Calgary Flames defenseman and captain Mark Giordano is on quite a run. As is that entire team - at least through the early stages of this season.
Giordano scored once and added a pair of assists as the Flames stormed back in the third period to defeat the Florida Panthers - before another small crowd - by a final score of 6-4. The 31-year-old veteran blue liner is now up to 18 points in the first 16 games of the season and the Flames improved their record to 9-5-2, which gives them 20 points and puts them two back of the Anaheim Ducks for top spot in the Western Conference.
Fascinating, isn’t it? As for Giordano, well, he has 10 points in his last five games. That includes multiple points in four straight games.
Mark Giordano is the first #Flames defenceman with 4 straight multi-point games since Al MacInnis from Oct 23-Nov 1, 1990
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) November 8, 2014
Via Elias: @NHLFlames M. Giordano is 1st defenseman w/ at least 18 points in his team's 1st 16 games since T. Kaberle in 2009-10 (20 w/ TOR)
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 8, 2014
However, the win in Florida was not without its nervous moments and the Flames did suffer a casualty to injury.
Giordano himself reportedly went to the locker room for a brief period after crashing heavily into the boards, according to Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun.
Giordano did return to the game. Good news, obviously, for the Flames.
“He lost his wind, and I lost mine too. He hit the boards hard,” said Calgary’s coach Bob Hartley, as per Gilbertson.
However, the Flames did lose forward Devin Setoguchi to an upper-body injury, as per Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald.