Flames beat Sharks 2-0, Dustin Wolfe shutout for first time this season – Hockey Writer – Calgary Flames
On Thursday night, we see the Calgary Flames take on the San Jose Sharks at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The Flames enter last place in the Western Conference with a 4-12-2 record, while the Sharks sit one point out of the Western Conference wild-card playoff spot at 8-6-3.
Going into this season, those records were expected to be reversed, and judging by how the Flames performed tonight, you could argue those records still don’t mean much.
game review
Despite having the worst record in the NHL, the Flames quickly took control of the game, beating the Sharks 13-1 in the first quarter. However, despite the intense pressure, Jaroslav Askarov kept his team in the game, holding the Flames scoreless in the period.
The Flames finally broke the deadlock five minutes into the second period when Blake Coleman scored his seventh goal of the season, a solo, unassisted goal after one of the Sharks’ most bizarre defensive zone mistakes.
For 40 minutes, the Flames completely dominated the Sharks. It wasn’t until the second quarter that the Sharks got their first five-on-five shot of the game, and entering the second intermission, both sides only had two shot attempts.
John Klingberg’s late penalty all but killed the Sharks’ chance to tie the game late in the game, and the Flames closed the game on a 2-0 run, capped by Samuel Honzek’s empty-net goal with four seconds left.
Despite the loss, Askarov was still the best player on the field, saving 34 of 35 shots and making eight high-danger saves, marking his fifth consecutive game with a save percentage of .940 or better.
With the win, the Flames snap a three-game losing streak and will begin their losing streak against the Winnipeg Jets on Hockey Night in Canada. The loss ended the Sharks’ four-game winning streak. They’ll look to bounce back Saturday night on the road against the Seattle Kraken.
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