Right On The ‘Mark’

Calgary was outshot in the game but their PK was excellent, going 4-for-4, and they had 25 blocks in the contest. They also won 61% of the faceoffs (more stats below).

The Flames honoured Assistant GM Chris Snow, who passed away recently after a lengthy battle with ALS, with a tribute before the game, his wife Kelsie and kids Cohen and Willa doing the ceremonial faceoff.

The Markstrom Show started early when he stoned Gabe Vilardi and then stood tall on Mark Scheifele’s rebound offering.

The Flames had a Grade-A look not long after on a 2-on-1, but Connor Hellebuyck came across to stop newcomer A.J. Greer’s shot off a feed from Adam Ruzicka.

New Flames captain Mikael Backlund – who received a hero’s welcome in the pregame season-opening ceremony – was whistled for holding at 3:20 putting the visitors a man up.

But Markstrom came up huge on the ensuing powerplay, stopping a cross-ice one-timer from Vilardi, then turning aside Alex Iaffolo’s shot from the slot.

The Flames went on their first PP at 8:53, the best crack a diving pass from Huberdeau to the backdoor where Matt Coronato tried to stuff it home but was denied.

Just 10 seconds after that minor expired, they went back on the powerplay again and made good, Ruzicka’s point shot going off the skate of Jets defenceman Neal Pionk’s skate and out to Mangiapane, who wired it home at 12:29. Dillon Dube got the other helper.