brian McGrattan on the ice, I saw Patrick Kane sharing it with him.

 Jonas Hiller could ask for a pony tonight and General Manager Brad Treliving would buy it for him.

The best way to describe this game???