Canadiens Stun Avalanche as NHL Weekend Takes Shape

CALGARY — The Montreal Canadiens shocked the Colorado Avalanche Thursday night with a 7–3 win at the Bell Centre. That was Montreal’s 30th win of the season as they sit atop the wild-card standings in the Eastern Conference, and they handed Colorado just its eighth regulation loss of the season as the Avalanche continue on with their historically successful campaign.

Friday’s NHL schedule is unusually light, with only one other game across the league. The lone matchup has the Columbus Blue Jackets visiting the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center.

The Blue Jackets enter the night 7–3 in their last 10 games, though they remain 10 points outside of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, leaving significant ground to make up despite the recent surge.

Columbus is still adjusting under new head coach Rick Bowness, who was appointed Jan. 12 following the firing of Dean Evason. Bowness, 70, was brought in to provide structure, defensive improvement, and veteran leadership after previously coaching the Winnipeg Jets.

Chicago enters the weekend with a 21-24-9 record and sits eight points outside of a playoff position as it continues through a developmental season.

The league schedule ramps up Saturday with a full slate of 14 games. In Calgary, the Flames host the San Jose Sharks in a 2 p.m. MT matinee. The Flames are 21-26-6 on the season, tied at 48 points and sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Elsewhere Saturday, the Canadiens travel to Western New York for a marquee matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. National attention will also follow the Toronto Maple Leafs as they visit the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena, with live coverage across all Provectus Media platforms from Vancouver on Saturday.

Colorado continues its road swing with an early start Saturday morning, visiting the Detroit Red Wings with puck drop scheduled for 11 a.m. MT.

Flames seize momentum on Hockey Day in Canada with 4–2 win over Islanders

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames leaned on opportunistic scoring and strong goaltending Saturday afternoon, defeating the New York Islanders 4–2 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Hockey Day in Canada to collect two critical points in the Western Conference playoff race.

Despite being outshot 30–19, Calgary converted its chances at key moments and received a composed performance from goaltender Dustin Wolf, improving to 21 wins and 46 points on the season.

Yegor Sharangovich opened the scoring late in the first period, snapping a wrist shot past Islanders netminder David Rittich at 11:51 after setup work from Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl. The goal gave Calgary a 1–0 lead after a tightly contested opening frame.

The second period proved decisive not because of puck possession, but execution. While New York held a 9–7 edge in shots during the middle frame, the Flames struck three times in an eight-minute span.

Adam Klapka doubled the lead at 3:04 of the second with a net-front tip-in off a point shot from Bahl, with Morgan Frost also earning an assist. Justin Kirkland followed at 9:50, scoring his first goal of the season to make it 3–0 after taking a cross-slot feed from Ryan Lomberg and lifting a shot over Rittich. Yan Kuznetsov added another at 11:49, finishing a play created by Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary to cap the surge.

The Islanders responded quickly through Jean-Gabriel Pageau at 12:21 of the second, but Calgary’s early cushion held through the remainder of the period.

New York pushed hard in the third, and Islanders head coach Patrick Roy made an aggressive move by pulling Rittich for the extra attacker with more than eight minutes remaining. The extended six-on-five pressure produced a late goal from Anders Lee at 17:04, but that was as close as the Islanders would come as Calgary closed out the win.

Wolf finished the afternoon with 28 saves on 30 shots for a .933 save percentage, turning aside sustained pressure and limiting second chances. Rittich stopped 15 of 19 shots (0.789) for New York.

Three Stars

1. Kevin Bahl, CGY — Two assists and steady defensive play.

2. Adam Klapka, CGY — A goal and an assist.

3. Rasmus Andersson, CGY — 25:40 TOI and an assist in what could be his last game with the club.

Kirkland’s goal stood as the game-winner and reinforced a familiar formula for Calgary, which continues to find success when it generates enough offense to reach the four-goal mark.

The victory came in front of an announced crowd of 17,358 and carried notable standings implications. The Flames remain five points back of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference currently held by the San Jose Sharks. In the Pacific Division, Calgary trails the Vegas Golden Knights by 12 points, the Edmonton Oilers by eight, and the Seattle Kraken by five, keeping the race behind the division leader tightly contested.

Calgary has also made recent roster adjustments aimed at boosting its offense, including the recall of Matvei Gridin from the Calgary Wranglers. With eight games remaining before the Olympic break, the Flames enter a critical positioning window. Once play resumes, the stretch drive toward the Stanley Cup Playoffs truly begins.

Saturday’s performance offered a clear blueprint: efficient finishing, disciplined structure, and goaltending capable of holding the line. For a team still within reach, it was exactly the type of afternoon that keeps belief intact.

Late Goal Sinks Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome as Pacific Race Tightens

CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames fell 4–3 Saturday night, undone by a late third-period goal in a game that intersected with a busy day across the Western Conference standings.

