Professional sports are all about consistency. The reason the best players are where they are is not just because they possess the skill to do certain things; it’s because they possess the work ethic to make those abilities shine more consistently.
Winning in professional sports is about consistency, too. The best teams win consistently in both home and away environments. The Stanley Cup playoffs are specifically known to be one of, if not the most challenging, postseason to win because it takes the most consistency in a sport known for being influenced by a high amount of luck. And for the 2024-25 Calgary Flames, while they’re finding consistency at home, the road is a different story, and it’s becoming a focus for the players.
Following a narrow 4-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators to begin their Eastern Conference four-game road trip, Jonathan Huberdeau and the Flames knew two things: they needed to stay out of the box and build momentum on the road. A 3-4-3 road record and a 9-3-0 home record are two different ends of the spectrum, and to achieve the goals they want to achieve, bringing the record as a visiting team toward where they are in front of the Flames faithful will be required.
“I think we loved the last four,” Huberdeau said after Tuesday’s practice, via Flames TV. “But we still need to find that [on the road]. It’s hard to win on the road, so you’ve got to come in and be a good road team. We know we’re good at home, but I think on the road, it’s important to get that next win. It’s going to feel good for us.”
The Flames haven’t been playing bad hockey as of late. You don’t win four games in a row (home or away) against four good teams without playing well, which is the good news. However, finding ways to win close games in hostile environments is as important as anything for a team competing at the top of the Pacific Division.
“I think we know we’ve been playing well lately,” Huberdeau said. “Even last night, I still think we had a good game. It just was [in-game] circumstances that made it hard. But I feel like we can’t get discouraged. We’ve got to come out tomorrow against a good team and just play hard right off the get-go.”
With the Detroit Red Wings up next on the schedule, Calgary is not only playing another young, talented, fast, and skilled group but also in front of a Detroit crowd that wants to see their team win and make it back to the postseason for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
Who knows what the result will be when it’s all said and done, but the Flames haven’t shied away from playing close games and winning them this season. Using that foundation against a team like the Red Wings could bring Calgary’s road record up and build their momentum toward that department’s desired goal. Some events will have to work out in their favor, just as they do with every team, especially in hockey, but they have the proper foundation. They look like a team that can win every game — home or away. The players sticking to their strengths, finding ways to put their team at an advantage, and limiting their own mistakes will be key moving forward as the Flames try to trend upward as the visitors through the rest of the season.
