The Calgary Flames are still making their push for a wildcard spot in the playoffs, not letting any of the trade deadline noise impact them or the way they’re playing. Despite losing Elias Lindholm and arguably their two best defensemen, the Flames were able to outplay the Tampa Bay Lightning for a vast majority of the game on Thursday afternoon. They came out of the gate flying, immediately putting pressure on Tampa and generating good scoring chances, including on the power play drawn by Coleman on Erik Cernak, 3:16 into the first period. Although they didn’t generate a shot, they managed to keep pressure on Vasilevski and the Lightning defense.
Dryden Hunt would open the scoring 11:40 into the first period off of a beautiful pass from behind the net from Sharangovich after a gritty puck battle from Hunt, who then beat the defense to the front of the net, where he subsequently netted the puck for his second of the season. This led to a massive momentum gain for Calgary, who was already dominating, and Tampa Bay was unable to get a shot registered until around 12 minutes into the first period.
However, it didn’t take long after that point for Tampa to score their first goal, courtesy of Conor Sheary, assisted by Nicholas Paul and Victor Hedman on the third shot of the game. A turnover by Walker Duher at the blueline led to a tip-in by Sheary. The rest of the period had no goals but a Tampa power play due to Nazim Kadri receiving two minors for roughing. Michael Eyssimont would also receive a minor for roughing as well. Tampa Bay started the game with a 28.7% on the power play, making them first in the league. Calgary is 4th in the league at 83.3% on the penalty kill and was able to hold the dangerous Lightning to only two shots and outplayed them for a good majority of the first 20 minutes.
Tampa tried their best to make a big push at the beginning of the second period, hemming Calgary in their end and maintaining pressure for the first minute of play. But it would be Yegor Sharangovich, who had arguably his best night as a Flame, that would break the tie 6:11 into the second period. The play started in the Flames zone, where Matt Coronato made a beautiful play to get the puck to Mackenzie Weegar, and Jonathan Huberdeau made an insane no-look pass through traffic in front of the net to find a wide-open Sharangovich in front of the net, who doesn’t miss from there.
This stunner of a pass was Huberdeau’s 48th point against Tampa Bay in his career and his 24th point in 25 games. Sharangovich would score again, 2:23 minutes later with an absolute rocket from a pass off of a takeaway from Matt Coronato, who had a very impressive game, and is only in the lineup becauase of Martin Pospisil’s three-game suspension. That goal was tied for team-leading at 25 for Yegor, matching Blake Coleman.
Less than a minute later Jacob Pelletier would score after Andrei Kuzmenko was pushed towards the net, and the rebound settled on Pelletier’s stick, which he subsequently buried in the back of the net for his first goal of the season since returning from the LTIR for an upper-body injury. The goal was challenged by Tampa head coach John Cooper for goalie interference, but the call stood, and Tampa was charged with a delay of game penalty. Calgary would not convert on this man advantage. The Flames rolled through the first half of the second scoring three goals in 3:14, and there was only 0:51 seconds between the last two.
Tampa would strike back 12:29 into the period, just after the man advantage ended for them. Stamkos fooled everyone on the ice, assuming he would shoot. However, he threaded the pass between everyone onto Anthony Cirelli’s stick and into the back of the net for his 14th of the season. Penalties would plague both teams, however, as Brandon Hagel would receive two minutes for crosschecking, and Blake Coleman would receive two for interference at 13:58 of the second period. The Flames would apply good pressure, but once again, neither team would convert, and five-on-five would resume.
A steal by Jonathan Huberdeau at the blueline led to a shot by Yegor Sharangovich that would be tipped in by Blake Coleman 6:04 seconds into the third, a beautiful shot that Sharangovich intended to be tipped in. This was Coleman’s team-leading 26th goal, and Yegor Sharangovich would end the night with a career-high four points. The Flames, leading 5-2 at this point, would continue to dominate, adding an empty net goal by Andrew Mangiapane, who had a very good night with his line-mates. His goal came off of a beautiful blocked shot by MacKenzie Weegar and a pass from Backlund.
Tampa would score once more as well on the rush by Michael Eyessimont at 14:35, assisted by Conor Sheary and Nicholas Paul. The Flames would finish the game strong, killing off one more penalty from Nazim Kadri and failing to score on a penalty to Hedman. Despite setbacks and trade rumors, the Flames have maintained a strong game and have all played very well leading up to the end of the season. The Flames are in action again on Saturday, taking on the Florida Panthers.
