Flames edge the ottawa senators 2-1
Win over Sens completes successful trek away from home, writes Wes Gilbertson
OTTAWA Is there a detergent strong enough to wash the red out of the Calgary Flames’ home uniforms?
Their equipment staff might want to check.
Something, anything to make their Saddledome silks look a little closer to the road whites.
After Friday’s 2-1 victory over the also-ran Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, the Flames find themselves in a familiar scenario — returning from a successful road trip and determined to figure out how they can duplicate the recipe in their own rink.
“Five out of six points, that’s pretty good,” forward Curtis Lazar said with a smile after the Flames capped a three-game jaunt with a 2-0-1 record. “For us, we have to press the reset button and go home. Obviously, home ice has been tough for us this season, but there’s no better time (than) right now to turn things around.
“We don’t have a choice.” Lazar, in his first return visit to Canadian Tire Centre since being traded from Ottawa to Calgary in March 2017, made it an extra-special night with a highlight of the night pass on Matt Stajan’s game-winning goal. Sam Bennett also scored for the out-of-town team, while netminder David Rittich delivered a 29-save performance in Calgary’s crease.
For most of the night, it was a snoozer.
Then, suddenly, it was the kind of run-and-gun game that gives a coach nightmares.
The final six minutes and change was so terrifying that Flames bench boss Glen Gulutzan and his assistants briefly interrupted the post-game celebration to address the issue.
“We made this one a lot tougher than it needed to be,” Gulutzan told reporters minutes later.
Before departing on this threegame excursion, the Flames also upped the degree of difficulty on their quest to secure a playoff spot in the Western Conference, tumbling out of the wild card picture with three straight regulation losses.
This successful sojourn — an overtime defeat against the defending champs in Pittsburgh, a rout of the basement-dwelling Buffalo Sabres and then Friday’s squeaker against the Senators — could be a key turning point.
If, that is, they can replicate these results at the Saddledome, where they’ve stumbled to a 14-15-4 record this season.
First up on a three-game homestand is Sunday’s earlyevening clash against the New York Islanders (5 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).
The Flames are one point out of the final wild card slot.
“Every game is a must-win, so to pick up five of six on this road trip, that’s huge for our squad,” Bennett said Friday. “We’re all feeling good and we’re going to continue to roll with our momentum right now.”
For the second consecutive outing, Bennett staked the Flames to an early lead.
During a chaotic scramble around Ottawa’s crease, the left-winger tugged a backhand across the goal, a marker that was challenged — the Senators alleging goaltender interference by Flames centre Sean Monahan — but ruled a legal strike.
The Flames finally added some insurance with just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, with Lazar plattering a perfect pass for fellow fourth-liner Stajan as he beetled toward the blue paint on an offensive rush.
That turned out to be a crucial counter, since Senators speedster Jean- Gabriel Pageau cashed in on a penalty shot just over a minute later.
The hosts really cranked up the attack in the third, but Rittich made several clutch saves and had a bit of help, too.
After forward Bobby Ryan clanked the bar, Rittich was spotted whispering sweet nothings to his goalpost. He must have been talking again after Zack Smith and Ryan Dzingel glanced shots off the iron.
“I just say, ‘I love you.’ That’s it,” Rittich said with a grin. “They hit the post three times, that’s just good luck.”
It wasn’t all good luck. Gulutzan praised the rookie puck-stopper, pinpointing a pad save on Pageau as he fired for the game-tying tally.
“It’s the timing of the saves that becomes really important, and that was a huge save for our hockey club,” Gulutzan said. “That should be 2-2, and he makes a heck of a save.”
Ice chips: Mike Smith remains on injured reserve, but the all-star netminder looked sharp during Friday’s morning skate at Canadian Tire Centre. So sharp, it didn’t seem crazy to ask Gulutzan if the 35-year-old would be suiting up against the Senators. He didn’t, but it likely won’t be long before No. 41 is back in Calgary’s crease.
“He’s progressing at a real good rate,” Gulutzan said of Smith, out since Feb. 11 due to a lowerbody injury. “We’re hoping it’s some day soon. We’re day-to-day. Today is not the day, but we’re day-to-day so we’ll see where he’s at tomorrow.”