Quips and Quotes: Flames beat Oilers 4-2

The Calgary Flames beat the Edmonton Oilers by a 4-2 score on Saturday night. Here are selected reactions from players and coaches following the game.

Flames netminder David Rittich faced 21 shots through the first two periods, including a trio of dangerous breakaways when the game was 2-0 Oilers – two from Leon Draisaitl and one from Jujhar Khaira. He made three big saves to keep the game close.

The Flames netminder joked with the media regarding what was going through his head during the back-and-forth scoring chances during Calgary’s late second period power play:

Rittich improves to 6-1-0 on the season with a 1.92 goals against average and .933 save percentage through nine appearances (and seven starts). His teammates praised his ability to make big saves they needed them.

“Big saves at the right time for us,” said forward Elias Lindholm. “It’s something we’ve got to work on. We can’t get our goalie down like that and give them breakaways from the blueline. So it’s a good game for Ritter and it’s a huge win for us.”

The Flames’ special teams units allowed a pair of goals in this game: their power play gave up a short-handed goal to Alex Chiasson in the first period and Connor McDavid scored a power play goal early in the second period. But both coaches pointed to the role of the Flames’ special teams units late in the second period in swinging the game towards the Flames.

“It was a huge power play goal at the end of the second,” said Flames head coach Bill Peters. “And then a huge penalty kill with very little time in the period, just over two minutes. So we’re down to one, and it’s a huge kill.”

“Our penalty kill did a tremendous job,” said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan. “I think we actually had them frustrated at that point. Perhaps if we get that kill and get into the break, maybe it’s a little bit different. But they definitely got some energy, and got a chance to regroup and came after us in the third.”