Over the course of a long season, the Calgary Flames know there will be ups and downs. However, it took only one game for the Flames to demonstrate the resiliency that they hope to carry with them throughout the campaign.
Fresh off an exciting win in their season opener, the Flames look to ride the momentum into their home game Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Calgary experienced a roller coaster in its first game, falling behind 3-0 after just 13 minutes against the Vancouver Canucks and trailing 4-1 after one period. The Flames turned it on thereafter, though, as they surged ahead 5-4 and ultimately won 6-5 in overtime.
“There’s no quit,” Calgary captain Mikael Backlund said. “We believe in ourselves, and we’re going to fight till the end. So, no matter who the opponent is, we’re going to go out every night and try to win games.”
Connor Zary scored the game-winner for Calgary and was one of five Flames with a goal and an assist, joining Martin Pospisil, Anthony Mantha and Rasmus Andersson. Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar also scored for Calgary, and Nazem Kadri had two assists.
“Obviously, if you do look at it in the big picture, it is a comeback and that gives guys a lot of confidence knowing — early in the season — that we’re never out of a game,” Weegar said.
The Flames missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and appeared to be heading down a similar path in the first period Wednesday before looking much more like a postseason contender thereafter.
“We just sort of played a little bit more responsibly,” Calgary coach Ryan Huska said of his team’s adjustments after the first period. “We had numbers above the puck, and I think the composure started to creep back into our game once we scored that second goal, and then it was an entertaining game. It just kind of took off from there.”
The Flyers opened their season Friday with a 3-2 shootout win in Vancouver. Philadelphia’s Morgan Frost netted the decisive tally to make a winner of Samuel Ersson (24 saves).
Frost skated in methodically before snapping a wrister inside the right post.
“When you come in on that angle and that slow, it can kind of freeze the goalie,” he said. “I’m just looking for my spot and trying to get him to bite. … Happy to contribute to the win.”
Tyson Foerster and Cam York tallied in regulation for Philadelphia, which is looking to reach the postseason for the first time since 2019-20.
“We found a way (to win),” Flyers coach John Tortorella said.
Perhaps more notable for the Flyers were the NHL debuts of 2023 first-round pick Matvei Michkov and 2024 first-rounder Jett Luchanko. Neither registered a point, but both seemed more comfortable as the game progressed.
“I thought they looked as calm as ever for guys making their debuts,” Frost said.
Philadelphia and Calgary split their two meetings last season, with each winning on its home ice. The Flames took a 4-3 decision on New Year’s Eve before the Flyers gained a measure of revenge with a 3-2 triumph on Jan. 6.
–Field Level Media
