Calgary Flames 2 - Winnipeg Jets 3

Complete Stats

Scoring

1st: WPG 7:20- Morrissey (Lowry/Harkins), WPG 13:23- Ehlers (Coonor/Pionk)

2nd: CGY 9:45- Gawdin (Tkachuk/Coleman), CGY 11:31- PPG Mangiapane (Dube/Kylington)

3rd: WPG 9:14- PPG Ehlers (Schmidt/Stastny)

What started off as a pretty boring affair turned into a playoff atmosphere as the Flames fell to the Winnipeg Jets Wednesday night. There were exciting goals, good scrums, good goaltending, back and forth hockey, for a game that doesn’t count it was a fairly entertaining contest.

This game was a tale of three different periods as Winnipeg took the first, Calgary took the second and both teams were good in the final frame. If it was a boxing match it would have been a draw.

Calgary found themselves down 2-0 after the first period as Winnipeg dominated the Flames. Winnipeg outshot the Flames 17-3 (that’s not a typo) in the first and it looked like this version of the Flames were going to get blown out of the building, but that didn’t happen.

Calgary buckled down in the second period and found the back of the net twice, tying the game. Despite having four less shots than Winnipeg in the period, Calgary got goals from Glenn Gawdin and Andrew Mangiapane and just like that it was a new game. The Flames also got a “little” help from Dan Vladar. The Flames backup stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced in the first 40 minutes, an absolute ridiculous workload for only two periods.

Winnipeg would put the nail in the Flames coffin halfway through the third period as Nick Ehlers would collect his second goal on the night and give Winnipeg at 3-2 lead. The Flames thought they had the game tied with 33 seconds left on a Mikael Backlund goal, but video review would take the tally off the board. Matthew Tkachuk would knock a puck down with a high stick as he attempted to keep the puck in the zone and that was it for the Flames on the night.

Highlights

Glenn Gawdin gets the Flames within one

Andrew Mangiapane ties the game 2-2 on the power play

Final Thoughts

-The Flames were woeful with putting pucks on net tonight. Calgary only had 18 SOG on the night and only had three in the first period. For the second time this preseason the Flames didn’t have a period with double digit SOG. That’s just not good enough.

-Dan Vladar is certainly making people say “David Rittich who?” The Flames clearly have their backup goalie and he’s been nothing short of great this preseason. He faced 40 shots tonight and turned away 37. If that’s what you’re getting out of your backup, things are going to be alright.

-Glenn Gawdin scored and Oliver Kylington had an assist on the tally and BOTH should be on the Flames opening day roster when the season starts. Gawdin has looked the part of an NHL’er this preseason and Oliver Kylington can’t do anymore to earn his roster spot. The defenceman has been a steadying presence on the blue line as Calgary looks to plug a hole that Mark Giordano left when Seattle selected him in the expansion draft. It’s finally looking like Kylington will be a regular with the Flames and it’s about time.

Flame Of The Game

Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Vladar (G): 37 saves on 40 shots