Flames Quick Hits: Markstrom, Mangiapane, Zary & More

In a tightly played game, the Calgary Flames defeated the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night by a score of 2-1. Goalie Jacob Markstrom returned to the net after a week-long absence nursing an upper-body injury. He was on his game and stopped 34 shots to gain his third win of the season. Connor Zary could not be stopped and delivered the team’s game-winning goal.

In this edition of Flames Quick Hits, I’ll take a look at some of the key events of the game. Both teams played well enough to win, but the Flames emerged as the winner.

Quick Hit One: The Game Was a Tight Affair from the Get-Go

The Flames grabbed the lead in the second period as Nazem Kadri scored early. He threw a spinning wrist shot past Canadiens’ goalie Samuel Montembeault. However, Montreal quickly responded. Gustav Lindstrom scored a goal just 17 seconds later to tie the game at 1-1.

The #Flames concluded their all-Canadian road trip on a winning note thanks to a stellar performance from Jacob Markstrom, and Connor Zary’s first NHL multi-point game.

📄: https://t.co/SQ2af3A5a5 pic.twitter.com/Fy9MXkQplF

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) November 15, 2023

However, later that same period, the Flames Connor Zary scored the deciding goal when he tapped home goal at 13:07 of the period. Sadly, what would have been Andrew Mangiapane’s milestone 100th goal was overturned after a Montreal challenge.

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Still, the Flames were able to maintain their 2-1 lead throughout the remainder of the game. The Canadiens pulled their goalie in the closing moments, but couldn’t score the equalizer.

Quick Hit Two: Jacob Marksrom Was on Top of His Game

Jacob Markstrom showcased his goaltending skills and picked up his second straight victory in a 2-1 win over the Canadiens. The Flames’ netminder saved 34 shots, with the lone goal coming from a ricochet off his own player Rasmus Andersson.

Markstrom’s bounce back from his two-game absence was strong. Despite his less-than-impressive 3-6-1 record, the 33-year-old has put up a solid 2.72 GAA and .905 save percentage. He’s had some bad luck. However, if he returns to his peak form he can anchor this Flames team.

Quick Hit Three: Connor Zary Scores the Game-Winning Goal

As noted in the introduction, Connor Zary scored the game-winning goal in the team’s 2-1 win over the Canadiens. In fact, he also contributed an assist to the Flames’ cause. On the game-winner, the 22-year-old forward found position in front of the Canadiens net and capitalized on a great feed from Rasmus Andersson.

Zary was drafted by the Flames in the first round (24th overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In his first season, the 22-year-old 6-foot, 178 pound Saskatoon native has had a point-a-game start. In six games thus far, he’s put up three goals and added an equal number of assists (for six points in six games). He was promoted from AHL’s Calgary Wranglers at the beginning of November.

Interestingly, he led all Flames forwards in power-play ice time during the game. He seems to be gaining more importance to the team as his short sample size increases. Zary is also a strong two-way player with a high hockey IQ. He looks to be part of the team’s promising future. It would seem he’s become a key part in the Flames’ lineup.

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