Rasmus Andersson on Jacob Markstrom’s excellent puck-stopping efficiency in opposition to the Blackhawks: ‘With out Marky, we in all probability would have misplaced this recreation.’
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You shouldn’t want your goaltender to steal two factors in opposition to a last-place opponent that hasn’t gained a street recreation in two-and-a-half months.
However, hey, it beats the choice.
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If not for Jacob Markstrom, you can be studying proper now a few fifth consecutive loss for the Calgary Flames as they hit their all-star break/bye.
As a substitute, the stalwart netminder singlehandedly snapped the Flames out of their skid, pitching a 32-save shutout Saturday in a 1-0 slump-buster in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks.
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“I believed there have been six or seven guys that got here to play, and that’s not sufficient on a traditional night time,” stated Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “Our goaltender, fortunately, was considered one of them. I believed he was superb.”
“With out Marky, we in all probability would have misplaced this recreation,” echoed defenceman Rasmus Andersson. “He was excellent, however we shouldn’t be too pleased with this recreation both means. We didn’t play our greatest. It was a difficult one, for certain. It’s a great factor that Marky and some different guys had been dialled in, as a result of a number of us weren’t.”
After blanking the Blackhawks, the Flames cut up for his or her seashore holidays. For the gamers, this subsequent week is all about relaxation and rest.
This pointless nail-biter gained’t quiet the speak round Calgary about one other kind of R n’ R — a rebuild and/or retool. The Flames didn’t appear like playoff contenders as they sputtered to a 2-4 mark on a six-game homestand.
The Blackhawks, who’re nonetheless with out rising-star Connor Bedard resulting from a damaged jaw and have now misplaced 20 in a row in street rinks, had been credited with extra pictures and extra high-danger scoring possibilities throughout Saturday’s showdown on the Saddledome.
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There was some debate within the press-box about what number of breakaways Markstrom had confronted. This reporter counted 4 or 5.
These all-alone possibilities had been a recurring theme through the Flames’ four-game skid, too.
“Clearly, they’ve some quick guys and obtained some bounces,” Markstrom shrugged throughout a post-game interview. “The previous couple of video games, I haven’t been capable of cease them, so it was for certain slightly irritating to not assist the group out. And at the moment, I used to be capable of, in order that was good. However the guys performed good.”
Not likely.
Actually not a lot of them.
“You take a look at our final variety of video games, and we’ve gotten leaky,” stated Huska, whose squad is now sitting at 22-22-5. “I feel there’s slightly psychological fatigue. So this break is coming on the proper time for our group.
“However they discovered a strategy to win when issues haven’t been going our course during the last whereas. There are conditions the place you want your leaders to be your greatest gamers. I discussed these seven guys. Effectively, a number of them make up our management group.”
Huska additionally praised defence companions Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, who mixed to play 51 minutes in opposition to the Blackhawks, and complimented Mikael Backlund and his sometimes reliable linemates Blake Coleman and Andrew Mangiapane.
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There was little doubt, nevertheless, who was deserving of the loudest shout-out — the person who had simply notched his 20th profession shutout.
“Marky stole the 2 factors for us,” stated Elias Lindholm, who capitalized on a second-period power-play, snapping out of a 15-game aim drought in his last outing earlier than he represents the Flames on the NHL All-Star Recreation. “This final stretch has been powerful. Our recreation hasn’t been ok. Once we play at residence, we wish to play properly, play good in entrance of our followers, and clearly we haven’t given them good motive to be right here.
“It’s good to get two factors at the moment. Hopefully, everybody can refresh, reload and are available again higher.”
They have to be higher than they had been Saturday.
You shouldn’t have to be bailed out in opposition to a bottom-feeder.
However what could be worse? Skating into the break with one other loss to the Blackhawks, a squad that has just lately had their quantity. If Boris Katchouk had scored Saturday on each of his breakaways, the guests would have been celebrating their first street victory since Nov. 9.
“Clearly, you wish to placed on a greater efficiency on your goalie, however he was dialled in,” Andersson stated of Markstrom. “He performed an impressive recreation. Typically, you want your goalie to steal a recreation, and at the moment was an ideal instance of that.”
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