Calgary opened the scoring just 1:56 into the first period when Yan Kuznetsov stepped into a slap shot from the point to make it 1–0. The lead was short-lived. Erik Haula tied the game midway through the period, then scored again less than two minutes later to put Nashville ahead 2–1.

The Flames answered late in the opening frame. Rasmus Andersson pulled Calgary even at 2–2, closing a first period that produced four goals in under 14 minutes.

Nashville regained the lead early in the second when Michael Bunting scored unassisted at 4:08, restoring a 3–2 advantage. Calgary pushed back again in the third period, with Blake Coleman finishing a play from Mikael Backlund and Matt Coronato at 12:49 to tie the game 3–3.

The tie held until the final minute. Nicolas Hague fired a slap shot past Calgary at 19:31 of the third, delivering the game-winning goal.

Dustin Wolf was the goalie of record for Calgary, stopping 32 of 36 shots for an .889 save percentage.

The result followed movement elsewhere in the Pacific Division earlier in the day. The Edmonton Oilers were defeated 5–2 by the Philadelphia Flyers, creating an opportunity for Calgary to close the gap in the standings. With the Flames losing in regulation, the distance remains six points between the two clubs.

Edmonton sits at 46 points, one point ahead of both the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks, who are tied at 45. Further down the board, the Los Angeles Kings picked up a win over Minnesota, moving to 43 points and into a three-way tie atop the Western Conference wild-card race with the Seattle Kraken and San Jose Sharks.

Calgary’s margin to Edmonton stayed the same, but results elsewhere continued to compress the Western Conference playoff picture.

Flames sweep Flyers, tighten wild card race as Calgary hits season midpoint Saturday

CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames strengthened their position in the Western Conference wild card race Wednesday night with a 5–1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, completing a 2–0 season series sweep.

Mikael Backlund opened the scoring at 13:30 of the first period, unloading a slap shot after receiving passes from Matt Coronato and Blake Coleman. Calgary carried a 1–0 lead into the intermission despite being outshot early.

Jonathan Huberdeau made it 2–0 just 3:08 into the second period, finishing a setup from MacKenzie Weegar and Yan Kuznetsov. Philadelphia briefly pulled within one when Travis Konecny scored unassisted at 8:49, but Calgary answered later in the period.

Rasmus Andersson restored the two-goal lead on the power play at 12:03, converting off passes from Connor Zary and Nazem Kadri. Yegor Sharangovich added another power-play goal at 17:52, snapping a shot past the Flyers with Coronato and Weegar recording the assists. Calgary took a 4–1 lead into the second intermission.

Connor Zary capped the scoring at 9:37 of the third period, finishing a play created by Ryan Lomberg to put the game out of reach. Calgary finished with 25 shots, went 2-for-3 on the power play, won 54.5 percent of the faceoffs, and limited Philadelphia to one goal.

The win moves the Flames to 40 points through 40 games, placing them fourth in the Western Conference wild card standings and just outside the playoff picture. Calgary sits six points back of the Pacific Division lead, currently held by Edmonton at 46 points. The Flames have 18 wins on the season, compared to Edmonton’s 20. The Oilers lost 6–2 to Boston on Wednesday, two nights after Calgary defeated the Bruins 2–1 at the Saddledome.

Calgary will reach the halfway point of its season Saturday when it hosts the Nashville Predators in a 5:00 pm MT matchup. Both teams enter with 40 points, though Nashville holds one game in hand. The Flames then host the Seattle Kraken on Monday at 7:30 pm MT before heading out on a five-game road trip through Montreal, Boston, Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Chicago.

On the international stage, Canada closed the preliminary round at the World Juniors with a 7–4 win over Finland and will face Slovakia in the quarterfinals on Friday, Jan. 2. The semifinals are scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 4, with the final set for Monday, Jan. 5.

The Calgary Wranglers are also in action at the Saddledome this week, hosting Colorado on Thursday, Tucson on Friday, and Tucson again on Sunday.

Calgary defeats Boston 2-1 in overtime behind 24-save night from Wolf

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames earned a 2–1 overtime win over the Boston Bruins on Monday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Blake Coleman scored for Calgary, beating Jeremy Swayman seven hole for his 12th goal of the season, while Dustin Wolf turned aside 24 of 25 shots in goal for a .960 save percentage.

The game went to overtime, where it ended in unusual fashion. A Bruins own goal sealed the result, with Connor Zary credited for the winner.

The victory was Calgary’s 17th of the season. The Flames move to 38 points and sit one point outside of a playoff spot.

Calgary is back in action on New Year’s Eve, hosting the Philadelphia Flyers at the Saddledome. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT.

Earlier in the evening, Canada defeated Denmark 9–1 at the World Junior Championship in Minnesota. Zayne Parekh recorded a goal and an assist as Canada picked up its second three-point win of the tournament.

