Top-prospect netminder delivered an impressive performance in Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, especially after surrendering two early goals
In his first day of his second call-up of the season, Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf was asked whether being in the NHL dressing room felt normal this time around.
Wolf, the 22-year-old seventh-round draft pick, answered it was not, but added a unique perspective.
“I don’t think playing in the NHL is considered normal at all,” said the two-time AHL’s top goaltender and reigning AHL MVP. “It’s a gift and I’m trying to take advantage of it.”
Wolf took advantage in Thursday’s 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. After surrendering a pair of early goals, both via deflections, he stood strong as the Flames cued up yet another third-period comeback.
With a 30-save performance, Wolf claimed the win in his second start of the season and third of his career. It is only in four games but he boasts a career 2-1-0 record with a 2.48 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.
“He’s got an unflappable swagger, if that makes any sense,” coach Ryan Huska said. “Whether he’s let five or six in, it doesn’t change him. He lets one in, it doesn’t change him. He lets none in, it doesn’t change him. So he obviously grew up the right way or learned some lessons early on as a goaltender in how to turn a page, flush it, if something goes by him, because he does a really good job of that.”
The early goals could rattle a goalie, especially one trying to make his case to be in the big leagues, but to his credit Wolf dialled in and delivered a few dandy stops to keep his team within a pair, notably one when Jordan Staal wired a one-timer early in the second period.
“When it was 2-0 those go unnoticed, but he was the reason we were still down by two,” said forward Blake Coleman.
The reward was a three-goal third period by the Flames and Wolf’s second victory in three career NHL starts.
“You gotta have the resiliency to give your team a chance to win,” who appears to possess a strong combination of confidence, humility and level-headedness.
What the long-term future holds is up in the air, but Wolf certainly has already given the Flames organization reason to ponder, especially while number-one goalie Jacob Markstrom is on the shelf due to a fractured finger.
Huska said losing Markstrom and having a tandem of Dan Vladar and Wolf only meant shifting who was in the slot to play when they mapped out the starts, but Wolf may have changed things and earned another chance when the Flames play host to the New Jersey Devils Saturday afternoon.