Calgary Flames extend win streak to four games vs. Minnesota Wild

The Calgary Flames were looking to make it a four-game win streak tonight vs. the Minnesota Wild. Let’s see how this game went down.

The Calgary Flames were looking to add on to their current three-game win streak tonight vs. the Minnesota Wild. Four games and they’ll have a season high. If they win in regulation, they can surpass the Wild and potentially sneak their way back into a playoff spot. Momentarily, since the playoffs shift basically every day.

The Flames and Wild have already met twice this season. Tonight was the third and final meeting. The Wild won the first two games, one was a 4-2 win and the other came in a shootout. However, the first game had an empty-net goal, so it was basically also a one-goal game. The Flames went only 1/6 on the powerplay that night and 0/3 on the shootout loss night.

Something that’s been plaguing the Flames is their powerplay. Their last seven games have been one-goal games. A powerplay goal here and there can definitely help with that. Something else is that the Flames are a great road team this season and the Wild are a great home team this season, so this could have been anyone’s game.

Let’s see how this game went down.

Related Story: Flames score with 16 seconds left of the game to beat Ducks

First period

The first period started out with some good offensive zone time for the Calgary Flames. About two minutes in, they already had a good chance with a pass from Mark Jankowski to Brett Kulak, but the shot hit Sam Bennett who attempted to put it in, but the shot went wide.

Calgary Flames

After a good few minutes for the Flames, the Wild go on the powerplay. They didn’t score, but they had three shots on that powerplay. But after, with a three on two breakaway for the Flames top line, Johnny Gaudreau passed it to Sean Monahan who slid it over to Micheal Ferland and he wristed it in. He now has 18 goals on the year, three more than his career-high last season. In the last four games, he along with his line have finally picked it up. In the last four games, Gaudreau has six assists, Monahan has two goals and six points, and Ferland has three goals and five points. That’s some good news for the fans.

The Flames scoring first has some good news – they’re 13-4-2 when they score first. Mike Smith had to come up big and make a couple of huge saves after that goal. The Flames went on the powerplay, and of course, early on, Dougie Hamilton lost the puck at the line and the Wild almost got a shorthanded opportunity. They managed to somewhat set it up after, and while it wasn’t a horrible powerplay, it wasn’t that good. Near the end, Eric Staal almost got a shorthanded chance on a partial 2on0 breakaway along with Zach Parise, but Smith came to the rescue again.

Smith came up big again and made a few big saves in the rest of the period. The period ended with some 4on4 action before the Flames went on the powerplay for 30 seconds. This one would be 1-0 after 20 minutes of play. The shots were even after 20 with eight each. The Flames had a slight edge in possession, with 12 shots attempts at 5v5 vs. the Wild’s 10.

Second period

The second period didn’t start out as excellent as the first period for the Calgary Flames, but it was still good. At one point, they had a three on one breakaway led by Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk, but there was no clear shot for Backlund to take.

Two minutes in, Mike Smith made another great glove save, his second excellent glove save of the night so far. Then after that, the Flames had a good amount of pressure in the offensive zone, and after that pressure, the Flames go on the powerplay with a high-stick to Tkachuk. The Flames had decent powerplay pressure, but we can probably predict what happened here (no goal).

After the powerplay ended, Sam Bennett had a great chance, but right after that, the Flames head to the penalty-kill. The Wild had one great chance for Jason Zucker in the slot, but he missed the net. The Wild ended up with no shots on that powerplay.

At one point, Mark Giordano passed it back to Smith but didn’t quite notice a Wild player there and Smith, again, had to be sharp and made a great pad save. Probably his best save of the night thus far. Gio owes Smith a beer after that one.

Within the last three minutes of the period, the Wild definitely had more of a push than the Flames. With less than two minutes left, Zucker again had a good chance, but couldn’t quite get a shot on it with the rolling puck. We all know how prone the Flames are at letting late-period goals… so this wouldn’t be a shocker if the Wild scored at this point.

But this time, the tables turned! With a slight two on one breakaway, Ferland slides it to Monahan with an open wing and he nets it in with just 51 seconds left of the period! This is the second game in a row where they’ve scored a late-period goal.

Monny, Ferly, and Johnny each have two points so far on the night. The only player below 50% CF% after two periods was Matt Stajan with 40%. Huge shock.

The Calgary Flames finished the second period outshooting the Wild 14-10. They are now outshooting them 22-18 in the game and have 30 shot attempts compared to the Wild’s 20. The game’s not over yet; let’s hope they can keep their lead.

Third period

Early in the period, Travis Hamonic took somewhat of a soft puck to the face, but it hit him in the wrong spot, and he left early on to the Calgary Flames dressing room. Other than that, the Wild definitely had more of a push in the third period and the Flames were having some troubles clearing their own zone.

At one point, there was a slight scrum in front of Smith and the Wild looked to have a chance. With a free puck, Mark Jankowski had great body position and was able to stop Charlie Coyle from getting a shot. A few seconds later, Mike Smith made another good save against Mikko Koivu. Four minutes into the period, and good news for Flames fans, but Travis Hamonic returned to the bench. But with a largely swollen lip. At that four minute mark, Smith had already faced six shots that period. The Flames will have to pick things up here a little bit.

But finally, the Flames were finally starting to push back and taking away the Wild’s chances. It wasn’t enough though, and Mikael Granlund made it a one goal game with over 12 minutes left to go on the period with a shot that didn’t seem like it was a dangerous one. The Wild were finally able to beat Smith on their 26th shot of the night.

Close to the midway mark, the Calgary Flames head to their fourth powerplay of the night. They had five shots on their first three opportunities. Right now would be a great time for them to extend their lead, but knowing the Flames, this won’t be the case. I mean, at least they’ll relieve some pressure, that’s a plus.

To be honest, the Flames had a few chances and managed to set it up a couple of times. But no goal, so this will remain a one-goal game and the Flames are 0/4 on the PP on the night so far.

The Wild continued to add pressure after their penalty ended and the Flames had to pay for that. They tied up the game with a heads-up play by Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Suter with less than eight minutes left to play.

It has been all Wild for the third period, except for the Flames powerplay. Otherwise, the Wild have completely dominated this period and the Flames need to wake up.

Then, in perfect Flames fashion, they take a penalty and the Wild will go on the powerplay with less than seven minutes left in a tie-game. On the plus side, the Flames PK so far tonight has been quite good, so let’s hope they continue that again here.

It wasn’t good, but at least they killed it off. The Wild were in the Flames zone for a good 1:46 of the powerplay before the Flames finally managed to clear it down the ice. To be fair, Giordano was able to clear it down, but the official was in bad positioning and got in his way, and he couldn’t clear it.

With a poor giveaway in the Flames own zone, Zach Parise almost made it 3-2 for the Wild with about four minutes left to play, but thank goodness for Mike Smith. Then again, in perfect Flames fashion, they take a penalty with just 2:24 left to go in a tie-game. Uh oh.

Luckily, the Flames managed to kill it off, but this one would need extra time. So off to OT we go.

We got some offsetting penalties in OT, but it would still remain 3on3. Matthew Tkachuk at one point had a good chance, but no goal. However, leave it to the man who came to the rescue vs. the Ducks last game and he scored the game-winning goal! The Flames have now won four in a row, a season high. But with the Chicago Blackhawks winning tonight as well, they’ll be in a wildcard spot over the Flames.

Next: Can Dillon Dube make the lineup next year?

This one was fun for the first two periods, then the Calgary Flames somewhat fell apart in the third period, but thank goodness they’re good in OT. They now have 48 points in 42 games.