The Calgary Flames will try to finish what they started Tuesday when they get their rematch with the host St. Louis Blues Thursday.
The Flames came out playing excellent road hockey in the opener of this two-game set. Then they allowed two third-period goals that tied the game.
The game went into overtime and Calgary lost 4-3 when the Blues scored on the first shift of three-on-three play. The Flames hope to do better during the second of consecutive games at Enterprise Center.
“It’s just tough the way we let this slip — up two goals in the third period on the road is kind of a good spot to be in and that we let that slip is not very good,” said Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane, who scored a goal and added an assist in the game.
“Ideally, you have a two-goal lead in the third period, I think you should win the game,” said forward Nazem Kadri, who set up Milan Lucic’s goal in the game. “I don’t think we gave up a whole lot. They’ve got some great players over there that take advantage of opportunities. We played 55 good minutes tonight.”
The Flames have earned points in 15 of their last 19 games while building a 9-4-6 record during that span.
Tuesday’s victory was the start of a season-high, seven-game homestand for the Blues, who are three games over .500 for the first time since starting the season 3-0-0. But they came out flat against the Flames and didn’t get going until the third period.
“I didn’t feel we had our legs,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “We didn’t push hard enough. Going into the game after the long road trip back home, (I was) a little bit worried. But guys responded in the third period. I thought we played a way better period.”
The injury-depleted Blues have earned points in 12 of their last 15 games, with a 9-3-3 mark in that stretch. They are missing key forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly and veteran defensemen Torey Krug, Nick Leddy and Robert Bortuzzo, among others.
Forwards Brandon Saad (five goals, two assists) and Brayden Schenn (three goals, three assists) starred for the Blues on their recent 3-1 road trip.
Then the forward line of Jordan Kyrou (goal, two assists), Robert Thomas (goal, assist) and Pavel Buchnevich (goal, assist) took charge in Tuesday’s victory. Thomas scored on a two-on-one break with Kyrou for the decisive goal 28 seconds into overtime.
“Our last two games on the road trip, I didn’t like our effort,” Thomas said. “I thought we could have been a lot better. We needed to step up tonight, and I thought we did a good job.”
Buchnevich noted that the trio has developed good offensive chemistry.
“We just try to play for each other and talking a lot,” Buchnevich said. “Definitely those guys have tons of speed, tons of skill. I have different ideas I give them, they listen and I think when we play for each other, good stuff happen.”
–Field Level Media