Some questioned if the Calgary Flames were beginning to fatigue late in the season. After all, they’ve overachieved all year long, lasting in the playoff hunt far longer than anyone expected. Rough performances versus the Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs had many concerned but the Flames, as they have done all season, found a way to rally back last night.
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The Flames had a tough matchup against the New York Rangers, a team that has had a disappointing campaign but is loaded with talent. You wouldn’t have known how much talent they possess tuning into this one, however, as it was all Flames. The 2-1 final suggests it was a tight game, but those who watched know that wasn’t the case. With that said, here are the three main takeaways from last night’s massive win.
Shesterkin Keeps Things Close
The Flames were absolutely phenomenal in this one, even though it didn’t start the way they would have liked. The Rangers went up 1-0 just over a minute in, but from there on out, it was all Flames. They were able to get goals from Nazem Kadri and Matt Coronato in the first, and that was all they needed to pick up the two points.
“That’s one of the best we’ve played all year, for sure,” head coach Ryan Huska said afterward. “We gave up one early, which is never a good thing, but I just felt like the guys were committed to doing things the right way tonight. I thought their goalie was excellent. This was a night where we could have scored more than two or three, but their goaltender was excellent.”
This game should have been a blowout, as the Flames dominated the Rangers. The shots finished at 35-13, indicating just how good they were. While goal scoring continues to be an issue, the two-goal output was due to Igor Shesterkin, who had one of the better goaltending performances this entire season. He made highlight reel after highlight reel save. Thankfully for the Flames, they gave up very little to the Rangers’ top stars and allowed very few chances.
Huberdeau Takes Over
He may not have had a point, but last night was one of the better games we’ve seen from Jonathan Huberdeau this season. The 32-year-old was dancing with the puck, dangling around several Rangers throughout the night and setting up his teammates with several ‘Grade A’ scoring opportunities. He didn’t hesitate to put the puck on net, either, finishing the game with five shots.
Though his point totals are still a long way off from what he did with the Florida Panthers, Huberdeau has been significantly better in 2024-25 for the Flames. He leads the team with 25 goals and 50 points, giving him a legitimate opportunity to hit the 30-goal mark for the third time in his career.
Vladar Does Enough
Dan Vladar wasn’t tested very often in this one, facing just 13 shots from a Rangers team that couldn’t seem to get anything going offensively. The 27-year-old referred to it after as, “one of the easiest games I’ve ever played,” though to his credit he gave his team a chance to win the game, and was required to make a few big saves in the final frame.
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Despite his struggles through most of the season, Vladar has put together a 3-1-1 stretch over his last five starts with a 1.97 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .929 save percentage (SV%). He suddenly feels like a trustworthy option once again whenever Dustin Wolf needs a break during this final stretch of the regular season.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
The Flames are off tonight before getting back underway tomorrow versus the New Jersey Devils. Their road trip will finish on Saturday following an afternoon tilt against the New York Islanders. They’ll then return to Calgary, but won’t be back in game action until Tuesday evening against the Seattle Kraken.
