The 2023–24 Calgary Flames were certainly not the most fun team to watch on a night-to-night basis. While they lost more games than they won and the last half of the season was a bit of a drag to watch, the Flames scored some highlight-reel-worthy goals this season, some of which felt like a lifetime ago.
Today I wanted to take a look at six goals in particular that are both highlight reel material but also deserving of a second look now that it’s the offseason. Let’s get into it.
Matt Coronato against the Pittsburgh Penguins
It was only the second game of the season back in October, and it did not take long for Matthew Coronato to get his first career NHL goal in only his third game, and it sure was a thing of beauty.
The Flames had a power play late in the second period, the puck got worked around up top before former Flame Elias Lindholm threaded a pass through to Coronato at the bottom of the left circle, he wasted no time getting rid of it and threw the puck under the bar for his first career goal.
It has been a while since we had seen a Flame take a shot like that and score. Coronato has the ability to be a game-changer with his shot—hopefully we can see more like that next season.
Jonathan Huberdeau against the Vancouver Canucks
It was another very disappointing year for Jonathan Huberdeau in Calgary, but for the sake of this topic, we will not be talking about that. Back in November, Huberdeau was in the midst of an 11-game goalless drought as the Flames were hosting the Vancouver Canucks.
With just under 14 minutes to play in the third period and the Flames up by two goals, the Flames were pressing in the Canucks zone before Mikael Backlund picked up a loose puck on the boards and found Huberdeau alone in front of the net. With not much space and on a tough angle, Huberdeau was able to find the smallest amount of space and picked the top left corner on Casey DeSmith to put the Flames up by three.
The relief on Huberdeau’s face was very noticeable as he was able to finally get back in the goal column. It was a beauty, and we can only hope Huberdeau can get back to his form from his days as a Panther to see this more often.
Martin Pospisil against the New York Islanders
Martin Pospisil came out of nowhere this season for the Flames and he made waves in every possible way. He was a pain to play against all year, he was getting in the heads of all of his opponents and he was just a fun player to watch all season long.
He didn’t score much, but when he did he sure tried to put on a show, look no further than this goal he scored against the New York Islanders not long after his call-up. After a successful breakout, Nazem Kadri found a streaking Pospisil bolting up the right wing. Kadri feathered a pass off the boards for Pospisil to skate into, Pospisil beat his man wide and took the puck right across the crease before firing a shot over the pads of a sprawled-out Ilya Sorokin.
Pospisil was a great story this whole year and it was great to see him rewarded with a lot of playing time and a nice little contract extension for himself. He should be a key piece for the Flames moving forward.
MacKenzie Weegar against the Vegas Golden Knights
I certainly do not need to go on about how great MacKenzie Weegar was this season for the Flames, but I sure can gush about this overtime goal he scored against the Vegas Golden Knights back in November.
The Flames had another comeback in the third period to bring the game to overtime, and after the Flames failed to cash in on a power play in the extra frame, the teams would play four-on-four until a stoppage of play. Well, we never got that stoppage of play and with just under fifteen seconds to go in overtime, Weegar started his charge up the ice. Weggar grabbed the puck behind his own net, and weaved his way around a couple of Golden Knights players before ripping a shot past the the blocker of Adin Hill to give the Flames the win.
It was an unreal goal from a great player in Weegar, the vibes were extremely immaculate.
Nazem Kadri against the Pittsburgh Penguins
Now this is a goal that could challenge for Goal of the Year. In probably the biggest game of the Flames’ season—the night where Miikka Kiprusoff‘s #34 went into the rafters—the Flames were hoping to get a big win for both him and the sold-out crowd in attendance.
The game was not going according to plan as the Flames were trailing 3–1 with just under ten minutes to go in the game, that is when Nazem Kadri decided to take matters into his own hands. While the game was being played at four-on-four, Kadri took a pass from Weegar just inside his own end before splitting two Penguins forwards by putting the puck between the legs of Noel Acciari. He then sprinted up the right side of the ice before putting the moves on Kris Letang, he then cut right across the Penguins net to slip the puck by Tristan Jarry.
I have seen a lot of goals, but this might be one of the nicest I have ever seen. Kadri had an unbelievable year, but nothing topped this moment for him, it got the rally started, and the next goal on the list finished it.
Yegor Sharangovich against the Pittsburgh Penguins
That same game against the Penguins ended with some magic. With just over a minute to go in the so-called “Kipper game,” the Flames had gotten the game tied off a goal by Blake Coleman and they were looking to end things in regulation.
Backlund came straight off the bench and stole the puck from an unsuspecting Letang. He cut to the middle looking for a shot but he dropped it to a lurking Yegor Sharangovich. Backlund fed it to him wide open in the top of the slot, and before you knew it, Sharangovich wired a shot under the bar over Jarry’s glove hand to give the Flames the lead with under a minute to go.
The Saddledome went into a craze as the Flames had the lead on this very special night in March. It meant a lot to a lot of people, Kiprusoff was honoured the way he should have been long ago, and it was just a matter of days before the trade deadline when we would see Noah Hanifin moved out, thus ending an era in Calgary.
It was an incredible moment for a player in Sharangovich who had such a great first season in Calgary. I was so happy to be able to witness this game in person, a night many of us will not be forgetting anytime soon.
Good times with good goals
The Flames scored 253 goals this season, which placed them 20th in the league in that metric. Some of those goals were much more memorable than others, and despite a season that was otherwise disappointing, a few great moments were had by the Flames.
