Jack Eichel scored 90 seconds into overtime to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday. Here are a few thoughts from the game.
BAD BREAK
In hindsight, the Flames’ bye week couldn’t have come at a worse time. With seven straight victories, the Flames were finding ways to win, building confidence and momentum and quickly climbing up the Pacific Division and Western Conference standings. But a five-day break between games seems to have taken the wind out of the team’s sails. The Flames have looked a little out of sync since returning to the ice, a problem they’ll have to solve sooner rather than later if they’re going to stay in a playoff position and remain in control of their own destiny.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT
After having their season-long seven-game winning streak snapped with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Jets on Saturday, the Flames dropped their second straight decision on Monday. The bad news – the Flames have lost two in a row. The good news – Glen Gulutzan’s group picked up an important point in both contests to stretch its season-long point streak to nine games.
While the Flames haven’t been at their best since returning to the ice following their bye, getting a point in a shootout loss to a good Jets team on Saturday afternoon probably felt better than banking a point in an overtime loss to a bad Sabres squad on Monday night. With that said, it’s hard to be hard on a team that has a 7-0-2 record and has picked up 16 of a possible 18 points in its last nine outings.
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ANY GIVEN MONDAY
With back-to-back games against Pacific Division foes in the Kings and Oilers coming up on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, I can’t help but wonder if the Flames got caught looking past the Sabres on Monday. While players said all the right things before and after Monday’s OT loss, I suspect that getting up for Wednesday’s game against a Kings team that sits one point behind them in the Pacific Division standings and for Thursday’s “Battle of Alberta” versus the Oilers will be a lot easier for the Flames. In contrast, Buffalo entered Monday’s contest in a tie for last place in the NHL.
On paper, the Flames are a better team than the Sabres. On the ice, they weren’t – at least not on Monday. I suspect we’ll see a better version of the Flames on Wednesday when they clash with the Kings in what sets up to be the biggest game so far this season for both sides.
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