Post-Game: Wild spoil the Iginla party

Prior to Saturday night’s game, the Calgary Flames honoured their greatest player. Unfortunately, they couldn’t keep the party going. The Flames dropped a close 4-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild before a jam-packed Scotiabank Saddledome crowd.

Despite sitting through a lengthy ceremony prior to puck drop, the Flames had a ton of energy early on. They couldn’t bury their chances, though, and the Wild did. Off an icing, the Flames won the defensive zone draw but TJ Brodie was muscled off the puck by Jason Zucker, who fed Eric Staal in the slot for a quick shot and a 1-0 Minnesota lead.

Austin Czarnik seemingly tied the game up midway through the first, jamming in a loose puck off an initial scoring chance from Sam Bennett. But the Wild challenged on the basis of goaltender interference and it was judged that Bennett’s contact with Devan Dubnyk impeded him so the Wild maintained their lead.

Shots were 14-5 Flames in the opening period, while scoring chances were 13-5 Flames.

After the Flames had a fruitless power play to open the second period, they handed the Wild an extended advantage after Garnet Hathaway was given a match penalty for smashing Luke Kunin’s face into the top of the Wild bench while avoiding a hit.

The Wild generated precisely one shot on the ensuing PP, which was negated when the Flames drew a penalty. The home side received a 23-second PP after Hathaway’s major expired, and Johnny Gaudreau found Sean Monahan at the top of the crease for a quick pass and tap-in to even the score at 1-1.

Shots were 14-7 Flames and chances 9-6 Flames in the second period.

The Wild took a lead early in the third period. Mike Smith was caught behind the net playing the puck. The Wild grabbed the loose puck, Smith was seemingly blocked in behind the net by Noah Hanifin, and after a scramble out front Matt Read poked the puck into the wide-open net to make it 2-1 for the visitors. It was on the first registered Minnesota shot of the period.

The Flames pressed, but Minnesota struck again. Rasmus Andersson whiffed on a puck at the point, which allowed Jordan Greenway to grab it and go into the Flames zone on a two-on-one. Bennett rushed back to break up the odd-man rush, but Ryan Suter snuck in as the trailer and beat Smith with a wrist shot to give the Wild a 3-1 lead.

But the Flames got one back with five minutes left in regulation. Travis Hamonic fired a shot at the net that found its way through traffic and just beat Dubnyk inside the far post to cut the Wild lead to 3-2.

That’s as close as the Flames got, though, as Ryan Donato put one between Smith’s wickets with a quick wrist shot late in the third to give the visitors a 4-2 edge. The Flames challenged on the basis of off-sides, but the challenge failed.

To be blunt: Minnesota’s goalie was better than Calgary’s. Dubnyk was busier and faced scarier chances, and Smith made more mistakes than his opposite number.

It’s a shame, though, as the Flames carried the balance of play for much of the game. They just couldn’t translate enough of that offensive zone time into goals.

Bennett was superb in this game. He was engaged, physical and dangerous around the net. He had a chance lead to a disallowed goal and had another chance go off the post. If he had any luck, he would’ve had a couple goals.

Smith’s puck-handling gaffe, and the ensuing goal, really sucked the air out of the building and out of the Flames’ sails. They had chances after that, but couldn’t get enough of them past Dubnyk to even things up.

Monahan’s second period goal was his 30th of the season. He’s scored 30+ goals on three different occasions in his career.

The Flames (41-17-7) are off tomorrow, then host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.