Calgary Flames 6 - Seattle Kraken 4

Complete Stats

Scoring

1st Period: SEA 5:48- Giordano (Blackwell/Jarnkrok), CGY 9:46- Gaudreau (Zadorov/Tkachuk)

2nd Period: SEA 0:09- PPG Jarnkrok (McCann/Giordano), CGY 3:54- PPG Gaudreau (Monahan/Tkachuk), CGY 14:56- Lucic (Tanev)

3rd Period: SEA 4:59- Gourde (Blackwell/Jarnkrok), CGY 16:51- PPG Mangipane (Kylington/Hanifin), SEA 17:21- McCann (Giordano), CGY 17:34- Tkachuk (Gaudreau), CGY 19:40- Hanifin (Unassisted)

Just like you drew it up, eh coach?

The Flames came into Seattle for the first time and somehow managed to come away with a 6-4 victory thanks to a wild third period. That final frame saw five goals be scored within 3:09 seconds of each other, with the Flames getting three of those to propel them to a 6-4 victory.

Let’s face it, this wasn’t pretty, but for having not played in 19 days, the Flames will take it. Seattle came out the tougher team and really put the Flames on their heels. Mark Giordano (of course) would score the first goal of this contest and was a physical and scrappy force all night long. After that marker this became a goal for goal game. Each team would trade turns scoring with Seattle always getting either their lead back or tying this game until late on the third.

The final frame saw Calgary get much more physical as they tried to keep the game tied at 3-3 and that worked for a good chunk of the period until the wheels came off all at once...for everyone. Andrew Mangiapane would score with 3:09 left in the period, putting the Flames up 4-3. Game, set, match....right? Wrong. Thirty one seconds later Jared McCann would tip a puck past Jacob Markstrom and we were tied at 4-4. Overtime right? Dreaded overtime? Negative. Matthew Tkachuk would rip home a shot and put the Flames up 5-4 and Noah Hanifin would make sure there was no tying goal for Seattle with an empty net goal, just 2:06 later and the Flames would win their first game back from the Covid pause.

Highlights

Johnny Gaudreau fires home a feed from Nikita Zadorov

Milan Lucic buries his 8th of the season

Matthew Tkachuk rips home the GWG

Final Thoughts

-Johnny Gaudreau seemed like he picked up another step in his game with the time off, if that’s even possible. The Flames best forward had two goals and an assist on the night, played solid defence, drew a penalty and had 5 SOG. He was flying all over the ice and looked, seemingly, more dynamic than he has so far this season, which seems impossible.

-Milan Lucic looked well rested as well, as he scored his 8th of the season and provided a spark Calgary needed throughout the game. Lucic looked like he had a bur in his saddle tonight, finding himself involved in many post whistle scrums. Seattle seemed interested in dancing with Lucic all night, which probably wouldn’t have ended well for any Kraken player that stepped up.

-Mark Giordano showed his former team that he’s still got something left in the tank with a three point (1G 2A) night in the 6-4 loss. His opening goal got the arena and team fired up and he was an agitating force for Seattle tonight. The Kraken captain was involved with Andrew Mangiapane, Dillon Dube and Milan Lucic on the night. His three point effort was a revelation, seeing coming into this contest he only had 8 points on the season.

-It’s looking a lot like these Flames/Kraken games are going to be entertaining. Ten goals were scored. There were a ton a scrums. It was physical (64 total hits). And the Flames were able to avoid the curse of losing to a Pacific Division expansion team at their home rink.

Flame Of The Game

Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images

Johnny Gaudreau (F): 2 goals, 1 assist, 5 SOG, 5:34 of PP time

What’s Next?

1/2: Calgary Flames @ Chicago Blackhawks, 5 PM MT