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You shouldn’t want your goaltender to steal two factors in opposition to a last-place opponent that hasn’t gained a street sport in two-and-a-half months.
However, hey, it beats the choice.
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If not for Jacob Markstrom, you can be studying proper now a couple of fifth consecutive loss for the Calgary Flames as they hit their all-star break/bye.
As a substitute, the stalwart netminder singlehandedly snapped the Flames out of their skid, pitching a 32-save shutout Saturday in a 1-0 slump-buster in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks.
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“I believed there have been six or seven guys that got here to play, and that’s not sufficient on a standard evening,” mentioned Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “Our goaltender, fortunately, was one among them. I believed he was superb.”
“With out Marky, we in all probability would have misplaced this sport,” echoed defenceman Rasmus Andersson. “He was excellent, however we shouldn’t be too proud of this sport both approach. We didn’t play our greatest. It was a difficult one, for certain. It’s a great factor that Marky and some different guys had been dialled in, as a result of loads of us weren’t.”
After blanking the Blackhawks, the Flames break up for his or her seashore holidays. For the gamers, this subsequent week is all about relaxation and rest.
This pointless nail-biter gained’t quiet the discuss round Calgary about one other form of R n’ R — a rebuild and/or retool. They definitely didn’t seem like playoff contenders as they sputtered to a 2-4 mark on a six-game homestand.
The Blackhawks, who’re nonetheless with out rising-star Connor Bedard attributable to a damaged jaw and have now misplaced 20 in a row in street rinks, had been credited Saturday with extra pictures and extra high-danger scoring possibilities.
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There was some debate within the press-box about what number of breakaways Markstrom had confronted. This reporter counted 4 or 5.
These all-alone possibilities had been a recurring theme in the course of the Flames’ four-game skid, too.
“Clearly, they’ve some quick guys and received some bounces,” Markstrom shrugged throughout a post-game interview. “The previous couple of video games, I haven’t been in a position to cease them, so it was for certain just a little irritating to not assist the group out. And in the present day I used to be in a position to, in order that was good. However the guys performed good.”
Not likely.
Actually not a lot of them.
“You take a look at our final variety of video games, and we’ve gotten leaky,” mentioned Huska, whose squad is now sitting at 22-22-5. “I believe there’s just a little psychological fatigue. So this break is coming on the proper time for our group.
“However they discovered a option to win when issues haven’t been going our path during the last whereas. There are conditions the place you want your leaders to be your greatest gamers. I discussed these seven guys. Nicely, loads of them make up our management group.”
Huska additionally praised defence companions Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, who mixed to play 51 minutes in opposition to the Blackhawks, and complimented Mikael Backlund and his usually reliable linemates Blake Coleman and Andrew Mangiapane.
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However there was little doubt who was deserving of the loudest shout-out — the person who had simply notched his 20th profession shutout.
“Marky stole the 2 factors for us,” mentioned Elias Lindholm, who capitalized on a second-period power-play, snapping out of a 15-game purpose drought in his remaining outing earlier than he represents the Flames on the NHL All-Star Sport. “This final stretch has been powerful. Our sport hasn’t been ok. Once we play at house, we wish to play effectively, play good in entrance of our followers, and clearly we haven’t given them good purpose to be right here.
“It’s good to get two factors in the present day. Hopefully, everybody can refresh, reload and are available again higher.”
They’ll definitely should be a lot better than they had been Saturday.
You shouldn’t should be bailed out in opposition to a bottom-feeder.
However you already know what could be worse? Skating right into a break with one other loss to the Blackhawks, a squad that has lately had their quantity. If Boris Katchouk had scored Saturday on each of his breakaways, the guests would have been celebrating their first street victory since Nov. 9.
“Clearly, you wish to placed on a greater efficiency to your goalie, however he was dialled in,” Andersson mentioned of Markstrom. “He performed an impressive sport. Typically, you want your goalie to steal a sport, and in the present day was an ideal instance of that.”
wgilbertson@postmedia.com
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