It was only after the Flames snapped a four-game losing skid the real entertainment began.
Cue the game’s first star, Devin Cooley, whose 27 saves in a 2-1 win in Pittsburgh came despite battling a litany of illnesses he’s struggled with for the better part of a week.
“Dude, brutal,” said the Flames backup, with a voice barely recognizable.
“I had the flu, and I’ve had a fever the last five days. When the flu went away, it turned into bronchitis, so they started me on antibiotics and an inhaler because I can’t breathe and I’ve got a really bad cough. So it’s been five or six days with no sleep, a ton of meds, and just sweating constantly in my sleep, barely eating.
“I’ve just been in this dream state, really out of it and loopy. It hasn’t been fun. The travel doesn’t really help. But there’s no excuses in this league, so I’m really glad I was able to go out there and do it.”
Cooley’s last start was Dec. 20, giving Dustin Wolf eight straight starts, which included four straight losses through a hectic schedule heading into Saturday’s afternoon affair.
Cooley was slated to start at least two recent games, but was unable to shake the long list of ailments he cited.
“You can’t sit there and be like, ‘I feel like I’m getting screwed, why haven’t we called anyone up?’” he said.
“I’m like, ‘No, look at it like a challenge. If I can have a good game when I feel like this, I can have a good game whenever.’
“I haven’t been really practising either, so maybe I can tell the coaches I don’t have to practise anymore.”
Connor Zary opened the scoring early in the first with his second in as many games, converting a lengthy breakaway he earned by picking off a Penguins pass.
Midway through the second period, Cooley was beaten by Egor Chinakhov, who finished a nifty give-and-go with Evgeni Malkin.
Matt Coronato scored in the opening minute of the third, setting the stage for Cooley to shut the door and end Pittsburgh’s six-game winning streak, despite the netminder being hit twice in the head by intruding Penguins.
Coleman on the shelf
Blake Coleman missed his first game of the year with an upper-body injury, likely suffered two nights earlier in Boston when he was wrestled down by towering defenceman Mason Lohrei.
He’s considered day-to-day, which is a relief for Flames fans who cherish him as both the team’s best forward this year and one of their biggest trade chips.
Yegor Sharangovich replaced Coleman on Mikael Backlund’s line, which served to give the Belarusian a rare spark, as he upped his compete level considerably.
Joel Farabee replaced Coleman on the first penalty kill unit, and did well to ensure the Flames weren’t scored on in any of Pittsburgh’s three power plays. Farabee finished with 20:32 of ice time, as he continues to play well.
Given how important Coleman is as a player and asset, you can bet the Flames will continue to be cautious with how they proceed with the 34-year-old winger.
Pachal delivers
Brayden Pachal stepped into the lineup for Hunter Brzustewicz, and then stepped into Chinakhov with a blast that ranks as one of the hardest in the league this season.
The Penguins forward was rocked with his head down as he crossed into the Flames zone from the right side, allowing Pachal to lower his shoulder, tuck in his elbow and deliver a clean hit early in the second period that got the Flames bench all jazzed up.
“That was a big moment in the game for us,” said Flames coach Ryan Huska of the hit.
“I felt that it brought a little energy to our team when we were sagging a little bit. That stuff matters. You don’t often see a good, hard, clean in the open ice like that anymore.”
Playing alongside Joel Hanley on the third pairing, Pachal finished the afternoon with a game-high four hits. His last appearance came Dec. 5 against Seattle, when he recorded nine wallops.
The Lines
Wranglers call-up William Stromgren drew into his second NHL game due to the Coleman injury, and offered up a taste of his skill with a toe-drag around Ryan Shea, which he then took to the net for a great scoring chance.
Huberdeau-Kadri-Farabee
Sharangovich-Backlund-Coronato
Zary-Frost-Klapka
Lomberg-Kirkland-Stromgren
Bahl-Andersson
Kuznetsov-Weegar
Hanley-Pachal
Cooley
Wolf
