Calgary Flames

Post-Game: Calgary Flames Demolished in Carolina

Published

2 months ago

March 10, 2024

Six minutes and 30 seconds into the Calgary Flames Sunday showdown against the Hurricanes, Carolina found the back of the net.

Outshot 5-0 and down by one, it was clearly going to be a tough game for Ryan Huska’s crew.

The Flames finally recorded a shot on goal 15 minutes and 39 seconds into the game. A Dryden Hunt snap shot saved by Frederik Andersen. The Hurricanes had recorded 14 shots on net by then.

It was just that kind of game. The second beat down in 48 hours after falling 5-1 to the Florida Panthers on Saturday afternoon.

By the end of the first period, shots were 16-2 in favor of Carolina.

By the end of the second, 30-10.

Rod Brind Amour’s Hurricanes played a suffocating system. When the Flames managed to pry out possession, passing lanes were filled, and time to skate was limited.

When Carolina found room to skate with the puck? They tended to create a dangerous opportunity off the rush. With the score 6-1 after forty minutes of regulation, the game was all but put away. Yegor Sharangovich managed to snipe a puck home after goaltender Freddy Andersen made a grave misplay, but the struggle had ended. All that was left was to kill time and run out the clock.

Yegor Sharangovich scores his 27th goal of the season #Flames | #CauseChaos
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/a46jweL3rN

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) March 10, 2024

The final score read 7-2. The shots ready 42-19. The Flames crew quietly left the ice to lick their wounds and prepare for a game against Colorado on Tuesday.

Of particular note over the last 120 minutes of regulation have been the struggles of Jonathan Huberdeau, Mikael Backlund, MacKenzie Weegar, and Rasmus Andersson. Huberdeau is a -5 in the last two games, Backlund is a -4, Weegar a -5, and Andersson a -4.

With the core struggling to hold their own at 5-on-5 and the team trailing Vegas by seven points for the final Western Conference Wildcard spot, hopes of squeezing into the playoffs continue to fade.

Absent from the lineup are Connor Zary (injury) and Martin Pospisil (suspension). The Flames went 2-6-2 in October prior to the two joining the team via call-up.

Marcus Sylvegård