The Calgary Flames were beaten 5-2 by the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. Although fatigue played a part, with this being the Flames’ third game in four nights, goaltender Dan Vladar, recently usurped by youngster Dustin Wolf, also has to shoulder some of the responsibility. Although he stopped 22 of 27 shots, Vladar’s mistakes let the Jets take a foothold and extend their lead during pivotal moments during the match.
The Flames currently sit 4th in the Western Conference and punters can get odds of +170 on them making the playoffs, although this latest game has likely dented their confidence a little. The Flames next play against Washington on January 29, with the odds on the Flames being -141. NHL is one of the most popular sports betting sports in Canada. Ontarians can bet using state-licensed sportsbooks, while punters across the rest of the country can access offshore betting sites (source: https://www.cardplayer.com/ca/betting). Also, the Canadian provinces are now able to determine their own sports betting regulations, and the likes of Alberta are expected to follow Ontario’s lead in the coming months.
The Flames have had a packed schedule this past week, playing three games in four nights. And some of that fatigue was clearly on the ice on Sunday as Calgary took on the Winnipeg Jets. Kyle Connor, Gabe Vilardi, and Mark Scheifele bagged four goals for the Jets, with MacKenzie Weeger and Nazem Kadri getting two goals back for Calgary, but it wasn’t enough for the Flames to get anything from the game. Winnipeg scored first, after just five minutes, and Winnipeg outshot the Flames 9-3 during the first stanza. Comrie stopped the Flames’ best effort during the period, keeping a Yegor Sharangovich shot out of the net.
After the game, MacKenzie Weegar said that he felt the score flattered Winnipeg but pointed to breakdowns during key moments costing his side the game. Speaking of the recent run of games, Nazem Kadri said he didn’t think fatigue necessarily played a part in the loss.
While fatigue may not have been a major influence, the run did have one direct impact on the game. This season, rookie Dustin Wolf has claimed the spot between the sticks as his own, and veteran Dan Vladar has largely only been given opportunities during the second games of back-to-back matches, like this one. As such, Wolf was missing from this matchup, and Vladar did show some signs of why Wolf has become the first choice.
Wolf recently said his goals for this season were to make the team, make as many starts as possible, and make the playoffs. It would be fair to say the youngster has achieved the first two targets. And, when questioned following the team’s recent annual fundraising poker tournament, Wolf was positive that they would make the playoffs, saying it doesn’t matter when they get in as three seed or second wild-card, having concluded with a positive remark: “We’re going to get in.” Despite being the fourth last pick in his draft year, Wolf is looking likely to lift the Calder Trophy at the end of the season.
The Flames currently sit in fourth position in the Pacific Division, with a 24-17-7 record. This loss put an end to Calgary’s three-game winning run, and they will hope to get back on track against Washington in a couple of days. The Golden Knights top the table at the moment, although they have played two more matches, and the Oilers look worthy of a top-placed spot in the coming days.
