The Calgary Flames have crawled their way back to a .500 record with a New Years Eve victory over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers, winning 5-1

It’s a Team Game – It was still not a high event game at 5v5, but that just shows teams are playing the Flames game rather than Calgary needing to adjust too their opponents. Special teams played a major factor in the Flames getting insurance markers – something they’ve struggled to do all season long – in a game that really gave the fans in the Saddledome lots to cheer about. The third periods at 5v5 have started to become extremely consistent. Calgary gets out chanced pretty significantly when they have a lead, but as long as the goaltending holds up, they have a shot. They started the season 5-13-3 and have been 13-5-1 since – a truly incredible turnaround for a team many (myself included) had counted out early.

Corsi King – Blake Coleman (72.60 CF%) on back-to-back nights led the teams in the ratio. A quality combination of getting shot attempts while simultaneously preventing them. He and the hopefully future Swedish Olympian Mikael Backlund (59.58 per cent) have been at the centre of this resurgence, especially over the last few weeks. Offence from the likes of Nazem Kadri (42.37 per cent) and Jonathan Huberdeau (57.08 per cent) has been quite vacant over the Christmas weeks – the latter for quite a bit longer – and yet the team has found a way through on most nights. The climb back to .500 was hard, staying in the fight will be just as hard, the Flames need those guys producing regularly.

Taken By Chance – An Olympic reserve player in MacKenzie Weegar (60.18 SCF% // 72.24 HDCF%) played possibly his best game of the season against the Flyers. Involved in everything at 5v5 he looked like he was trying to play a step above what his new normal had become. When the Flames eventually move on from Andersson (25.08 per cent // 15.00 per cent) they will need the Weegar that was in this game to be here more regularly. It will be a very young defence corps with Kuznetsov (41.16 per cent // 51.40 per cent), Brzustewicz (73.02 per cent // 49.17 per cent), and the best defenceman at the World Juniors so far in Zayne Parekh – they’ll need this Weegar to lead the way. If they don’t get it they risk falling straight back down the standings.

xGF% – I once again am going to just briefly mention that I really do not see what John Beecher (43.76 per cent) is bringing to the lineup every night except size. There aren’t many options the Flames like up the middle, but I feel that spot could be way more productive and useful. Jonathan Huberdeau (46.03 per cent) finally scored so it’s worth going on a bit of a rant about him. I have defended him in the past as a player who was still producing at a decent rate despite his large contract, but the last month has been anything but okay. 13 games – 4 goals – 4 assists – 8 points. No multi-point games in that stretch and just one power play point. He needs to give more, this team needs more from him. The younger players on this team need him playing at a higher level. Again, it was nice that he scored, but it just isn’t anywhere near what is required for this team to be really competitive.

In The Crease – Dustin Wolf continues to shine bright like a diamond. He’s sharp and poised at all times and no matter what goals get by him he remains un-phased. He was never going to let this team bottom out, he’s too skilled for that, instead Conroy will have to keep drafting smart with lower picks (Reschny, Parekh, Gridin, and Potter are quite the bunch). Tomas Chrenko with the Vegas pick anyone? 2.42 expected goals against at 5v5 and just one getting behind him. Excellent again and deserved of the win.