Calgary Flames Daily: Finally getting some puck luck

After yet another dominating performance against their opponent, it seems like the Calgary Flames have finally got puck luck on their side… for now.

Saturday night’s game vs. the Nashville Predators was disastrous. The Calgary Flames couldn’t catch a break and couldn’t buy a goal. It could be 5on0 and they still wouldn’t find the back of the net. With four or five posts/crossbars, it’s the most the NHL has seen in a game where the team didn’t score in decades.

But last night’s win vs. the Vancouver Canucks, the Flames finally got rewarded for their efforts. In eight of their last nine games, they’ve been outshooting and basically outperforming their opponents in five or six of those games. But puck luck wasn’t on their side. As Derek Wills said, in October, they were winning games they probably should have lost, but in December, they’ve been losing games they should be winning.

Last night, David Rittich started his third ever NHL game and his third start of this season. He has won all three games he’s started and is proving to be the backup the Flames needed. Markus Granlund got a powerplay goal in the third period while the Flames were leading 5-0. So bye-bye shutout.

Related Story: Flames finally get rewarded for dominating performance vs. Canucks

Via Calgary Sun:

“I don’t really care about that,” Rittich said. “For me, it’s more important the score after the game, and it was 6-1, and we got two points. Yeah, I know a shutout would be nice, but it didn’t happen.“They played like they didn’t need a goalie. I just said, ‘Thanks guys.’”

Sam Bennett and Mark Giordano also had successful evenings last night. Gio got his second ever multi-goal game with two goals. He’s also third among all NHL defencemen for most goals since 2015 with 40 goals. Bennett had a four-point night last night with one goal and three assists. Hm.. I remember another time he had four points in a night…

Bennett right now has 15 points on the season. That isn’t great obviously, but seeing how his season started, it’s been much better over the last month. It’s funny to think that almost a third of his points on the season came in one night.

After losing three in a row, the Flames needed this win. And they also finally got a powerplay goal! Their first PP goal in six games.

Via Calgary Sun:

“Yeah,” Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan replied dryly. “Only took us five tries.”

They went 1/5 on the powerplay last night and scored on their fifth PP opportunity. Looks like GG has a sense of humour… sort of.

“I think even though the last three games where haven’t got a win, we were playing good hockey, (but) we just weren’t getting rewarded,” Bennett said. “It feels good for everyone (Sunday).”“Lots of guys needed it,” Gulutzan added. “This is a stick-with-it league. We had some guys step up from the beginning. Gio. Janks’ line was playing hard. Benny had a great game. We had lots of guys going, and we need to continue with that.”

Flames Tweet of the day

Yes it’s our own Tweet. We’re funny too.

Hockey Tweet of the day

Some links surrounding the Flames

Flames explode for big win over Canucks (Calgary Sun).

Mark Giordano and Sam Bennett lead Calgary Flames to 6-1 win over Vancouver Canucks (Global News).

Flames Thoughts: Calgary playing well, getting no puck luck (Sportsnet).

Future watch update – 18.12.17 (Calgary Flames).

Some links surrounding hockey and the NHL

Erik Karlsson trade rumors: 5 teams that should make deal (FanSided).

NHL unlikely to hold outdoor game in Canada during 2018-19 season (Sportsnet).

The NHL did it first: How The Simpsons stole the story of the NHL for one of their greatest episodes (Pension Plan Puppets).

USA junior players who could make NHL impact within two years (NHL.com).

Next: Flames fail to make FanSided's Fandom 250 list

That’s all in today’s Flames Daily!