The one key component Calgary Flames still need to see improvement

By the way the Calgary Flames have been dismantling all comers, it’s easy to forget about their middling record in one-goal games. 

The Flames battled through Saturday night’s contest against the Kraken, eventually defeating Mark Giordano’s team 2-1. It’s not like the Flames didn’t deserve the win. They outshot the Kraken 37-23 and dominated most facets of the contest.

It was the first time Calgary has won a game by a single goal since a 4-3 comeback win in Dallas on Feb. 1. Despite winning the last three games that have been decided by a goal, the Flames haven’t enjoyed the same success in close games as in lopsided contests.

The Flames are 7-1-6 in one-goal games this season, a record that will need to improve if Darryl Sutter’s team are going to make a deep playoff run. Three wins in a row in games decided by a goal will please Calgary’s bench boss, but he will know his team has a lot of work to do in nip-and-tuck affairs.

Six of Calgary’s seven losses in one-goal games have come in overtime, not exactly a flawless indicator of the club’s inability to win tight games. A lot can, and usually does, happen in three-on-three overtime sessions, so judging the Flames on that metric alone would be slightly harsh.

However, we all know how important being able to win tight contests is. The NHL playoffs are not renowned for blowouts. Quite the contrary, so Calgary will want to improve their record in close games markedly as they battle for playoff positioning.

While every Flames fan would prefer to see their team continually annihilate the opposition, it would be more beneficial for the hockey club to endure a slew of competitive, one-goal games. Because, whether we like to admit it, those type of contests will be coming thick and fast.

There’s no doubt the Flames have already faced their fair share of adversity, namely after an unprecedented Covid-19 outbreak substantially disrupted their campaign. But it feels mandatory, even a right of passage, for the Flames to endure more adversity before the postseason arrives.

For Calgary to live up to its full potential and make a deep playoff run, they’ll need to face a batch of close games in which they are pushed to the brink. It’s the only way to get the team battle hardened and prepared for the time of year when one-goal games are all but guaranteed.