'Saves like that give you confidence': Calgary Flames rookie goalie Dustin Wolf delivered his best NHL performance yet

Wolf's clutch stops seconds seconds before the difference-making goals were key to Calgary's 4-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights

Going into the third period of Thursday’s clash with the Vegas Golden Knights, the Calgary Flames were on the verge of dropping from 22nd overall in the league standings to 25th — which would mean eighth from the bottom.

Instead, thanks to a handful of clutch saves by rookie goalie Dustin Wolf and a four-goal final frame, the Flames claimed a 4-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champions and moved up to 21st.

In the playoff picture, that leaves the Flames (32-29-5, 69 points) eight points behind the Golden Knights for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot. Calgary is also eight behind Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division (the Kings have one game in hand).

According to moneypuck.com, Calgary’s playoff odds — which were down to 1.8% before the third period began — rose to 3.6%.

The lesson is simple: Fans understandably want the Flames to lose every game and have the highest potential draft position, but the players, to their credit, are proud enough to care about winning until they are officially eliminated. There are five weeks and 16 games remaining in the regular season. Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions.

Now, more thoughts from the clash after the Flames won for the ninth time when trailing after two periods, which is tied for most in the league.

• Wolf unquestionably delivered his best NHL performance. The 28 saves in his seventh big-league start only told part of the story. He was positionally on top of his game and the saves he delivered just before Blake Coleman’s go-ahead goal and Matt Coronato’s tally that made it a 3-1 game were clutch. “He made the big saves when we needed them,” Coleman said. “Saves like that give you confidence."
• Beyond his second NHL goal of the season, and first since October, Coronato provided his most complete outing as a NHLer on a line with Yegor Sharagovich and Dryden Hunt.
• Coleman and Sharangovich leading the Flames with career-highs of 28 goals; It’s a good bet nobody had that prediction.
• The Flames iced a lineup with six rookies, and another in Connor Zary out due to injury. It will be curious whether coach Ryan Huska inserts Zary and/or Andrei Kuzmenko back into the line-up for Saturday’s clash with the Montreal Canadiens, provided either of them or both are ready to return from injury.
• The Flames finish the season series against Vegas with a 3-0-1 record, and with Wolf, Dan Vladar and Jacob Markstrom earning one victory each. Wolf also played in the overtime loss.