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Calgary Flames Post-Game: Flames close out road trip with shootout loss in Minnesota
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Photo credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan Pike
Dec 14, 2023, 22:55 ESTUpdated: Dec 14, 2023, 22:56 EST
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The Calgary Flames did not have a great first 20 minutes against the Minnesota Wild. But as we’ve seen them do in the past this season, they figured their game out mid-flow and got better as the game rolled along.
The Flames reached extra time for the second consecutive outing, but lost to the Minnesota Wild in a shootout by a 3-2 score. They finish their three game road trip with a 0-1-2 record.

The rundown

The Flames were not particularly good in the first period, and because of that general ungoodness, the Wild opened the scoring.
During some play in defensive zone along the boards, Jonathan Huberdeau was bumped off the puck by Kirill Kaprizov. The puck blooped to Matt Boldy, who grabbed it, skated to the slot area and beat Dan Vladar with a wrist shot to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
The Flames had some shots in the opening 20 minutes, but nothing that was terribly taxing for netminder Filip Gustavsson.
First period shots were 10-8 Wild (all five-on-five) and five-on-five scoring chances (via Natural Stat Trick) were 12-4 Wild (high-dangers were 4-0 Wild).
The Flames got some momentum in the second period, ironically via their usually tepid power play. They had a goal-mouth scramble on their first power play that narrowly avoided being called a goal. (It was probably across the line, but it was waved off initially and reviews weren’t definitive.)
But on their second power play, the Flames cashed in. Some nice puck movement between Elias Lindholm, Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary seemed to lull the Wild PK into leaving some gaps in their coverage, and Lindholm found Yegor Sharangovich with a cross-crease pass for a back-door redirection to tie the game up at 1-1.
Second period shots were 17-10 Flames (12-7 Flames at five-on-five) and five-on-five scoring chances were 7-7 (high-dangers were 2-1 Wild).
A pair of goals were scored in the third period straddling an Andrew Mangiapane minor penalty.
First, the Flames scored shorthanded. Sharangovich and Blake Coleman went in on a two-on-one rush that was broken up, but Sharangovich got the puck back and Coleman attempted a back-door feed to his linemate that deflected in off the skate of defender Brock Faber to give the Flames a 2-1 lead.
But just 45 seconds later, a second after Mangiapane stepped out of the penalty box, the Wild scored to tie the game. Vladar made a big stop on Alex Goligoski, but the rebound bounced right to Marco Rossi, and his shot beat Vladar to make it 2-2.
Both teams had chances to take the lead in the third period, but this game required extra hockey to determine a winner.
Third period shots were 13-11 Flames (11-7 Flames at five-on-five) and five-on-five scoring chances were 8-3 Wild (high-dangers were 3-1 Wild).
Overtime solved nothing, with shots even at 2-2.
This game went to the shootout. Mats Zuccarello and Boldy scored for the Wild – though Zuccarello’s goal was briefly reviewed to make sure he didn’t touch the puck after it made contact with Vladar’s pad. Sharangovich scored for the Flames. The Wild captured this game by a 3-2 score.

Why the Flames got a point

The Flames weren’t all that good in the first, looking slow and generally disconnected. They did a great job settling in and gradually finding their rhythm. And for once, their special teams units were a source of energy and momentum. They scored zero five-on-five goals and managed to a point: that’s what effective speaks teams can do.
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Red Warrior

The Flames weren’t any great shakes at five-on-five for much of this game, but Sharangovich had a ton of jump on both sides of special teams. He had a power play goal and a shorthanded primary assist like some sort of power-killing unicorn. (Or a shark.) He also scored in the shootout.
And hey, tip your hats to Vladar. When the Flames needed their goalie to hold them in this game, he did his best to keep things close and buy them time to build their game. And he busted out a scorpion save in the shootout, too.

Turning point

The Wild got a glorious scoring chance late in the third period, and their rebound was thrown on net and went off Jordan Oesterle and bounced around dangerously in the crease. Kadri, whose turnover caused the odd-man rush leading to the original scoring chance, dove into the crease and swiped the puck away.
He may have prevented a regulation loss with that wild dive.

This and that

This was the 10th game for Nick DeSimone since clearing waivers prior to the start of the regular season. As a result, he’ll require waivers before he can be sent back to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.
This was the second game this season where the Flames scored both power play and shorthanded goals. The other time was Oct. 11, opening night, against the Winnipeg Jets.

Up next

The Flames (11-14-5) are headed home. They host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night.
(It was in.)

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