It wasn’t pretty, but the Calgary Flames were able to dig deep and pick up a big 2-1 win over the LA Kings last night. They did so despite racking up only 18 shots, which is nearly the amount they gave up in the opening period of the game. Though far from an ideal performance, they’ll take the two points and hope for better efforts moving forward.
Related: Flames Dodged a Major Bullet Not Extending Kuzmenko
With the win, the Flames are now just one point behind the Vancouver Canucks for a wildcard position in the Western Conference. This team never seems to make it easy on themselves, but they deserve a ton of credit for how resilient they are. With that said, here are the three main takeaways from last night’s victory.
Wolf Holds the Fort
The Flames wouldn’t have been close in this one if it wasn’t for Dustin Wolf. The rookie goaltender was absolutely incredible early, stopping 15 shots within the first 12 minutes of action. Things did slow down for him afterward, though he was still forced to make some big saves, particularly late in the third as the Flames protected their 2-1 lead.
“It certainly wasn’t expected,” Wolf said about being peppered early. “That’s hockey for you. Sometimes you’re on the receiving end of 17, and sometimes you’re on the receiving end of four. [The Kings] certainly got me into the game pretty quick, and I was glad we got out of that period [only] down 1-0.”
With the win, Wolf has improved to 11-2-1 on home ice this season, accumulating an absurd 1.96 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .936 save percentage (SV%). He has been the Flames’ MVP this season and is very deserving of being in the Calder Trophy conversation.
Flames’ Penalty Kill Success
One of the biggest concerns for the Flames this season has been their penalty kill. They entered last night’s game 30th of all 32 teams in penalty kill percentage, and when they went shorthanded early in the first, many felt it was going to be a quick goal for the Kings. That wasn’t the case, however, as they were able to not only kill off the Kings’ first opportunity but all three they had on the night.
“They looked connected with it, so it was a good night for us to try and build off of now,” head coach Ryan Huska told reporters.
There is still a long way to go before this Flames PK unit is deemed fixed, but this appears to have been a step in the right direction. Of course, having Wolf play as well as he did helps in a big way, but the entire group deserves credit for barring down the way they did.
Lomberg Feeling Feisty
Ryan Lomberg was up to his usual antics last night, as he dropped the gloves on two separate occasions for the third time this season. The first came against a serious heavyweight in Tanner Jeannot, but, despite the size difference, Lomberg was able to hold his own, and got a huge ovation from those at the Saddledome.
Related: 4 Flames Who Need to Step Up in Connor Zary’s Absence
The second fight came late in the third, where he stood up for teammate Walker Duehr, who was hammered into the boards by Kings defenceman Kyle Burroughs. This scrap wasn’t as intense as the first, but reinstated just how close this Flames group is. To no surprise, Lomberg was his usual self after both, smiling and nodding at the crowd as he skated to the penalty box.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
The Flames will now head back on the road, beginning their trip with a Monday night tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks. They’ll then face off against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday and Thursday, before playing their final game of the week on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets.
