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Elliott’s ‘resetting’ continues as Flames give Johnson eighth straight start

Calgary Flames v Edmonton Oilers

EDMONTON, AB - OCTOBER 12: Goalie Brian Elliott #1 of the Calgary Flames covers up the puck while playing against the Edmonton Oilers on October 12, 2016 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

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Chad Johnson made his seventh consecutive start on Wednesday against Tampa Bay and didn’t fare well, getting hooked after allowing four goals on 21 shots.

His replacement, Brian Elliott, proceeded to stop 12 of 13 in his first game action in over two weeks.

But this development hasn’t changed anything in the mind of head coach Glen Gulutzan, who will go right back to Johnson tonight when the Flames host the Blue Jackets in Calgary.

“Chad is going to go,” Gulutzan said, per the Flames’ Twitter account. “Get him right back in there.”

This is just the latest in what’s been a tough year for Elliott. Acquired at the draft from St. Louis, he was hailed by Flames GM Brad Treliving as “one of the best goaltenders in the league for the last number of years.” The belief was Elliot would finally solve Calgary’s longstanding goalie problem and, at the tail end of the preseason, there were reports the two sides were discussing a contract extension.

Wonder where those talks are at now.

One would think Elliott will eventually get another crack at the No. 1 gig. Johnson’s never had extended success as an NHL starter, serving almost exclusively as a backup in Boston, Buffalo and New York. But to hear Gulutzan explain it, this is Johnson’s net -- and it sounds like Elliott is still trying to work out whatever issues got him off to a 3-9-1 start (3.31 GAA, .886 save percentage).

“Ells has been brilliant in practice,” Gulutzan said, per the National Post. “Sometimes you just need a resetting and he’s put a lot of work in the last few weeks and worked with Siggy (goalie coach Jordan Sigalet) a lot.”

Looking ahead, Elliott might get a shot soon. Calgary has three games in the next five nights, including a Monday-Tuesday back-to-back in Arizona and San Jose.