Quips and Quotes: Flames beat Hurricanes 4-3

The Calgary Flames beat the Carolina Hurricanes by a 4-3 score on Sunday afternoon. Here are selected reactions from players and coaches following the game.

The Flames managed to overcome the Hurricanes for the second time in a two week span, winning a tight-checking game. In a game that saw zero even strength goals from the Flames’ vaunted top six, fourth line center Derek Ryan – a former Hurricane – was the improbable hero.

Flames head coach Bill Peters had praise for his long-time player.

“He’s had a lot of good games in this building and today was another one of them,” said Peters. “That was a huge goal, and subtle little things, too. Big on faceoffs, everything else, real good play on the shorthanded good, also. He was real good. Probably a little extra juice for him coming back into the PNC Arena.”

Former Hurricanes Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin also scored. Lindholm had a, uh, “tribute” to the Carolina’s post-game celebrations following the game.

“My name came up twice on the JumboTron and I got booed, so that was a nice way to end it,” Lindholm said, via Sportsnet. “I was surprised. I tried to play hard here for five years and got booed. It is what it is. It was nice to end it that way.”

Based on The Athletic’s forecasts, around 88 or 89 points will be required to clinch a Western Conference playoff berth. With 29 games left on the docket, the Flames have 73 points. Another eight victories should be enough to punch their ticket to the post-season.

It’s not out of the realm of possibility that they could clinch before the end of February.