Tough road trip.
Relying on goaltending and out working your opposition is a tough road to hoe.
Recently it hasn’t been enough to get it done, as the team loses 6-2 in Pittsburgh to go winless on the four game road trip with a 0-3-1 record
Tonight they really weren’t all that close.
They got whipped five on five, they got dominated in special teams and they were really never in the game.
Are the Flames taking on water?
They haven’t scored more than 3 goals in now 21 games, their goaltending is ever so slightly adjusting down towards average, and with that we have a winless road trip against teams you’d like to beat if you have your eyes on a playoff spot.
Today they spotted the Columbus Blue Jackets a 3-0 lead early in the second period, a deficit they couldn’t overcome in dropping a fight filled 5-2 contest in Ohio this afternoon.
The loss puts the Flames at 0-2-1 on a four game road trip with their final contest tomorrow against the desperate Pittsburgh Penguins.
They got a point.
The Flames didn’t generate a whole lot offensively, leaned on Dan Vladar, but still got a point in Detroit with a late Connor Zary goal before dropping the game shorthanded in overtime.
They repeated their discipline issue early, taking three first period penalties and almost lost the game on a 1-0 first period powerplay goal.
The Flames take an overtime penalty for too many men on the ice, and drop the game moving their record on this four game road trip to 0-1-1 through two games.
Next up an emotional game in Columbus against Sean Monahan and the Blue Jackets.
The Flames just didn’t have it tonight.
They gave up too much, their discipline was a mess (Ottawa had nine powerplay opportunities), their forecheck was off, and with that the expected result; a 4-3 regulation loss to the Ottawa Senators.
The didn’t go away. They stuck with it, and made it interesting to the end, but not a banner night for this plucky Calgary Flames hockey club.
Next up the Red Wings on Wednesday night.
I really think it’s time to just get behind this thing.
It’s unexpected.
It might not be sustainable.
But damn if it isn’t a lot of fun and a pleasant surprise.
The Flames swept their four game homestand with a 4-3 shootout win over the Kaprizov-less Minnesota Wild. The game looked locked down for the Flames with just over five minutes left; the homeside with a two goal lead. But two late Wild goals and a nail biter of an overtime period had the game very much in doubt.
The Flames are now six games over .500 and a point out of first place in the Pacific Division.
I can guarantee you nobody had that on their bingo card at a week before US Thanksgiving.
