The Calgary Flames have been turning heads. But their 60-game milestone may be this franchise’s most impressive in recent seasons.
Per Chris Wahl of CalgaryFlames.com, “The Flames have now won 60 consecutive games in which the team has scored four or more goals.”
The most recent win came on Monday night vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was the third time this season that the Flames scored at least four goals in a game and won. The first two came against the Anaheim Ducks and the Detroit Red Wings. Calgary’s win over Anaheim marked its first win of the season following a 0-5-0 start.
The Flames, 5-6-0, have won five of their last six. They now hold the tiebreaker over the Ducks for fifth place in the Pacific. If Calgary keeps their current trend going — 20 goals for against 14 allowed in those last six games — the Flames could ultimately end up as one of the league’s surprise scoring units.
Calgary Flames Keep Record Going With Uptick In Scoring, Goaltending
The Flames started the year as one of the NHL’s worst scoring units, getting outscored 27-8 in their first five games before their current uptick started. Since then, Calgary has scored at least four times in three of its past six matchups, and at least three goals in four of its last six.
But the uptick in scoring isn’t the only reason the Flames keep winning hockey games. Goaltender Devin Cooley’s efforts have been paramount. He was rewarded with the NHL’s Second Star Award thanks to his play during the previous week. Cooley now looks like the clear-cut starter in Calgary’s net.
Cooley once again played a great game, stopping 26 of Toronto’s 28 shots and collecting a .929 save percentage. He is now 4-0-0 in his last four starts, with a .955 save percentage and 126 saves while facing 132 shots. Do the math, and Cooley has faced an average of 33.0 shots per game in that span.
Calgary would have a much tougher time extending its 60-game record of four or more goals scored if Cooley wasn’t coming up big time and again.
One Massive Challenge Awaits Calgary
The Calgary Flames will need to keep their current efforts going in their next matchup when they travel to Edmonton to face the Oilers. Behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton is second in the league with 51 goals on the year heading into Tuesday’s slate.
Edmonton will also be looking to get back on track after losing a heartbreaker vs. the Red Wings.
But if the Flames keep playing their current game, then there isn’t a team they can’t beat. Should Calgary again find a way to score four-plus goals, then Edmonton will ultimately be the team facing a monstrous challenge.
Keep an eye on the Flames moving forward and pay close attention to their goal totals. Should Calgary keep scoring four or more, and if Devin Cooley keeps up his stellar play, they will be a lot of fun to watch. And that’s a far cry from the team they looked like earlier in the season during that 0-5-0 start.
Calgary Flames Extend Remarkable 60-Game Streak After Beating Maple Leafs