Post-Game: Baby Flames dish out some home cooking

On Saturday in Red Deer, the Calgary Flames took 61 minutes to score a goal. On Tuesday evening in Calgary, it took them 36 seconds. The Flames potted a pair of first period goals and held on for a decisive 3-1 win to close out their rookie camp games.

The scoring started early in this one, off a really nice bit of play-making in the neutral zone. Glenn Gawdin gained speed, bounced the puck off the boards (past a defender) to himself and went in alone. He beat Olivier Rodrigue with a nice wrist shot just 36 seconds in to make it 1-0 Flames.

Midway through the period the Flames doubled their lead off some nice fore-checking. The Oilers coughed up a loose puck to Jeremy McKenna, who found Adam Ruzicka at the side of the net with a nice pass. Ruzicka went top shelf on Rodrigue to make it 2-0.

Both teams had power plays. Neither team generated much. Shots were 13-9 Flames in the first.

Neither team scored in the second period, but the Flames generated a lot of zone time and scoring chances. Shots were 18-4 Flames.

The Oilers tried to make a game of it early in the third period. With Mason Morelli in the box, Evan Bouchard’s wrist shot off the face-off from the point found a way past Dustin Wolf to make it a 2-1 hockey game.

The third frame was largely unevenful. Matthew Phillips added an empty-netter to ice it at 3-1.

He had his clean sheet spoiled in the third period, but let’s go with seventh round Wolf getting the start and the W in his first outing wearing a Flames jersey.

But hearty stick taps to Gawdin, Phillips, Jakob Pelletier, Adam Ruzicka and Rob Hamilton, who were all very useful throughout this affair.

As has become tradition, Martin Pospisil threw his body around a fair bit. He walloped Edmonton defender Logan Day in the second period.

Oilers netminder Olivier Rodrigue was peppered with a lot of good chances and was pretty strong. He’s a name to remember when it comes to goaltending prospects.

The prospect portion of camp is effectively done. Main camp opens on Thursday for fitness testing and on the ice Friday at the Saddledome.