Quips and Quotes: Flames beat Canucks 3-1

The Calgary Flames beat the Vancouver Canucks by a 3-1 score on Saturday night. Here are selected reactions from players and coaches following the game.

The Flames came into Saturday’s game assured of a playoff spot and in very good shape in the divisional race. They were playing against a desperate Canucks team that needs to jump over several others to get to a playoff spot. But the Flames managed to counter their desperation and play a very structured road game.

“There was some emotion in the game, obviously,” said Flames head coach Bill Peters. “I really liked the way we played five on five and I liked our start to the game. Our first period, I thought we got all four lines involved and everybody skated.”

Captain Mark Giordano agreed with his coach’s assessment.

“I thought we did a great job,” said Giordano. “We generated some zone time, some good quality chances in the first. I thought it was a good game for us, especially five on five.”

After their starring role against Ottawa earlier in the week, the trio of Garnet Hathaway, Andrew Mangiapane and Derek Ryan continue to impress. Ryan set up the first goal, Hathaway scored the game-winner and Mangiapane scored the insurance marker.

“That line’s been real good,” said Peters. “Now the difference is they’re finishing off more plays than they did probably earlier in the year, in the middle point of the year, but they’re starting to get rewarded for their effort. And it’s good. We need depth scoring and obviously tonight they’re in on all three.”

Since the All-Star Break – a 23 game stretch – Hathaway has four goals and seven points, Mangiapane has six goals and nine points, and Ryan has five goals and 16 points. For reference, only Matthew Tkachuk (10) and Mikael Backlund (eight) have more goals than Mangiapane in that span.