Calgary Flames Daily: Game Day, Focusing on Consistency
By Ramina Shlah
Good afternoon Calgary Flames fans! It’s game day in YYC tonight where it’s a major weather change from yesterday. Let’s check out some Flames news.
The Calgary Flames will welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins to the ‘Dome tonight for the second meeting between these two clubs this season. In the first game, the Flames took that one 3-2 in an exciting shootout win. Sean Monahan almost had his 100th goal that game in overtime, but they waived it off because Matt Murrary‘s helmet came off. I’m still salty about that.
The Flames right now are the hottest team in the NHL. Wow, who thought we could ever say that this season, hey? They’re on a nine-game win streak which is their longest in franchise history since relocating from Atlanta. It’s also the longest current win-streak in the NHL.
The Pens are on quite a hot-streak themselves, with five in a row and coming off a shutout win against the Vancouver Canucks. This will be a great challenge for the Flames since many of the teams they’ve beaten in this nine-game stretch haven’t been playoff teams. Let alone the 2016 Stanley Cup Champions.
And here I am worried because it’s the Pens, but hey! The Flames are on a nine-game win streak and coming off of TWO consecutive shutout wins. Life of a Flames fan, hey? Always being worried.
And while this win-streak may be nice for the team, they’re not focusing on that a whole lot right now. I mean, they are because how could you not. But they’re trying to focus more on keeping their plays consistent night after night.
Calgary Flames
Via Calgary Herald:
"“We don’t talk about (the streak) at all,” Gulutzan said. “We all know it’s there. The guys will talk to the media about it and so will I. But internally, we’re focused on game-to-game and getting ourselves solidified in a playoff spot.”“You can feel it, and it starts with our goaltending,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano. “Even when we are giving up chances, we feel like (Elliot) is going to make the saves. Everyone has really bought into this simple game we’re playing, a very north-south approach.“You can really feel the confidence.”"
Speaking of the goaltending, Brian Elliott is also on a hot-streak himself. He’s 12-1-1 in his last 14 games and has the best record of all goalies in the NHL in that time frame. Last week, he went 2-0-0 with two shutouts as well. If the Flames make the playoffs, they owe a lot to this guy here. He definitely bailed them out against the Winnipeg Jets where the Jets completely outplayed the Flames. But the Flames still walked away with a shutout. Thanks Moose.
Some links surrounding the Flames to get you through your day
Streaking Flames host Crosby & Co. in marquee matchup (Calgary Herald).
Win streak is ‘nice’ but consistency more important for Flames (Calgary Herald).
Calgary Flames March Madness: Intro (Matchsticks & Gasoline).
NHL betting cheat sheet and odds: Don’t forget the Flames (Covers).
Other links surrounding hockey and the NHL
Takeaways: A weekly spin around the NHL (Durham Region).
Norwegian hockey teams play record eight overtime periods (Sportsnet).
Al MacInnis couldn’t wait to hoist Stanley Cup (NHL.com).
Down Goes Brown Weekend Wrap: Are the streaking Calgary Flames for real? (Sportsnet).
Next: Potential Playoff Scenario - Facing the Sharks
That’s all in this edition of Flames Daily! Can the Flames get 10-straight wins to tie a record they had in 1979 back when they were still in Atlanta?
I guess we’ll find out in a few hours.