Wolf’s consistency holding ‘pesky’ Flames in playoff hunt
Whereas the hockey world runs out of how to explain simply how resilient the Calgary Flames have been of late, Morgan Frost summed his squad up properly.
“Pesky Flames,” he laughed late Monday, following the crew’s newest third-period comeback.
“Appears we’re at all times coming again.”
Completely different cities, totally different heroes, totally different scripts, however the fixed has been Dustin Wolf and a perception that has allowed the Flames to remain in a playoff race that appeared all however prepared to finish throughout so many video games of late.
A 3-2 win in San Jose now has the Flames sitting simply 4 factors again of eighth-place Minnesota with a sport in hand and 5 video games remaining.
The 2 golf equipment meet in Calgary on Friday.
For the sixth time this season, the Flames erased a deficit heading into the third interval, giving them six comeback wins within the final three weeks alone.
Down 1-0 after a primary interval by which the dominant Sharks fired 18 photographs on internet, the Flames relied closely on Wolf to maintain it inside attain for his or her seemingly inevitable comeback.
Making a number of circus saves, together with 4 on fellow Calder candidate Macklin Celebrini, Wolf held the fort till eight minutes into the third when a Martin Pospisil arm harm set the stage for the sport to be rotated by a six-foot-eight hero.
Changing the departed Pospisil on the highest line for the very subsequent shift, Adam Klapka raced down the ice with Nazem Kadri to bang in a net-front rebound that breathed life right into a season on the brink.
His subsequent shift, Klapka drew a penalty that led to a power-play aim by Frost, adopted by a Matt Coronato insurance coverage marker.
Klapka’s 235-pound inventory continues to rise, however he was fast to level to Wolf as the person who made all of it potential.
“He saved our sport at the moment, to be sincere,” stated Klapka of the Flames backstop who made 30 saves, together with a number of spectacular ones.
“He made some (Dominik) Hasek saves there. He’s unbelievable. I’m actually blissful he’s doing properly and displaying he could be the rookie of the 12 months.”
Whereas Lane Hutson often is the present frontrunner, Celebrini and Wolf (two former Junior Sharks) placed on Calder auditions of their very own.
It began early, with a Celebrini probability in shut that Wolf turned again along with his blocker to set the tone in a interval dominated by the hosts.
“He’s particular, he retains us in quite a lot of video games,” stated Frost.
“Some unbelievable saves, and so calm again there. It makes you are feeling you possibly can at all times come again in a sport as a result of he’s going to carry down the fort.”
Along with his mother and father watching from the seats by which he watched as a teen, Wolf did his finest to again up his pledge Saturday that his crew would certainly make the playoffs.
“There’s desperation, we’re preventing for our life each night time,” stated Wolf, whose membership visits Anaheim Wednesday.
“We are able to’t actually lose any hockey video games transferring ahead, so it is a good begin to the journey.”
Wolf entered the sport 11-1 with a 1.83 GAA and .930 save share towards groups from his native California.
“Simply the state of California, as a complete, I need to play properly,” he stated.
“I’ve been up and down the state my entire youth profession. I like coming again right here and it is a good begin.”
A handful of hours earlier than puck drop, it grew to become public that former goaltender and longtime broadcaster Greg Millen had handed away early Monday at his Ontario residence.
The 67-year-old Sportsnet staple had turn into a well-recognized character in Calgary the previous few years as a daily color commentator for regional Flames video games Kelly Hrudey was unable to make.
A diminutive, well-traveled netminder within the NHL for 14 seasons, Millen’s frank, educated assessments on broadcasts had been formed by nearly 50 years in and across the league.
Tributes and condolences for his spouse and 4 youngsters poured in from round a league by which Millen was extensively revered.
Out of an abundance of unhappiness and respect for Millen, Sportsnet opted to not produce a regional broadcast. As a substitute, they ran the San Jose feed on Sportsnet One.
Nicely conscious they had been carrying the load for his or her heavy-hearted brethren, the San Jose broadcast crew did a superb job with a good, balanced present.
Sharks assistant coach Doug Houda opened a second intermission interview with condolences for the Millen household, and Huska did the identical post-game.
Relaxation in peace, Millsy. We miss you already.
