Flames found a different way to win in triumph over Wild

For the first time this season the Calgary Flames conceded the opening goal at home and won, overcoming the early deficit against the Wild on route to a convincing 7-3 triumph.

Frédérick Gaudreau’s early goal also marked the first time the Flames trailed at home during their current record-tying 11-game winning streak at the Scotiabank Saddledome. It’s hard to decipher which is more impressive, the fact the Flames hadn’t trailed in 10 previous home games or seeing what transpired after Gaudreau’s opener.

Unlike the game in Vancouver on Thursday evening, Calgary found a way to dominate after overturning the early deficit . It only took Tyler Toffoli just under nine minutes to equalize, a key factor in the Flames’ comeback victory.

The Wild are 19-6-1 when scoring the first goal and are no slouches with the advantage, making Calgary’s comprehensive win all the more impressive. It was yet another strong stepping stone for a team finding different ways to win.

While the Flames still ended up winning by a large margin — their league-leading 20th win by three or more goals — Sutter’s team rose to the occasion and accomplished something not seen at home all season. Overturning a one-goal deficit doesn’t make for headline news, but it’s a step in the right direction for a team that, since the devastating Covid-19 outbreak in December, hasn’t come across a lot of adversity.

The Flames have conceded the first goal in 19 games and have a 7-9-3 in those games. Only the Carolina Hurricanes have allowed the first goal less (18 games). And while Sutter will not want to make a habit of conceding first, he’ll be pleased (though he certainly won’t show it) to see his team dominate after going down early.

Fortifying Calgary’s collective resilience and mental fortitude, it’s the type of result that carries more meaning than two points in the standings.