The Flames snapped a season-long seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 win in the “Battle of Alberta” versus the Oilers at Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
After scoring four goals in their previous six games, the Flames tallied three times in the first period of Saturday’s game, chasing Cam Talbot out of the Oilers net. The offensive outburst was definitely overdue for a Flames team that in their previous 15 games, had a shooting percentage of 4.2 compared to their opponents’ 12.7. On Saturday, the Flames scored three goals on their first seven shots.
After falling behind 1-0 on a goal by the Oilers’ Anton Slepyshev 2:41 into the game, the Flames squared the score at 6:43, when Dougie Hamilton scored his 17th goal of the season, regaining the league-lead for goals by a defenceman.
The Flames jumped out in front at 11:54, when Garnet Hathaway tallied for the first time in 42 games and for the third time this season, scoring a short-handed goal that made it 2-1.
After snapping an 11-game pointless streak with an assist on Hamilton’s game-tying goal, Mikael Backlund snapped an 11-game goalless streak with what would turn out to be the game-winning goal at 15:28 of the first period.
Former Flame and current Oiler Mike Cammalleri, who returned to the line-up after being a healthy scratch in the previous six games, cut Calgary’s lead in half when he ended a 32-game goalless streak 12:41 into the second period, but that was as close as Edmonton would get.
CONTAINING CONNOR
For the second straight game, the Flames managed to keep Connor McDavid off the scoresheet. As a matter of fact, the league’s top point producer didn’t even get a shot on goal and finished with a -2 rating.
Going into Saturday’s game, McDavid, who with a career-high 103 points is well on his way to becoming the first player since the Penguins’ Jaromir Jagr from 1997-2001 to win the Art Ross Trophy in consecutive seasons, was the hottest player in the NHL. McDavid had scored seven goals during a five-game goal streak and produced 14 points during a six-game point streak prior to being shutout by the Flames on Saturday.
In a season that has left fans looking for silver linings, keeping McDavid off the scoresheet in two-straight games and winning back-to-back contests versus their provincial rival, an Oilers squad that seemed to be in their heads with seven straight victories in the “Battle of Alberta”, will give Flames fans something to smile about going into the off-season.
FOO’S DEBUT
After finishing one point out of the NCAA scoring lead last season, when he scored 26 goals and produced 62 points in 38 games with the Union College Dutchmen, St. Albert, Alta., native Spencer Foo was a hot commodity. The un-drafted college free agent was pursued by a number of NHL teams, including Calgary and Edmonton, and decided to sign with the Flames instead of his hometown team the Oilers.
Foo got off to a fairly slow start in his first professional season, scoring one goal in his first 19 AHL games. But after getting his feet wet, the right-winger went on a tear, tallying 19 times in the next 40 games with the Stockton Heat before being recalled on Thursday.
When he was asked to describe Foo prior to Saturday’s game, Flames Head Coach Glen Gulutzan used two words – speed and skill. Those two attributes were on display at Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday, when Foo recorded one shot, two hits and an even rating in 12 minutes and 45 seconds of ice time, primarily spent on the team’s makeshift first line with Johnny Gaudreau and Nick Shore. Foo had a couple of good scoring chances and certainly didn’t look out of place. The Flames really need a right-handed forward who can put the puck in the net, and while it’s way too soon to tell if he’s ready for prime time, Foo’s strong rookie season should excite the team and their fans.
PESKY COYOTES COMING TO TOWN
When they went 0-10-1 in their first 11 games of 2017-2018, the Coyotes season was finished shortly after it started. In their first 36 games, the desert dogs were 7-24-5. Awful. In their last 43 games, they’re 21-16-6. Impressive. Tuesday’s game at the ‘Dome will present players on both sides with another opportunity to prove to their managers and coaches that they deserve to be in the NHL or to play a larger role in the league next season.
