Flames’ Weegar fumes after loss to Oilers: ‘It should sting a bit’

Article content material

Blake Coleman’s voice was stuffed with frustration.

“It’s two (losses) in a row, and it’s a group that we simply want to start out beating,” he bristled. “It’s getting outdated.” 

Article content material

MacKenzie Weegar’s voice, in the meantime, was oozing depth, precisely what he thought the Calgary Flames have been lacking in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on the Saddledome. 

“I simply thought we acquired out-competed,” Weegar seethed. “You realize, Battle of Alberta, there wasn’t a lot of a battle tonight from us.” 

Article content material

Sturdy phrases, and Weegar was simply getting warmed up.  

He talked about an absence of urgency within the opening interval, when Dan Vladar was standing on his head within the dwelling crease.  

In his subsequent reply, Weegar questioned aloud why they didn’t present extra satisfaction. 

The center-and-soul defenceman groaned that the on-ice animosity was missing, too, definitely a little bit of a shock with the raucous environment on the rink, with a well-hydrated crowd buying and selling chants of ‘Let’s Go Oilers!’ and ‘Oilers Suck!’  

In the long run, the followers in blue had bragging rights as they headed for the exits. Whereas the Flames managed to maintain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl off the score-sheet, the Oilers stretched their franchise-record successful streak to 13 in a row. The deciding purpose was a fluke by Sam Gagner early within the third. 

“I assumed we have been going to come back out a bit tougher than that, possibly throw some hits, combine it up a bit,” fumed Weegar, the Flames’ lone marksman in Saturday’s loss. “And that’s together with myself. I’m talking for the entire group. I assumed there would have been a bit bit extra satisfaction there from us. That’s an enormous recreation. They’re coming into our territory, our metropolis. I assumed we might have had a bit extra juice there. 

Article content material

Article content material

“There have been some good issues, in fact. I assumed we had a little bit of a pushback. However for essentially the most half, it simply felt like they have been successful the battles. 

“I simply wished a bit bit extra from everyone tonight.” 

Extra from everyone besides Vladar, who completed with 30 saves and was the principle motive the result wasn’t settled till Zach Hyman notched an empty-netter with 35 seconds to go. 

Vladar confronted 4 all-alone alternatives earlier than there was an intermission, stopping all however one. 

“The primary interval, I assumed we did a bit an excessive amount of watching,” assessed Flames bench boss Ryan Huska. “After the primary interval, I assumed we performed arduous.” 

“Vladdy performed a hell of a recreation,” Coleman added. “And we didn’t do sufficient in entrance of him to reward him for his efficiency.” 

Article content material

And so, it’s one other Battle of Alberta that goes to the boys in blue. 

Courting again to Recreation 2 of a Stanley Cup playoff collection in 2022, the Oilers have gained eight of the previous 9 instalments. That features 4 in a row, two of these this season.

The Flames at the moment are six factors again of their provincial foes, and McDavid & Co. have 4 video games in hand. Their subsequent assembly is Feb. 24 in Edmonton.  

“I’ve by no means doubted this group,” Weegar burdened. “We’ve gotta be taught from this. We play them once more subsequent month. I anticipate a greater response subsequent month. However proper now, it ought to sting a bit. You want that sense of satisfaction. For the blokes which were right here a very long time, like Backs (Mikael Backlund), I’m certain he has a bit bit extra hatred for these battles.  

“We have to discover that very same factor, that little fireplace within the stomach there.”  

AROUND THE BOARDS 

Oliver Kylington has accomplished his conditioning stint with the Wranglers. The subsequent step for the 26-year-old defenceman — constructing towards a return to the NHL after lacking all of final season and the primary half of this present marketing campaign for psychological well being causes — is to rejoin the Flames for observe, one thing that would occur as quickly as Monday. Kylington, who stays on long-term injured reserve, made a pair of appearances for the Wranglers earlier than reaching the time-limit on his conditioning task. He hasn’t skated in an NHL recreation since Could 2022 … In his big-league debut, Flames ahead call-up Adam Klapka was credited with a game-high 4 hits on eight shifts. The 23-year-old earned a loud roar when he crunched Draisaitl into the side-boards. “He appeared good for his first recreation,” Huska praised … Weegar’s second-period snipe boosted his season whole to 10. He’s certainly one of simply six NHL defencemen in double-digits in targets to this point this season, and it’s fairly a listing — Rasmus Dahlin, Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard, Cale Makar and Drew Doughty are the others … Because of his candy setup on Weegar’s purpose, Coleman is up 39 factors, a brand new career-high for the shoulda-been all-star.  

wgilbertson@postmedia.com 

Article content material