Calgary Puck

A road trip that could be make or break for a season, given the tight hot mess that is the Pacific Division and Western Conference, had a few dates circled that would be tougher than others.

A game in Detroit should be a win, and it was, though not in the most convincing of fashions. A game in Nashville is a challenge, that comes up on Thursday … decent team having an off year but very much in the hunt with Calgary. Florida oddly selling pieces at the deadline.

But the other two stops wouldn’t have prognostigators figuring on points, a game tonight in Boston and a game on Saturday in Tampa.

Yet the Flames rolled out what could be their most complete game of the season in nursing a 3-1 lead into the third period and then skating away with a 5-2 victory.

Two goals from Sean Monahan, and two late goals from Mikael Backlund as the team’s top two lines continue to get it done (Matthew Tkachuk had three points), moving the Flames to 2-0-0 on the trip thus far.

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Would love to tell you the Flames walked into Detroit and just handed the dreadful Detroit Red Wings a thumping, checking all the boxes when it comes to confidence and momentum for the team and Brad Treliving as the NHL Trade Deadline approaches tomorrow afternoon.

That just wouldn’t be the case.

The Flames skated away with a 4-2 victory, and they were the better team for the most part, but the win was far from secure, the team far from sending any kind of message as the Wings pushed back on two occasions and could have pushed the game to overtime if not for some good bounces (thank you Mr Mangiapane shin pad) and some solid goaltending from David Rittich.

The team is money on the road though, 14-4-1 in their last 19, something they’ll need to continue as this trip heads into much more difficult cities than Detroit.

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To beat the best you have to follow a pretty tight recipe.

Limit the mistakes and turnovers you make, be opportunistic when chances come your way, get better goaltending than the guy at the other end, stay out of penalty trouble and be in receipt of a helping or two of luck.

The Flames certainly got some bounces early in building 2-0 and 3-1 leads early in the first period of a 4-3 loss on Friday night to the Boston Bruins. They cashed in on their chances, and appeared to have been given a golden opportunity to give the Bruins just their second loss in their last twelve games. On the night they didn’t surrender a single powerplay to the ever dangerous Bruins.

It’s the limit the turnovers and mistakes part that reached up and bit them on the collective ass.

For about 13 minutes to wind down the first period the Flames were on their heels, leaving open Bruins behind them, not covering pucks or players going to the net, and pretty much handing the game back to a team that didn’t need a lot of help.

The game stablilized for the final 40 and the Flames were full marks for pushing the issue and looking to force overtime, but in the end the experienced Bruins put a tight game away.

Opportunity missed.

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On the second game of their three game homestand the Flames broke bread.

Er … bread broke loose?

Yeah that’s more like it.

Andrew Mangiapane with his first career hat trick and four point game powered the Flames to a five goal third period, erasing a 3-1 Ducks lead and cruising to a 6-4 final score in a game that looked to be slipping away.

Mangiapane was joined by linemates Matthew Tkachuk and Mikael Backlund in completely dominating the Ducks on the ice, and were finally rewarded with a point spree in the third period to halt the Flames current skid at a single loss.

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What a road trip!

Not very often do you see a team take three out of four on a road trip through California and Vancouver; the sunbelt teams a virtual house of horrors for the better part of 15 years.

However with a convincing 6-0 win in the team’s scariest building of all; the Pond in Anaheim, last night the Flames did exactly that returning home with a solid road trip despite the mind numbing setback in Los Angeles.

After a tepid home stand preceding the junket, two regular top four defenseman down and with the trade deadline just ten days away, the success should make the decision making for the Calgary brain trust all the more interesting.

Is this the same inconsistent crew from all season? Have they figured it out?

Or are they on a long over due puck luck heater?

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