Canada now leads Group B with eight points and will close out the preliminary round against Finland on New Year’s Eve at 7:30 p.m. CST. Finland sits second with seven points, with first place in the group on the line.

Oilers’ Power Play Dominates Battle of Alberta as Edmonton Tops Calgary

CALGARY — The margin in the Battle of Alberta was not subtle. It was structural.

Edmonton’s power play dictated the night through constant motion, quick reads, and pressure that never allowed Calgary’s penalty killers to settle. The puck carrier was always moving, changing direction, pulling coverage apart. It was less about one look and more about forcing defenders into continuous decisions. Calgary never found its footing.

The Oilers were given five power-play opportunities. Against a unit built on pace and precision, that was too many.

Leon Draisaitl converted three times on the man advantage, completing a power-play hat trick, while Connor McDavid conducted the game with control and timing that bent coverage until it broke. Edmonton’s power play did not rely on static setups or stationary shooters. It flowed, reset, and attacked again, using movement as the primary weapon.

Calgary briefly responded at even strength when MacKenzie Weegar struck from the blue line late in the first period to level the score. It was a moment of pushback, but it did not shift the underlying momentum. Penalties continued to pile up, and Edmonton continued to capitalize.

By the third period, the game had tilted decisively. Edmonton extended its lead and closed with authority, turning discipline and execution into separation on the scoreboard.

The win marks Edmonton’s 19th of the season and pulls the Oilers into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with Vegas and Anaheim at 44 points heading into the Christmas break. It is a position earned through consistency and reinforced by elite special teams.

For Calgary, the picture remains tight but complicated. The Flames sit at 15 wins and 34 points. They are only five points out of a playoff spot, but five teams stand between them and the final wild card position in the Western Conference. The math keeps them in the race. The margins leave little room for nights like this.

Discipline is not a detail against teams like Edmonton. It is the difference.

At the break, the standings show separation. On the ice, the power play made it unmistakable.

Flames Rally Past Kraken 4-2 at Saddledome as Wolf Stops 21 in Third-Period Comeback

CALGARY – The Calgary Flames earned a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night at Scotiabank Saddledome, completing a third-period comeback built on special teams execution and standout goaltending.

Seattle carried a 2-1 lead into the final frame after second-period goals from Chandler Stephenson and Kaapo Kakko. Stephenson opened the scoring in the period at 7:52, finishing a backhand chance, while Kakko restored Seattle’s lead late with a power-play goal at 17:16.

Calgary responded decisively in the third.

Nazem Kadri tied the game at 10:04 of the period, converting a power-play one-timer for his eighth goal of the season. Rasmus Andersson and Morgan Frost provided the assists on the equalizer, which came during a stretch where the Flames applied sustained pressure.

Just over a minute later, Matt Coronato delivered the go-ahead goal. At 11:19 of the third, Coronato snapped a glove-side shot past Seattle goaltender Joey Daccord for his 11th goal of the season, extending his team lead. Andersson recorded his second assist of the night, while Jonathan Huberdeau picked up the secondary assist, marking the 800th point of his NHL career.

Seattle pushed late, but Calgary held structure in the closing minutes. Captain Mikael Backlund added an empty-net goal with under eight seconds remaining to secure the result, his seventh of the season.

Dustin Wolf anchored the comeback with a composed performance in goal, stopping 21 shots and earning the win.

The victory marked Calgary’s 14th win of the season and moved the Flames to 32 points in the Western Conference standings. With the result, Calgary leapfrogged both Seattle and Nashville and sits five points out of a playoff spot.

Final score:

Calgary Flames 4

Seattle Kraken 2

Wranglers Fall 5-2 in Henderson as Road Trip Continues on Grey Cup Sunday

The Calgary Wranglers saw their comeback fall short on Sunday, dropping a 5-2 decision to the Henderson Silver Knights in Game 2 of their extended 10-game, 21-day road trip. Calgary scored twice in the third period to make things interesting, but an early 4-0 hole proved too much to overcome less than 24 hours after their 6-4 win at the same rink.

The Silver Knights came out flying, scoring four times through 40 minutes, including goals from Davies, Cormier, Johansen and Connelly. Henderson controlled most of the run of play early, outshooting Calgary heavily through the first half of the game and making life difficult for rookie goaltender Owen Say, who playing in his eigth game this year. Say settled in as the game went on and finished with 28 saves on 32 shots, good for an .875 save percentage.

At the other end, former NHL netminder Carter Hart turned aside all 10 shots he faced through 40 minutes. Hart, who returned to professional hockey this fall after being found not guilty along with four others in the 2025 World Junior case, finished with 12 saves on 14 shots for an .857 save percentage.

The Wranglers finally broke through in the third period, generating their best pressure of the night. Matvei Gridin cut the deficit to 4-1 before Daniil Miromanov scored to make it 4-2 with just over four minutes remaining. Jaycob Megna iced it for Henderson with a short handed goal at the buzzer.

Despite the loss, the Wranglers split the weekend series and move to 1-1 on their 10-game road swing, which continues Tuesday in Bakersfield.

Meanwhile in Calgary, the Flames rest on Grey Cup Sunday following last night’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Fans across Canada paused their game-day routines as the nation turns its attention to Winnipeg as quarterback Trevor Harris and the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 for the championship, but the AHL grind continues uninterrupted—and the Wranglers’ road-heavy schedule means plenty more late starts, mileage, and momentum swings ahead.

Next up: Wranglers at Condors, Tuesday night, 7:30 pm MT.

Flames Fall in Shootout to Jets as Wranglers Win 6-4 Behind Frk’s Hat Trick and 200th AHL Goal

Calgary fans were treated to a full slate of hockey on Saturday night. At the Scotiabank Saddledome, the Flames hosted the defending Presidents Trophy champion Winnipeg Jets in a tight, emotional matchup that needed a shootout to find a winner. Meanwhile, down in Henderson, the Calgary Wranglers opened their road trip with a wild 6-4 win over the Silver Knights powered by a historic night from Martin Frk.

Flames and Jets Trade Blows in Calgary

It was another charged atmosphere at the Saddledome for 90s Night as the Jets opened the scoring early. A heavy collision between Backlund and Honzek at the Jets blue line briefly shook the building, and moments later Winnipeg capitalized with a goal from Mark Scheifele.

Calgary answered back quickly. Defenseman Jake Bean ripped home his first of the season from the point, assisted by Braden Pahal and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Jets responded again when Tanner Pearson finished a well-executed rush set up by Luke Schenn.

The third period brought more chaos. Winnipeg grabbed a 3-2 lead when Cole Perfetti tapped in a loose puck off a Connor shot that slipped through Dustin Wolf. But the Flames refused to go away. With under two minutes left, Matt Coronato tied the game with a perfect shot from the slot. The building erupted as Calgary forced extra time.

Neither team found the winner in overtime, sending it to a shootout where Gabe Vilardi sealed it for Winnipeg. The Flames collected an important point and showed impressive pushback against one of the league’s strongest teams. Shots finished 34-28 for Calgary.

Wranglers Outgun Henderson Behind Frk’s 200th AHL Goal

Down in Nevada, the Wranglers opened their road trip with an explosive performance. Martin Frk wasted no time, scoring just 18 seconds into the game for his 200th career AHL goal. Henderson answered, but Justin Kirkland restored the lead late in the first with his first goal as a Wrangler.

The second period looked shaky early as the Silver Knights struck twice to go up 3-2. But the Wranglers responded with their best stretch of the night. William Stromgren scored his first of the season to spark a three-goal surge in under ten minutes. Henderson added one late, but Calgary carried a 5-4 lead into the third.

Frk would not be denied his moment. His empty netter completed the hat trick and sealed the win, giving him a four-point night. Stromgren finished with three points and Ivan Prosvetov made 30 saves in the victory.

The Wranglers and Silver Knights meet again Sunday at 6 pm MT, with Calgary aiming to sweep the back-to-back.

Night Summary

Between a shootout thriller at the Dome and a milestone-filled win on the road, it was a strong night for hockey in Calgary. Both clubs continue their push toward the quarter mark of the season with momentum on their side.

Flames shut out Sharks 2–0 behind Wolf’s 16-save gem as Skinner exits with injury

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames snapped their three-game losing streak and halted the San Jose Sharks’ momentum with a 2–0 win Thursday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Goaltender Dustin Wolf posted his first shutout of the 2025-26 season by stopping all 16 shots he faced, standing tall as the difference in the contest. Calgary broke through when veteran Blake Coleman ripped a high shot at 5:46 of the second period after forcing a turnover. Rookie Sam Honzek sealed the win with an empty-net tally in the final seconds.

The night’s turning point came even before the score sheet filled. Sharks forward Jeff Skinner collided hard into the boards in the opening period and exited the game without putting any weight on his leg. A local physician at ice level told reporters the impact and Skinner’s reaction were consistent with a tibia or fibula fracture. At the time of the game, the Sharks had not released an official update.

Calgary dominated the shots early, outshooting San Jose 13-1 in the first period and 27-6 after two, but relied on disciplined defensive structure and timely plays to preserve the lead. Wolf remained sharp throughout, particularly when San Jose pulled the goaltender for an extra attacker late in the third.

With the result, the Flames improved to 5-12-2 and snapped a slide, while San Jose fell to 8-7-3 and will now await an update on one of their key forwards. Calgary now shifts its focus to converting strong starts into deeper momentum through the remainder of the season.