Calgary Flames
Kulak Stars as the Calgary Flames Shutout the Winnipeg Jets
The Flames took a 3-0 win on the road in Winnipeg
The Flames continued their preseason schedule with their third game in two nights (!). How often does that happen haha!?! This was the first game of the preseason for the Jets.
The lineup tonight consisted of mainly players from yesterdayโs Edmonton game as mostly AHLers dressed for the Flames. The roster was highlighted by only two Flame regulars in Lance Bouma and Michael Ferland. Also dressed for the Flames was Mark Jankowski, Hunter Smith, and Chad Johnson.
Johnson got the start for the Flames while Winnipeg countered with Eric Comrie.
1st Period
The opening period started off somewhat slowly, as is to be expected with early preseason games.
Both teams would have a powerplay opportunity and fail to score and as both teams settled into the game and the speed would eventually pick up towards the end of the second.
The period ends with no score and a tie in shots at 5 apiece.
2nd Period
The Flames would jump out to a 1-0 lead with Freddie Hamilton scoring his second goal of the preseason when he buried a rebound off a point shot from Brett Kulak into the top corner.
The Flames would then kill off a Jets powerplay before some 4 on 4 hockey would get underway with JC Lipon and Emile Poirier in the box for the respective teams.
Calgary would take advantage of the 4 on 4 situation when Brett Kulak was gifted a puck from behind the net with Comrie out of position. Kulak would swiftly deposit the puck into the yawning cage to make it 2-0 Flames.
Next, a play that could end of being one of the saves of the year happened, despite it being the preseason. Chad Johnson would start the sequence by saving a redirected point shot, next the puck would end up behind the net and quickly passed onto the doorstep for a Jet to score a seemingly easy goal before Johnson came diving across the net to absolutely rob him. Donโt worry if you donโt understand my recap of the save, youโll see it a lot of the next few days and perhaps later this season too.
The period would end with the score 2-0 for the Flames. The Jets outshot the Flames 16-9 in the period and had a 21-14 shot advantage for the game. This would also be the end of the night for Chad Johnson who finished with a spectacular night making 21 saves on 21 shots.
3rd Period
David Rittich entered the game at the start of the 3rd for his first preseason action.
It would take six minutes for the Jets to register their first shot on him but he stood up to the test.
Aside from those two shots, the Flames would dominate the Jets for most of the period outshooting the Jets 11-2 at one point.
The twelfth shot of the period for the Flames would give them a 3-0 when Brett Kulak would register his 2nd goal and 3rd point of the game. Kulak would find himself alone with the puck in the slot and would promptly fire the puck over Comrieโs shoulder.
The shots in the third period end with the Flames outshooting the Jets 13-6 in the period and the shots finish tied 27-27 for the game. The Flames win 3-0.
Game Notes
Brett Kulak had a solid night with three points and always seemed to be in the right place tonight. Kulak, who made the team last year out of training camp, looks like a possibility to make the team as a bottom pairing defenceman.
Chad Johnson had a stellar night in the goal as he shared a shutout with David Rittich. Johnson made many good saves including his highlight reel save, and looks very promising for the season ahead.
The Flames up their preseason record to 1-2 and now have two days off before their next game. The Flames take on the Vancouver Canucks on Friday at 7PM MT at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Before that, you can likely expect some cuts to be made in the next few days as the Flames continue to trim down their roster.
Solid night all around and the Flames get the W!
by Michael MacGillivray