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Flames contradictory nature on full display against Arizona
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Photo credit: Candice Ward/USA Today Sports
Ryan Pike
Mar 7, 2020, 10:00 ESTUpdated: Mar 7, 2020, 02:16 EST
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You could be forgiven if you had a pit in your stomach early in the first period of the Calgary Flames’ game against the Arizona Coyotes. It was the 10th time this season the Flames have allowed a goal on the first shot they faced. “Here we go again…”
Despite this early setback, the Flames managed to win a tight-checking game by a 3-2 score.
The Flames many contradictions were out in full force against Arizona.
  • They gave up the first goal but managed to execute well to tie the game and take the lead soon after.
  • They spent much of the second period hemmed into their own zone, allowing 21 shots and 15 scoring chances – both among their worst performances of the season.
  • They escaped the second period with a lead and managed to win.
Are they a good offensive team? They can be. Are the Flames a good defensive team? They can be. Interim head coach Geoff Ward liked how the team made adjustments to how they defended in the third period in response to Arizona’s lengthy second period push.
“I thought they came with a real good push in the second,” said Ward. “We knew that they would, at some point a push was coming, but I really liked the way our guys responded to it. I just felt like we closed on gaps, we were better on our gaps. I thought we were a little bit loose with our gaps in the second, they were able to generate cycle plays and slide to the inside, those types of things. But once we started closing quicker, we were able to stop cycles easier.”
Dating back to when they hosted Boston back on Feb. 21, the Flames have played in several tight-checking games. While they haven’t performed perfectly in all of them, they seem to be becoming more comfortable in the scenarios – which could help them when playoff time comes.
“This is the way hockey is going to be for the rest of the year,” said Ward. “It’s going to be tense, it’s going to be tight, both teams are going to get pushes, that’s the nature of the beast right now. It’s great that our guys are getting confident playing in all situations and being able to stay with game.”

Inching closer to break-even

Despite being very all over the place all season long – a team seemingly defined by their lack of consistency – the Flames are (a) in a playoff spot, (b) in a divisional playoff spot, (c) within striking distance of the division lead, and (d) three goals away from finally evening up their goal differential.
The Flames have 13 games left on their schedule. Eight of them are against Western Conference teams, including two against Vegas, two against Winnipeg and one against Edmonton. The Flames are very much in the thick of the playoff race and very much in control of their own destiny.

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