The Calgary Flames were unable to make it three straight games with at least a point on Sunday night, as they fell to the Dallas Stars by a 6-2 final. This outing wasn’t as ugly as the final score indicates, as the Flames led 1-0 for a period of time and were tied at two heading into the third period.
With the loss, the Flames have dropped to 13-10-5 on the season and are now outside the playoff picture, trailing the Colorado Avalanche by a single point for a wild-card position. There’s still over half the season remaining, but this team is starting to look more like the one most fans had envisioned before the opening game. With that said, here are the three main takeaways from last night’s contest.
Road Struggles Continue
The Flames are a completely different team at the Saddledome than they are away from it. With last night’s loss, they now sit at an abysmal 3-7-4 on the road, which won’t cut it for a team hoping to earn a playoff spot. It’s quite something given that their home record is 10-3-1.
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“I think for us, we’ve got to figure out how to win on the road here,” Connor Zary said. “It’s been six or seven games now in a row on the road where we haven’t come out on top. I think that [takes] everyone just trying to be a bit better when we come out, right from the start.”
Even more concerning is that, as Barnburner co-host Ryan Pinder pointed out the fact that the Flames have not won a regulation game on the road since their 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers back on Oct. 13. They’ve gone just 1-7-4 on the road since, with the one win coming in overtime versus the Montreal Canadiens.
Wolf Has Slowed Down
Dustin Wolf has been a great story so far in the 2024-25 season, as he’s proving many of his detractors wrong again with what has been a very impressive rookie campaign. That said, he’s been trending in the wrong direction in his last few starts, which could become a concern if it lasts much longer.
Wolf has now allowed 14 goals on his last 77 shots over his last three starts, which equals to a save percentage (SV%) of just .818. It’s taken a toll on what were excellent numbers for himself, as he now has a 2.84 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .909 SV% through 14 starts. He, like his team, has struggled on the road, as he has a .876 SV% in five starts away from the Saddledome.
Huberdeau Keeps Point Streak Alive
While there aren’t a ton of positives in the Flames game as of late, Jonathan Huberdeau has been a bright spot. After going through a lengthy slump following a hot start to the season, he has been picking things back up as of late. He found the back of the net last night, and as a result, is riding a four-game point streak which has seen him register two goals and three helpers.
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Last night’s goal was Huberdeau’s ninth of the season, which puts him on pace for 26. That is a significant upgrade from the past two seasons, which have seen him manage 15 and 12, respectively. Should he hit that mark, it would be the third-highest goal total of his career.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
The Flames will have one more road game before returning home, though it will come against a Nashville Predators team that is not only on a three-game losing streak, but sits at 7-15-6 on the season. They will then take on the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Saddledome on Thursday, followed by a Saturday game against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
