Galiardi a goat no more after paying his debt in full

COLUMBUS — No apologies necessary on this night.

Only 24 hours earlier after manning up and saying sorry, T.J. Galiardi settled an outstanding debt. Consider it: Paid In Full. “T.J. Galiardi, from goat to hero!’’ loudly chortled mischievous defenceman Shane O’Brien, showing off that winner’s confident stride as he made his way through the visiting dressing quarters at Nationwide Arena. “T.J. Galiardi, from goat to hero!”

Hey, such keen instincts to find the hot-button lead for a yarn may just make for a career in the sports-writing dodge for that O’Brien fellow one day. If he’s up to taking a massive cut in pay, that is.

But the mantra of resilience and — a commitment to short memories, moving on, bouncing back from adversity — will have to become a theme for this young Calgary Flames bunch because, as boss Bob Hartley so eloquently summed up recently: “---- happens.’’ Indeed it do. Particularly when you’re starting from scratch, attempting to forge a new identity, living with a lot of kids learning on a very unforgiving job site.

Thursday in Washington, Galiardi’s unprovoked cuff to the mask of goaltender Michal Neuvirth let the home standing Caps off the hook, a subsequent power play goal with him banished to solitary confinement paving the way for an eventual 5-4 SO loss at the Verizon Centre.

Afterwards, he owned up to the blunder.

Friday at Nationwide, putting the stain of Washington behind him, Galiardi cashed a splendid breakaway goal, added an assist and drew the gameclinching interference penalty with 1:09 left on sheer hustle, forcing Blue Jackets defenceman Jack Johnson to bowl him over as the two raced for a loose puck with the Columbus net empty in favour of a sixth attacker.

That’s what’s called making amends.

“We’re going to make mistakes throughout the season, all of us,’’ Galiardi said afterwards. “But it’s all in how we respond. Maybe in my younger days I would’ve let something like that stick with me a little. Now, right away, I just wanted to get back out there and play, and help.

“I just wanted to respond because that’s what good pros, too.’’

After the disappointment of Washington they could’ve curled up in a fetal position.

“We’re not going to sit on success or failures,’’ vowed Hartley. “We’re paid to move on in this business. We’re trying to create accountability, for everyone.’’

T. J. Galiardi was a model for precisely that on Friday.

“I thought he was one of our best players tonight,’’ praised captain Mark Giordano.

“Pretty sweet finish on the goal. Take the goal out, though, and he was hard on the puck all night, hard on the forecheck, blocking shots. I thought he played great last night, too, just sometimes in hockey things happens so fast.

“Good for him. He’s a resilient guy. We’re learning that quick.

“But that has to be us a team, too. Resilient. After games, and during them, as well. Things are going to happen during games that don’t go our way and if we want to be successful we have to learn to deal with them in the right way. It’s a process. But we’ve already shown we’re willing to.”

Galiardi opened his Flames’ account with an absolute beaut to provide the visitors with their second lead, 2-1, at 7:56 of a fourgoal first period.

Stepping in just as Jackets’ defenceman Ryan Murray sought to slip a diagonal pass across to partner James Wisniewski, he broke away, with Wisniewski in desperate, fruitless pursuit, and left reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky searching for his reputation on a wonderful forehand-to-back-hand/stick-it-upstairs deke.

“I kinda had an idea the D-man was going to try and go D to D there. Lucky enough he gave it to me and I was able to walk in. It’s one of those moves you do in the summer all the time and then finally in a game you’ve just got to buckle down and try do something besides shoot it into his pads.

“I’m just glad it worked out.

“Honestly, I don’t care how they go in. I just want to help the team out. I think I’ve got to be more offensive for our team to be successful.’’

Success in the state of Ohio being something that’s proven elusive in recent seasons.

“It’s a tough building to play in,’’ agreed Galiardi.

“It just shows our team isn’t going to have any excuses. We could easily have come in and said ‘Ah, you know what? Back-to-back on the road to the start the year, hard building, tough team to play against ...’ We could’ve packed it in, slowed down in the third and let them take the points.

“But how we responded just shows the kind of character we have in here. I know its early but we’re confident in our group.’’

It is a confidence that will be put to trial, often, over the next few months. Be absolutely sure of that.

But this start, three points out of four, against an Eastern Conference favourite and in town, a building, against a team they’ve historically struggled to master, is cautiously encouraging.

“Another great game by the guys,’’ praised Giordano, who doesn’t have to warm up to his role of lettered leader.

“Their barn. Their homeopener. And I thought we did a really good job at the end, after they got to within one. We just stuck to our plan and saw the rest of the game out.

“That’s one of the hardestworking teams in the NHL. We knew it dating back to last year. We knew we had to match that, and exceed it. The intensity was high all night.

“So, all in all, yeah, sweet. A pretty good win for the boys.’’

It just shows our team isn’t going to have any excuses. T. J. GALIARDI