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Report: Flames reaching NHL record for third-period comeback wins

Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, Ryan Miller

Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, Ryan Miller

AP

No other team is really close to them right now.

The Calgary Flames are into double digits when it comes to third-period comeback wins this season. Their closest competition in this aspect is Anaheim, with seven wins when trailing after two periods.

The Flames added to this ongoing accomplishment Monday, when they erased a 3-0 Boston Bruins lead to eventually win in overtime, maintaining pace with the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference playoff race.

Can they sustain this down the stretch? The puck possession numbers aren’t in their favor. According to Stats.HockeyAnalytics.com, the Flames are 28th in the league when it comes to Corsi For (44.6 per cent) in five-on-five situations.

Yet, Calgary seems to keep finding ways to win. Their shooting percentage ranks third in the league at 9.03 per cent, and PDO, which combines shooting percentage and save percentage, is sixth in the NHL at 101.1 per cent -- all at five-on-five.

The Flames are approaching an NHL single-season record for most wins when trailing after two periods, according to the Calgary Sun. The current record, again according to the report, belongs to the 2005-06 Dallas Stars, who completed 12 such comebacks in 31 situations.

That same season, the L.A. Kings had 10 wins when trailing after two periods.

“You always remember great comebacks, but as many comebacks as we’ve done? I’ve never seen it,” said Flames head coach Bob Hartley.

“The magic trick, it doesn’t run out, it seems. The rabbits keep popping out. I know they reproduce pretty quickly, but ... ”

We’ll just have to tune in to find out how this story finishes.

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