Playing like a team that could run away with the Pacific Division, the Calgary Flames can take yet another step in that direction when they play host to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
In a battle of the top two teams in the Western Conference on Saturday, the Flames pulled off a 4-3 overtime victory over the Colorado Avalanche when Johnny Gaudreau scored 37 seconds into the extra period. It was the veteran’s 11th career overtime goal, tying the franchise record with Sean Monahan.
The Flames are now a dominating 13-1-1 over their last 15 games dating back to Jan. 29. And they are 3-0-1 since a stunning 7-1 defeat to the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 24.
The road ahead will be challenging for Calgary. In addition to two division meetings remaining against both the Oilers and the second-place Los Angeles Kings, the Flames also have two more remaining against the Avalanche, who are the best in the West.
Saturday’s victory let Calgary know it has what it needs to get the best of Colorado.
“It’s huge. Two good teams,” said Calgary’s Elias Lindholm, who had two first-period goals and had the assist on Gaudreau’s game-winner. “Obviously they have a real good record at home (23-3-3), and we know it’s going to be a tough one and we came out on top. It was a good test for us and a good game.”
The Oilers won each of the previous meetings between the teams this season. Edmonton delivered a 5-2 victory in the Flames’ season opener. They also met Jan. 22, with the Oilers taking a similar 5-3 victory.
But Calgary has been a completely different team since that contest, going 15-2-1 to charge into first place in the Pacific. Monday’s game will be the opener of a four-game homestand for Calgary.
The Oilers will enter the game off a 5-2 defeat at home Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, dropping them to 2-4-1 since Feb. 20.
Edmonton went on a five-game winning streak when Jay Woodcroft took over as head coach for a fired Dave Tippett on Feb. 10. But the Oilers are once again starting to resemble the disappointing squad that led to Tippett’s dismissal.
One issue of late has been a lack of home games. The Oilers have played in their own arena just twice since Feb. 19, with Monday’s game concluding a stretch where seven of nine will have been on the road.
The Oilers would like to get some momentum heading into a stretch of five consecutive home games that begins Wednesday.
Evander Kane scored one of the Oilers’ two goals Saturday, giving him eight goals and 14 points in 17 games since joining Edmonton.
Leon Draisaitl had an assist to move him into a tie with teammate Connor McDavid atop the NHL points list at 79. But as good as those two players are, the Oilers are not getting the full team effort.
“We just weren’t good enough,” McDavid said about Saturday’s defeat. “They (the Canadiens) are a team that has obviously been playing well since their coaching change. They were better than us (Saturday). There was maybe a little fatigue, I guess, but that is no excuse.
“We have to be better out of the gate. Their power play was good and ours wasn’t. That was kind of the difference, for sure.”
–Field Level Media
