Flames show plenty of struggle after their break in wild OT loss to Rangers

Flames’ Post-Break Struggles Continue with Overtime Loss to Rangers

Sports
NHL
ice Hockey
Calgary Flames

Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane (88) and defenseman Noah Hanifin bring forward Filip Chytil of the New York Rangers from the crease at Madison Square Garden on Monday, February 6, 2023 in New York City. Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

If anyone expected the Calgary Flames to come out flat, well…

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Instead, the Flames (24-17-10) engaged in a really mean fight against hosts New York Rangers (28-14-8) at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

It wasn’t a lack of effort, but the Flames ended up on the losing side in a 5-4 overtime loss.

Disappointing result? Secure. And there were undoubtedly pros and cons, but no one can blame the Flames for lack of energy after their nine-day All-Star/Bye-Week hiatus.

Monday night felt like old-school hockey. Rangers defender Jacob Trouba was in the thick of it, apparently waking up on the wrong side of the bed and taking – clean – runs at a series of Flames forwards.

The Calgarians responded in their own unruly way, with Chris Tanev, MacKenzie Weegar and Dillon Dube all throwing punches in response to Rangers’ aggression.

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And for a team that’s had its ups and downs all season, the way the Flames refused to back down was special.

“We’ve shown that we love and care for each other,” Weegar told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis in New York. “A lot of people step in and step up. That was the positive for tonight, but we would have liked to have had the two points when the score was 4-3.”

That’s the problem for the Flames. With their position in the standings—the eighth and final playoff spot in the NHL’s Western Conference—morale wins count for nothing.

This shot by Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri did not cross the goal line against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday, February 6, 2023. Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

For all the struggle the Flames put up, the result didn’t go their way. Wasting a lead in the third period will hurt, even if you focus on ignoring many positive aspects.

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So what happened?

Where to start

Rangers took the lead three times.

Three times the Flames responded and tied things up.

Filip Chytil scored twice in Rangers’ first two thirds, only Blake Coleman and Tyler Toffoli equalizing.

Then Mika Zibanejad gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead but Andrew Mangiapane leveled the score early in the third before Michael Stone put the Calgary crew ahead for the first time.

The twists and turns didn’t end there, however, as Zibanejad equalized 4-4 just minutes later.

It was only natural that the game went into overtime and in the end it was Alexis Lafreniere who gave Rangers victory with a goal that Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom could do absolutely nothing about.

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Taking a point on the road is certainly not a bad thing. The Flames will be disappointed not to have earned two, but there are no complaints about their efforts.

“There really weren’t a lot of mistakes, there were very few,” Flames head coach Darryl Sutter said. “If you only make mistakes after goals, there are mistakes every night.”

If you’re a neutral observer, you must be amazed by what you saw.

More of that on this four-game road trip — which includes contests against the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabers and the Ottawa Senator — and the Flames will likely return to Calgary feeling good.

“I don’t think we had a game like that this year,” Weegar told reporters in New York. “It shows everyone, and especially us in the dressing room, that we don’t shy away from anyone.”

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New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck trips over Calgary Flames forward Elias Lindholm at Madison Square Garden on Monday, February 6, 2023 in New York. Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

FAST STRIKES

Flames contender Dustin Wolf was named co-MVP of the mise-o-jeu AHL All-Star Challenge Monday night along with Lukas Dostal of the San Diego Gulls in Laval, Que. Wolf, who is currently the starting gun for the Calgary Wranglers, helped lead the Pacific Division to victory. This event pitted teams from the four divisions of the league against each other in a round-robin tournament of 10-minute 3-on-3 matches. Wolf and Dostal saved 42 of 49 shots combined… One of the big questions ahead of the Flames game on Monday was whether Tanev would be available. He was injured in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets a few weeks ago and missed two contests, but – as promised – was back to play against the Rangers. However, not everything was smooth. Tanev left Monday’s game briefly at the end of the first period after serving his time in the penalty area for a fight with Trouba. It’s probably a bit of an understatement to say that it was a huge relief to see Tanev return for the second third. He’s just too important a player for the Flames to imagine long-term absentee scenarios… Dube definitely didn’t win his battle with Trouba after Rangers defender Nazem Kadri blew up at the end of the second period, but you did have to respect the guy for stepping in against a significantly larger opponent and defending his teammate…Weegar was much better early in the third against Will Cuylle…Mangiapane’s goal early in the third period went off his skate and Flames fans won’t complain about it Final decision after review. But someone needs to explain the rules exactly what counts as a kick and what doesn’t, because it sure feels contradictory…Markstrom absolutely robbed Jimmy Vesey late in the second period. Saving only one absolutely dirty glove. Ridiculous, don’t know what else to say about that. Just an absurd piece of glove work… A friend was at Madison Square Garden and texted to say that New Yorkers in his section were mad at the Flames, but couldn’t pronounce “Calgary” properly, so we can deal with that console.

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Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane jumps in front of New York Rangers goaltender Jaroslav Halak at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday, February 6, 2023. Photo by Danny Wild/USA TODAY Sports

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Source: calgarysun.com

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