The Calgary Flames needed a team effort to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in a six-round shootout. Their effort wasn’t as strong as in other contests through the early parts of the 2024-25 regular season, but their resolve and belief in each other shone through despite going down a goal twice in the third period.
Dustin Wolf was the starter for the contest, his third start of the season. He’s currently in a battle with Dan Vladar, with both trying to secure themselves the majority of the starts in the regular season. At 23 years old and having only played 18 games at the NHL level before this season, Wolf is still considered a rookie. His 2.30 goals-against average and .936 save percentage are the best among rookies. His preseason preparation and experience last season, when he played 17 games toward the end of the season, helped him reach this point.
“Any time you get an opportunity, you want to put your best foot forward and show one, you deserve to play in this league and two, you want to help your team win,” Wolf said after the game, via Flames TV. “I think the end of last season really helped me, playing a lot of games in the last month and a half. I felt really good in the preseason. I came into camp wanting to play as best I could. It’s obviously a battle with me and Vladdy, and it’s great to be that way because it pushes us to be better each and every day.”
Regarding this game against the Penguins, he needed to be on his A-game, as the visitors sent 38 shots his way. And he was, stopping 35 of them and a few big ones down the stretch. He made some significant saves before Nazem Kadri converted within the final minute to tie the game, but the team’s belief never wavered.
“There was still belief on our bench throughout the whole game,” Wolf said. “They had a couple of good breaks for their goals, and I knew we were working hard at the end of the game. Colesy gets hit with a shot and goes down, and then you see the puck go in, and his hands go in the air. It’s pretty special. It goes to show just how resilient our group is becoming.”
The group’s resiliency has been a key for the hot start, but the Flames are finding success because the group is playing as one. Multiple players are scoring big goals, whether it’s Kadri in regulation or Justin Kirkland, or as Wolf calls him when it comes to the shootout, “Mr. Automatic.” The scoring is coming from up and down the lineup, which makes the wins more fulfilling and aids with camaraderie and builds a foundation for future success.
“Every single person in this room is contributing, and that’s exactly what you need to win hockey games,” Wolf said. “You can’t rely on three, four, or five guys. It takes a whole group. It’s been pretty cool to see how well we’ve done for the first six games, and we need to keep our foot on the gas and keep going.”
Goaltenders play a position where they rely on themselves once the lights are on and the game begins. But when the group in front of them is banded together, it’s easy to feel confident that the team will do their best to help said goaltender be their best self. Wolf ‘s had success to start the year, and the team being close on and off the ice has helped lead him down the right path as a young netminder trying to earn his place among the best in the league.
