There’s only one thing better than seeing the Flames beat the Oilers

The only thing better than beating the pesky Edmonton Oilers is seeing the Calgary Flames defeat their bitter rivals while keeping both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl off the scoresheet. 

Another outstanding all-round performance saw Tyler Toffoli score two goals, his sixth and seventh in 10 games since arriving from Montreal. Johnny Gaudreau emphatically put the game to bed with a sublime move on a late breakaway.

More importantly, the Flames held the Oilers’ dynamic duo off the scoresheet and secured both points in a pivotal divisional affair. McDavid and Draisaitl, in over 30 appearances in tandem against the Flames, have been held scoreless just nine times.

Nobody gets a prize for guessing how many of those nine games the Oilers won.

An abysmal 0-7-2 record highlights just how desperately the Oilers need their superstars to put up points.

Last night was yet another feather in the Flames’ cap. Holding the Oilers to just one goal, a fortuitous late marker thanks to a lucky bounce off an official, is a testament to Calgary’s collective defensive effort.

Darry Sutter’s team also kept Edmonton’s potent powerplay at bay. The Oilers went 0-4 with the man advantage and were knocked down a peg by the Flames’ fourth ranked penalty kill (84.8%).

The Oilers had the fourth best man advantage going into the battle of Alberta, but dropped to fifth after laying an egg at the Saddledome.

There’s so much more to boast about, but Flames fans know the importance of humility. For those pesky Oilers rarely go quietly into the night. Though on this night McDavid and Draisaitl were forced to retreat quietly into the bitter, dark Edmonton evening. And for that, every Flames fan should be smiling from ear to ear.