The Calgary Flames faced the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night looking to snap a three-game winning streak. They battled hard but wound up losing their fourth straight as they fell by a 3-2 final in the shootout against a Wild team that is quickly turning the corner after a rough start to the season.
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This game marked the end of a three-game road trip for the Flames, one in which they picked up just two points. It’s been a frustrating stretch for Ryan Huska’s club, as they are still well within the playoff picture in the Western Conference but have struggled to put wins together consistently through the first 30 games of the season. Here are the three main takeaways from this outing.
Sharangovich’s Hot Play Continues
While the loss will be the main talk in this one, Yegor Sharangovich was once again a bright spot. The 25-year-old was able to score the Flames’ first goal of the game, giving him five tallies over his past four outings. After a slow start with his new club, he is really heating up and seems to be playing with a lot more confidence.
The goal wasn’t the only contribution Sharangovich made in this one, either. He was able to pick up an assist on the Flames’ second goal of the game, which came shorthanded from Blake Coleman. He then scored in the shootout on a lethal wrister that beat Filip Gustavsson on the glove side. He now has a team-leading 10 goals along with 18 points through 30 games.
Vladar Stood Tall
There has been plenty of discussion in Calgary surrounding the future of Dan Vladar with this team. With Jacob Markstrom still locked in as the starter, as well as the emergence of 22-year-old Dustin Wolf, Vladar has popped up in several trade rumours as of late. What hasn’t helped is that he has largely struggled when called upon this season, but that was far from the case in this one.
After allowing a goal to Matt Boldy less than five minutes into the first period, Vladar quickly settled down and gave up just one more for the remainder of the game. By the time the horn sounded to end overtime, he had kicked away 31 of the 33 shots he faced, several of which were high quality. Though his personal stats aren’t what he would like to see, he has managed a decent 4-4-1 record on the season.
Top Stars Quiet Once Again
For the second straight season, the Flames’ top stars are struggling to make an impact. Jonathan Huberdeau was extremely quiet in this one, and is now on a seven-game point drought. He has managed just four goals and 15 points on the season. Nazem Kadri was more noticeable but was also held without a point.
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Elias Lindholm was able to tally an assist on Sharangovich’s power play goal in the second period, but aside from that was also very quiet. He has been fighting it all season long, highlighted by the fact that he missed the net entirely on his shootout attempt.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
The Flames will now return to Calgary to begin a short two-game homestand, kicking off on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. While that matchup sounds daunting, the Lightning haven’t exactly been their usual dominant selves this season, as they own a 14-12-5 record on the year.
After the Lightning, the Flames will have one night off before welcoming Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers to town. The former Flame has struggled this season with just five goals on the year, but it hasn’t impacted his team all too negatively, as they sit fourth in the Eastern Conference.
