'He’s got elite finishing skills': Takeaways from the Calgary Flames' 6-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes

Yegor Sharangovich continues to make the case GM Craig Conroy made the right trade last summer

Five goals in two games.

Seventeen goals and 30 points just past the midway point of the season.

Turns out the rookie GM may have pushed the right button after all.

Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy took plenty of heat when he swung the summertime trade that sent last season’s leading scorer to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round draft choice.

Sharangovich, who has already surpassed his goal total from last season (13) and equalled his point mark, delivered more goods with a hat-trick performance in Calgary’s 6-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

And while his shooting percentage (17.7%) is on the high side, he was a (14.3%) in 2021-22 campaign in which he netted career highs of 24 goals and 46 points.

“He’s got elite finishing skills and it’s starting to come in waves for him,” Blake Coleman said of Sharangovich. “I don't think it’s a coincidence that No. 10 (Jonathan Huberdeau) is really starting to turn it on and has looked really good for us. That line’s been good and getting better every game.”

Now, more takeaways after Calgary’s victory over the Coyotes:

Huberdeau finding his form?

Considering all the fits and spurts we have seen since Jonathan Huberdeau arrived in the Stampede City, any success will come with a sideways glance. That said, in the seven games since he was put on a line with Sharangovich and Elias Lindholm, Huberdeau has collected two goals and six assists.

He has registered a point in a season-best four consecutive games.

Huberdeau still must shoot the puck much more often and all-too-often is tempted to make a long, cross-ice pass (which looks awful when it’s intercepted), but his creative ability has become more prevalent lately and he has shown more and more assertiveness.

Staying on the Mark-strom

While his name has started to crop up on trade-watch stories, and the debate whether dealing him away would be a wise course of action has become more noticeable, goaltender Jacob Markstrom continues to shine.

His 12-save, second-period performance in a 33-save night against the Desert Dogs was crucial while the hosts pushed to recover from Calgary’s four-goal first-period onslaught.

In his last nine games, Markstrom has posted a 6-3-0 record, surrendered 19 goals and posted a .933 save percentage.

Goals, goals, goals

After consecutive six-packs, the Flames have climbed to 16th in the league in goals-for-per-game (3.17).

Remember, this is a club that scored only 19 goals in the first nine games and was being mocked for a lack of attack.

It helps in their last five games, the Flames exploded for a four-goal first period against both the Nashville Predators and Coyotes, and pumped four past the Ottawa Senators in the third period of their 6-3 victory at home

The league standings have the Flames at minus-3 on the season on goals-for/against, but that counts the four deciding goals against in shootouts. So, in actual play, the Flames are plus-1.

QUICK HITS: On the negative, the Flames desperately need better from their fourth line … As pretty as the play was on Sharangovich’s power-play goal, we will withhold judgement whether Calgary has turned a corner with the man-advantage … It’s hard to decide the most impressive feat so far by Blake Coleman: Already with 18 goals and 35 points, the four short-handed markers or the plus-22 rating on a team that’s finally near the break-even point or whose next player is plus-12 (Noah Hanifin and Connor Zary).