Flames run winning streak to three games over top teams this week with 6-3 decision in Edmonton

Top Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom was ill, leaving Dan Vladar to start in Edmonton, and some wondering whether the No. 1 was about to be traded or had a case of the Oilers flu.

Markstrom’s numbers in the Battle of Alberta are certainly second to Vladar, but battling a bug was the reason given for his absence at the morning skate and why he was backing up on Hockey Night in Canada.

He had the best view of the night for what turned out to be an exciting and surprisingly lopsided 6-3 win for the Flames in the most hostile environment possible. There were a few minutes when things looked like they might start to tip toward the Oilers.

A 3-1 lead on goals by Nazem Kadri, who remains hot, (2:02), Martin Pospisil (9:11) and Noah Hanifin (15:53), Zach Hyman netted a powerplay goal with about a minute and a half left in the opening period.

He scored a second to cut the lead to one after Oilers beast Leon Draisaitl slammed into Vladar at nearly full speed a few minutes into period two.

Momentum was clearly shifting. But the Flames continued to battle in one of their best performances of the year. Again, against better opponents, we seem to get the rugged, motivated, energetic Calgary Flames. The win ran their streak to three straight this week — against Winnipeg, Boston and Edmonton.

Puzzling? You bet. Exciting? Absolutely.

Dryden Hunt popped in his first goal of the year and as a member of the Flames, a rocket labelled for the top corner, to cushion the lead midway through the game. Hanifin put a dagger in the Oilers with his second of the game, which took place while Draisaitl was serving a penalty for hooking Pospisil.

Hanifin was a force all game and finished with three points. Trade talk continues to swirl around the 27-year-old defenceman. For good reason. His value is skyrocketing as he continues to own the added scrutiny.

Blake Coleman scored a long empty-netter to make it 5-2 when the Oilers pulled the goalie with eight minutes left in the game. Yes, eight minutes.

Mattias Janmark got one more past Vladar at 16:16 of the third period but the game was long decided by then.

What a game. What a week. What a truly perplexing team.

The Flames return home to host the Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Seattle Kraken before hitting the road with games in south Florida surrounding the March 8 NHL trade deadline.

It will be interesting to see how the Calgary Flames navigate that, what they can get for top defencemen Hanifin and Chris Tanev, and whether Markstrom gets traded or remains the team’s rock and best hope of making the playoffs without the other two in the lineup.