When you’re on a roll like the Calgary Flames have been for the past month, it’s easy to forget there are other teams playing just as well.
The Flames found this out on Wednesday evening when their franchise-record-matching 10-game win streak came to an end with a 5-2 loss to goal-scoring machine Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins, who have won 12 of their past 15 outings.
Hip Check: Marchand passes Crosby as NHL goal scoring leader0:18
The trick now is for the Flames, who also registered at least a point in 12 consecutive games, not to fall back into a funk. They have endured an up-and-down season, hitting rock bottom in late January with back-to-back road losses in Toronto (4-0) and Montreal (5-1).
After the game against the Canadiens, Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan called his team’s outing “pathetic” — a few times. Since then, Calgary has gone 15-3-1 and a few more wins will lock up a playoff position.
The last time the Flames won 10 in a row was way back in the fall of 1978 when the franchise was still in Atlanta and Bob MacMillan, Guy Chouinard, Eric Vail, Tom Lysiak, Willi Plett and Red Laurence took care of business.
The last time the Flames registered a point in 12 consecutive games was midway through the 1988-89 season.
The 1978-79 Flames were swept 2-0 in the best-of-three preliminary playoff round by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 1988-89 Flames won the Stanley Cup.
This team? Who knows? It depends on which team shows up.
Season saved
Calgary struggled out of the gate under Gulutzan with a 5-10-1 start. The special teams were horrible and they continued to play poorly, but backup goalie Chad Johnson saved the season with a remarkable 11-2-0 run that included three shutouts.
The Flames went 19-12-2 from mid-November to mid-January to push themselves back into the playoff picture, but then slumped again. At one time their opposition had scored first in nine consecutive games.
But the Flames turned around their season again in Ottawa in their final game before the all-star break. Calgary squandered a 2-0 lead to the Senators in the third period, only to have Johnny Gaudreau bail his team out with the game-winner late in overtime.
Johnny Gaudreau lifts Flames over Senators in OT1:43
Since then the Flames have grasped Gulutzan’s puck-possession system and piled up the points. They also have been much better on special teams.
Patience pays
The credit needs to be spread around. This is a team that has a strong defence — led by captain Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton and T.J. Brodie — and was built with nine draft picks, seven free agents and nine more players through trade.
Gulutzan and his assistants — Dave Cameron, Martin Gelinas, Paul Jerrard and goalie coach Jordan Sigalet — were patient with their players and consistent with their message.
No. 1 goalie Brian Elliott, acquired in a trade last summer by Calgary general manager Brad Treliving, also has been a star. He shook off his rough start and has gone 13-1-1 with a .934 save percentage in his past 15 starts.
Veteran centre Mikael Backlund has been the Flames’ most consistent performer. The 27-year-old Swede has taken care of his ice time in both ends of the rink. He has checked in with a career-high 48 points in 70 games and deserves consideration for the Selke Trophy as one of the game’s top defensive forwards.
The Flames were only the fourth team this season to put together a double-digit win streak. They joined the Columbus Blue Jackets (16-0-0), Minnesota Wild (12-0-0) and Philadelphia Flyers (10-0-0).
As the Flyers have exhibited, a playoff position does not automatically come with such a streak. Now it’s up to the Flames to build on their impressive run, remain consistent and perform in the playoffs with the confidence they have displayed since the all-star break.
