Four goals from unlikely sources led Calgary to Sunday's clutch 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks
Four goals from unlikely sources led Calgary to Sunday's clutch 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks
A four-game winning streak for the first time this season thanks to four goals by the supporting cast.
At this point of the season, the Flames do not care about style marks with any victory, and Sunday’s 5-4 win over the cellar-dwelling Anaheim Ducks was definitely a case of winning ugly.
But that does not take away from the fact it was the depth players who stepped forward with the offensive impact.
The odds of Nikita Zadorov, Nick Ritchie, Milan Lucic and and Michael Stone all scoring in the same game are likely multiple levels longer than Calgary’s chances of making the playoffs.
Yet, they all lit the lamp in yet another comeback victory that resulted in the Flames maintaining their two-point deficit behind the Winnipeg Jets for the Western Conference’s final wild-card playoff spot. (Both the Flames and Jets have five games remaining.)
If, and it remains a big if, the Flames somehow vault the Jets and make the Stanley Cup playoffs, this game will be worth looking at more closely. On a night the Flames received nowhere near enough from their big-money players against a Ducks team on an eight-game losing skid and staring at strong odds of winning the draft lottery, their depth, all the way to number-two goalie Dan Vladar coming off the bench for the win, proved the difference.
The rest of the way, though, the Flames need better from the headliners.
Here are five more thoughts after the buzzer.
SPOT THE PROBLEM?: For the second time in as many games, the Flames won despite trailing through two periods — a feat they failed to achieve through the first 75 outings of the season. However, just like Friday’s comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks, the Flames trailed by a 2-0 score. In fact, the Anaheim game marks the fifth time in eight outings that Calgary trailed by at least a 2-0 score.
Sure, it is the seventh time this season the Flames have won despite trailing by two or more goals, but spotting clubs an early lead is a recipe for heartbreak.
STONE COLD KILL SHOT: Stone’s game-winning goal was a perfect example of his point-shot prowess, and not just because of his booming slapper.
Stone, who returned to action after missing 20 games due to injury, made a great play on that goal, too. Before unloading, he executed a textbook slide to give himself a better shooting lane while ensuring the screen remained. The capper was a blistering shot just inside the post.
GOALIE JUGGLING: It was a bold move by coach Darryl Sutter to pull starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom after a pair of dubious goals in the first period. Sutter is loathe to yank his starter, but it paid off.
With games on consecutive nights coming next — at home to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday and then in Winnipeg on Wednesday in what is shaping up to be a massive meeting — it will be curious whether he goes back to Markstrom for both games or gives Dan Vladar the Chicago clash and Markstrom the Winnipeg game.
Some goalies believe they receive more rest by serving as the backup in the first half of back-to-back games and playing the second.
LINES IN THE BLENDER: Sutter also is not a fan of mixing up his lines from game-to-game. During games, sure he will do it, but usually goes back to his trios next time.
With that in mind, don’t be shocked if Blake Coleman is put back with Mikael Backlund and Jonathan Huberdeau when they face the Blackhawks. Walker Duehr played very well in that spot when Coleman was put on the fourth line, and that does provide Sutter with more options going forward.
SMARTENING UP: Speaking of Coleman, his first-period penalty was a foolish slashing infraction, made worse by the fact his team was already down 1-0. Even though the Ducks scored a split-second after it expired, that infraction led to the goal. That said, the Flames have improved their team discipline of late.
They are still tied for seventh for most times shorthanded per game (3.33), but have been shorthanded 29 times in the last 12 games, an average of 2.42. As well, they Flames have seven power-play goals in 23 chances (a 30.4% rate) in the last seven games.