Flames can’t put stamp on Grey Cup celebration
DALLAS 4, CALGARY 3 (OT)
They put the microphone in the trustworthy hands of Bo Levi Mitchell.
The Calgary Stampeders’ star quarterback did his best to hype up the home team. Flanked by his Grey Cup-winning teammates for Wednesday’s pre-game celebration at the Saddledome, Mitchell reminded the crowd that Calgary is not only home to the CFL’s newlyminted champs, but also to the top squad in the NHL’s Pacific Division standings.
“We play for the best city in Canada,” Mitchell declared.
The fans roared.
The local hockey heroes, though, couldn’t quite live up to that lofty billing. The Flames did erase another third-period deficit, but then frittered away the lead in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars.
Stars sharpshooter Tyler Seguin capitalized just 24 seconds into the bonus session, although the hosts contended that visiting captain Jamie Benn had interfered with goaltender David Rittich.
After a review, the officials disagreed.
“He hit me so I was a little bit set, but not 100 per cent ready for anything,” Rittich protested postgame. “Everyone saw it — I had a little bit of time, but not the full recovery of the shot.
“Maybe next time I will lay down for a half an hour.”
The good news?
As Mitchell pointed out, the Flames remain in the top perch in the Pacific Division with a 14-9-2 record.
Johnny Gaudreau and captain Mark Giordano scored in a 70-second span during the third period, while Garnet Hathaway opened the scoring for the Flames in the losing cause.
The Grey Cup champs had barely filtered off the ice when the Stars laid claim to an early lead. Just 41 ticks after the opening faceoff, Jason Spezza cruised into the slot, accepted a feed from Radek Faksa and ripped a shot top-shelf shot.
Calgary’s grinder line squared the score before the intermission.
After some impressive cyclework by their fourth unit, Hathaway leaned into a slapper, squeezing the puck under Anton Khudobin’s arm on his glove side.
There was just one goal in a sloppy second period. Seguin saucered a cross-crease pass to Benn, and the captain shrugged off Flames defenceman TJ Brodie for a tap-in.
Benn was seated in the sin bin for slashing when Gaudreau buried a power play tally of his own. Just over a minute later, Giordano counted the go-ahead goal.
Next up for the Flames is Friday’s clash with the Los Angeles Kings at the Saddledome (7 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).