Led by a surging Matt Coronato, the Calgary Flames will look to forge a winning streak of at least three games for the first time since before Thanksgiving when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
Coronato notched a goal and an assist during Saturday’s 2-1 home victory against the Los Angeles Kings after assisting on Jonathan Huberdeau’s overtime winner at Anaheim on Tuesday. Huberdeau also scored the game-winner against the Kings, but Flames coach Ryan Huska highlighted Coronato’s overall effort and impact.
“There are nights where we talk where Matty wasn’t very good,” Huska said, “but they don’t happen very often. … “He’s been a really good player for us and he continues to elevate his game.”
Huska and Co. can say the same about goaltender Dustin Wolf, who stopped 31 of 32 Kings shots.
Wolf may be due for a rest after starting the past three games, although the Flames could decide otherwise. Wolf is 2-0-0 versus the Blackhawks this season with a 2.51 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.
Chicago will aim to move past Saturday’s loss against the Flames’ counterpart from Alberta, Canada, the Edmonton Oilers.
After racing to a 3-1 lead midway through the second period against the Oilers, the host Blackhawks surrendered three unanswered goals to last season’s Stanley Cup runner-up.
With the fewest points in the NHL (30), and an outlook focused on steadily improving a young core, the Blackhawks are heeding interim coach Anders Sorensen’s call to approach the season in five-game segments.
Defenseman Alec Martinez, who played Saturday after missing the past 15 games with an injured neck, knows the current segment still can end positively.
“You’ve got to take steps as a group,” Martinez said. “Things like tonight, we had a really good start, get out to a 2-0 lead, and this group has to take steps and we’ve got to learn you’ve got to put together a full 60 minutes and that’s about details and habits. That’s lacking in our game or what’s not consistent in our game.
“Obviously, when you’re not doing that, you’re allowing teams opportunities to get back in, and the longer you play with bad habits, the more opportunities you give up. It puts stress on us. You end up playing more in the D-zone. It’s a snowball effect. And you get the result that we got tonight.”
Blackhawks leading scorer Connor Bedard (38 points) will aim to regroup after his career-best point streak ended at nine games Saturday.
Bedard contributed a goal and two assists during Chicago’s 6-4 loss in Calgary on Dec. 21 but was held off the scoresheet during a 3-1 road loss on Oct. 15.
Coronato has collected three goals and an assist against the Blackhawks in those games.
Calgary is assured of winning the season series after Chicago prevailed in two of three meetings last season.
Monday marks the start of a four-game road trip for Calgary and a stretch that will see the Flames play six of seven away from home.
–Field Level Media
