There was no miracle comeback for the Calgary Flames.
It wasn’t necessary. They were facing a beleaguered Toronto Maple Leafs team that continues to descend in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Flames jumped back into second in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and two better than the L.A. Kings, after smoking the Leafs by a final score of 6-3 on Friday. Calgary built up a lead thanks to a four-goal first-period and cruised from there.
And in the absence of their captain and best defenseman Mark Giordano, the Flames are 5-0-1. They continue to win, even as pundits predicted they would, at some point this season, falter, and it’s turned them into one of the surprise playoff-contending stories, with the post-season quickly approaching.
Lance Bouma was given a major penalty and ejected in the first period after kneeing Leafs forward Brandon Kozun.
Despite giving Toronto a five-minute power play to work with, maybe try to take control of the game, the Flames scored twice while short-handed. Game over.
Been a while since the Flames did that.
Per Elias: @NHLFlames scored 2 SHGs in a span of 3 mins for 1st time since Titov & Morris did so within 38 seconds on Oct. 17, 1997 vs COL.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 14, 2015
The Leafs are in Vancouver for a Saturday tilt with the Canucks. Nazem Kadri is expected back in Toronto’s lineup after his three-game punishment.