The Weekly Ignition: February 3 2014

 

 

After a rocky few weeks, it’s a pretty decent period here in the world of the Calgary Flames. The big club won three in a row, the minor league team is getting back on a bit of a roll, and many prospects are continuing to have good seasons.

Here’s your weekly catch-up!

The Flames are in the midst of their longest winning streak in two years!

On Tuesday, the Flames beat the Chicago Blackhawks by a 5-4 score in overtime in a wild game. There were many lead changes, each team changed its goalie and nine goals were scored. Reto Berra started but Karri Ramo got the win. The Flames got goals from Backlund (twice), Bouma, Stajan and Brodie. [Post-Game]

On Thursday, the Flames beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1, continuing an awful 48 hours for the Sharks as they had been shut-out by the Oilers the night before. Karri Ramo got the win with goals from Stempniak, Giordano, Monahan and Hudler. [Post-Game]

On Saturday, the Flames won again, this time a 4-3 OT victory over the Minnesota Wild. Galiardi, Wideman and Backlund (twice) scored, while Reto Berra got the win in relief of an injured Karri Ramo. [Post-Game]

(stick-tap to Anthony Cook for the gif)

Oh, and the NHL announced that Mikael Backlund was the league-wide Third Star of the Week for being awesome and putting up six points.

Sean Monahan is still getting used to being a big-time celebrity, but at least his mom moved out here to make sure he’s eating right. He was gonna live with Joel Otto, but instead he’s living with his mom. I think Otto would’ve taught him more about face-offs, but leaving him some normalcy is probably smart.

The secret to Mikael Backlund’s success? Holding onto the puck longer.

Mark Giordano’s nine-game points streak puts him in elite company among Calgary Flames alumni.

Over at the Hockey Writers, I concluded that basically anything not nailed down could be traded at the deadline.

The Abbotsford Heat swept a pair of weekend games with the Hamilton Bulldogs, winning 6-0 and 4-1. Joni Ortio got both wins. Guys with multi-point weekends included Markus Granlund (4 points), Derek Smith, Max Reinhart & Corban Knight (3 points each), Sven Baertschi, Josh Jooris and Blair Jones (2 points each). The Alaska Aces won two of three against the Idaho Steelheads, but everyone of note was either quiet or was already recalled to Abbotsford.

Johnny Gaudreau “only” had a goal this weekend as Boston College beat Providence College 2-0, bumping his points streak to a “pretty good” 21 games. But he was named Hockey East’s January Player of the Month. Jon Gillies had his best start since the World Juniors, but lost anyway because Boston College is just sick.

Drummondville’s Ryan Culkin had 4 points this weekend, as did Regina’s Morgan Klimchuk. Yale’s Kenny Agostino, Vancouver’s Brett Kulak, Brandon’s Eric Roy and Gatineau’s Emile Poirier all each had 2 points.

The Flames hit the road to close out their pre-Olympics schedule! On Tuesday they visit the Montreal Canadiens, on Thursday they’re on Long Island to face the Islanders, and then they head to the City of Brotherly Love for a Saturday matinee game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Heat play four times this week: Tuesday and Wednesday they welcome Greg Nemisz back with his new team, the Charlotte Checkers. On Saturday and Sunday they host the Texas Stars. And then it’s off for the All-Star Break. Up in Alaska, the Aces host the Stockton Thunder for three games Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

And finally, Boston College, Northeastern, Harvard and Boston University tangle tonight and next Monday in the annual Beanpot Tournament. BC plays BU tonight, and their opponent next week depends on tonight – winners face each other, losers face each other. Boston College has won the last four Beanpots.