The Calgary Flames weren’t expected to be in this position.
The Flames, winners in eight of their last 10 games after defeating the visiting San Jose Sharks by a final score of 3-1 on Wednesday, are now second in the Pacific Division.
Yeah. They’re 11 points back of the Anaheim Ducks, so perhaps the division is out of reach.
With 30 games remaining in the Flames’ season, the adage would be there is plenty of hockey left, but could the playoffs be a legitimate possibility with this team?
“Every game we win the confidence rises,” said Flames goalie Jonas Hiller, as per NHL.com following Wednesday’s game.
“At the same time, I think everybody in here knows if we want to have success we have to work hard. We don’t just feel now it’s going to come for free. We know we have to work hard. We go out there, we don’t worry about who we’re playing. Sure, we respect them, but we’re not trying to play to their strengths.”
San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic missed the entire second half of the middle period, and a few minutes in the third period, too.
However, Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said his absence was because of an equipment issue, according to Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group.
The Sharks are in Vancouver on Thursday. They’re two points ahead of the Canucks.
Maybe the Sharks can take this as a positive? John Scott, known more for his enforcer capabilities, actually scored, pulling San Jose to within two goals in the third period.
For Scott, that’s his second goal of the season and the fourth of his career. For the first time in his NHL career, Scott has actually scored more than one goal in a single season.