The Calgary Flames lost to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, suffering another setback on home ice.
The Calgary Flames hosted Cale Makar and the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night, and the visitors won 4-1.
Unfortunately for the home team, who had a 1-0 lead, the Avalanche never gave up. Their relentless attack turned the tables midway through the contest with three second-period goals.
Calgary has one game left before Saturday's 4 Nations Face-off break against the Seattle Kraken.
Flames Lose Back-to-Back to Cup Contenders
The Flames faced an opponent with a lethal lineup for the second consecutive game. After William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and John Tavares came to the Saddledome, Colorado came in with a lineup featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Makar.
Despite their early season struggles in goal, the Avalanche found their guys, and the Flames couldn't muster more than two goals against Mackenzie Blackwood. Meanwhile, Dustin Wolf struggled for the third consecutive contest, unable to slow down the NHL's 9th-rank offense.
Even if neither the Maple Leafs nor the Avalanche are the top teams in their respective divisions, both have good odds of going deep in the playoffs and making a run at the Stanley Cup.
Unfortunately, with back-to-back losses, the Flames are still one step behind these two powerhouse teams.
Wolf's Magical Run Hits Road Bump
In addition to the accolades Wolf has compiled this season, which includes being in the discussion for Rookie of the Year, he's hit a few bumps recently.
He's lost his last three starts, matching the season's longest losing streak from Nov. 28 to Dec. 8. If Wolf loses his next start, he'll match a career-high of four games, set last season from Mar. 18 to Apr. 4.
Although Wolf has been through rough times, this particular stretch feels different. After so much success, he's fallen on hard times recently and producing games with a sub .900 SV%, a trend when he loses games.
Only once this season has Wolf compiled an SV% above .900 and still lost, on Saturday, Feb. 1, against the Detroit Red Wings. Ultimately, a trend is developing: if he doesn't stop at least 90% of the shots, the Flames are in for a rough night.
Saddledome Blues
On Jan. 1, the Flames had a 13-4-3 record at the Saddledome. Since then, they have produced just a 3-6-0 record, including a 1-4-0 homestand in the past two weeks.
Moreover, opponents have outscored 17-11 on home ice recently, with only one game against the Anaheim Ducks, the lone contest in which they held a visitor to fewer than three goals.
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Even with their power play clicking, going 10-for-29 in the past eight games, opponents are wearing the Flames down after a strong first period, keeping things close before miscues and misplays lead to late-game collapses.
Thankfully, the Flames play only two more home games between now and the middle of March, giving them a chance to bond and right the ship on upcoming road trips.
