Recap: Calgary Flames (3) @ Carolina Hurricanes (1)

Calgary Flames 3 Carolina Hurricanes 1

The Flames final stop on their 5 game road trip was in Carolina to take on the cellar dwelling Hurricanes Sunday afternoon. Calgary got 2 goals from Johnny Gaudreau and Brian Elliott was the show stopping goalie the Flames were looking for when they traded for him.

1st Period

Both teams came out flying to start the period, but Carolina would strike first. At 4:54 of the period Victor Rask pumped in his 14th of the season on the PP (Bennett 2 minutes for holding) and the Canes took the lead 1-0. Calgary had a multitude of opportunities in the period, but Eddie Lack was more than up to the task. Sean Monahan had to 2 grade A scoring chances, but was stoned by Lack. Speaking of great saves, Mark Giordano and Matt Stajan had the 2 best stops of the period for the Flames. Gio had a sweet glove save on a Canes shot and Stajan found himself between the pipes as Elliott was down and out and made a HUGE save off his upper body to keep the puck out of the net. The Flames out shot the Hurricanes 10-9 on the period, but couldn’t light the lamp.

2nd Period

The Flames were once again out shot in the second period 13-10, but they made the most of their 10 shots.

Johnny Gaudreau gathered a loose puck and dropped a gorgeous no look pass to Micheal Ferland who raced in alone and ripped the puck past Eddie Lack for Calgary’s first goal and Ferland’s 11th goal of the season.

Eight minutes later Ferland’s pesky defence created a turn over which Gaudreau turned into a shot on net that was stopped, but he stayed with the puck, grabbed the rebound and scored his 12th of the season giving the Flames a 2-1 lead. Elliott stopped all 13 shots he faced in the period, keeping the Flames in the lead.

3rd Period

The 3rd period belonged to Brian Elliott. When the Flames needed him most, he showed up. Elliott made big save after big save, especially when it appeared the Flames were sleep walking through the 3rd period with a one goal lead. Just when it looked like the Flames were getting a little lackadaisical, Johnny Gaudreau took a feed from Sean Monahan and put one on net net that deflected off a Hurricane stick and went past Lack for his 2nd goal of the game and gave the Flames a 3-1 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Final Thoughts

Today’s win concludes the Flames 5 game road trip that saw them go 4-0-1, their only loss a 2-1 OT defeat at the hands of the Canucks. The Flames are in 7th place in the West, only 4 pts behind Edmonton and have a HUGE game Tuesday against the Kings and recently activated Jonathan Quick.

Flame of The Game

Brian Elliott

Yes, Gaudreau figured in every Flames goal, but Brian Elliott kept the Flames alive in this game. He stopped 34 of 35 shots and when the Flames needed a huge save, Elliott stepped up. Elliott is now 7-1-1 in his last 9 games.