5 Things - Flames @ Wild

1. Last Time Out

The Flames finished off 2023 on the right skate, edging the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 at the Scotiabank Saddledome Sunday night.

Following the win, a fireworks show entertained the C of Red in attendance as the New Year's Eve celebrations hit high gear across the city.

And while many fans likely woke up a bit groggy Monday morning with Auld Lang Syne still ringing in their head, the players boarded a plane for Minnesota where they will play their first of a four-game trip Tuesday night against the Wild.

They then head to Nashville to take on the Predators Thursday, before an extremely rare set of back-to-back matinees in Philadelphia and Chicago.

They return home for one game, hosting the Senators on Jan.9 (click for tickets here), before jetting out again for a two-game jaunt to Arizona and Vegas.

They round out the opening month of 2024 with a six-pack of home games when they host the Coyotes (Jan. 16), Leafs (Jan. 18), Oilers (Jan. 20), Blues (Jan. 23), Blue Jackets (Jan. 25 and then Blackhawks (Jan. 27).

It’s a heckuva run to flip the calendar.

Back to the NYE victory, the Flames fell behind 1-0 before Mikael Backlund knotted it up with a sick bar-down one-timer from the very-high slot.

Dennis Gilbert scored another dandy when he converted a cross-seam pass from Jonathan Huberdeau, and then Nazem Kadri made it 3-1 while the teams skated 4-on-4.

The visitors made it a thriller to the end, though, scoring to make it a one-goal game before Blake Coleman – playing in his 500th NHL outing – put one in the empty net.

Former Hitmen blueliner Egor Zamula would score to make it a one-goal game again with 1:22 to go but Jacob Markstrom stood tall amid a few 6-on-5 scrambles to secure the two points.

Click here for all the highlights and more info

2. Know Your Enemy

The Wild have lost two straight following back-to-back losses to the Jets.

Ryan Hartman scored a powerplay marker at the midway point of the second period and then Matt Boldy scored 20 seconds into the third to dig the Wild out of a 3-0 hole, but Axel Jonsson-Fjallby would score the dagger just over two minutes later en route to a 4-2 Winnipeg win at home on Dec. 30.

Filip Gustavsson got the loss, allowing three goals in 22 shots, leaving after two periods with a lower-body injury and replaced by Marc-Andre Fleury, who turned aside nine of the 10 shots he faced in the final frame.

The two teams faced off the next night in Saint Paul, this time Minny striking first off the stick of Marcus Foligno but Winnipeg would tie it up before Frederic Gaudreau restored the edge early in the third.

The Jets, though, would score two straight to win the New Year’s Eve battle.

Fleury – playing in his 1,000th game – made 26 saves in the contest.

“I don’t know, I’m kind of happy it’s over,” Fleury told NHL.com's Jessi Pierce. “I wish it was a win. Disappointing. I thought the guys played great tonight. Battled hard. It’s a better game than last night in Winnipeg (a 4-2 loss). Two points is what’s important here. Obviously, very flattered by the reception from the crowd, from my teammates. It means a lot. I feel very fortunate that I’ve played for so long and I got to do what I love for many years. I’m lucky for that.”

Wild Head Coach John Hynes told media he was pleased with his team's effort.

“It’s disappointing you lost the game, for sure, but there’s lot of positives to take out of it,” Hynes said. “As you said, just how hard we fought. I thought we were right there. We had an opportunity to win the game, but I think when you get into these tight games like this against a really good team, it comes down to details, and tonight that was probably the difference in the game.

“Better effort (today),” Foligno said, echoing his coach. “It’s a tough game to lose, but all in all, it was a good game. It had everything. It’s tough to lose it for 'Flower' like that in that sense, 1,000 games, (heck) of an accomplishment. You want to win it for him. Disappointing the way it had to end there.”

Worth noting the Wild are 10-5-2 at home this season, one of those coming Dec. 14 in a 3-2 shootout win against the Flames. They also beat Calgary 5-2 on Dec. 5 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

3. Fast Facts

Look Backs At It:

With his goal on New Year's Eve, Mikael Backlund surpassed Mark Giordano (509) for sole possession of ninth place on the Flames’ all-time scoring list. The Flames captain recorded his 500th NHL point earlier this season in Seattle to become the 11th player in franchise history to achieve the milestone. Backlund is now 19 points away from tying Guy Chouinard for 8th on the Flames all-time scoring list.

Lucky No. 500:

With his marker the other night, Blake Coleman became the third Flames player in the past 10 years to score a goal during his 500th NHL game, following Michael Stone (April 6, 2022) and Elias Lindholm (Jan. 7, 2020). The Flames won in all three of those matches (Apr. 6: 4-2 at ANA), (Jan. 7, 2-1 vs. CHI) with Coleman, Stone, and Lindholm’s goals all holding up as game winners in their 500th contest.

4. Spill The Beans

Get to know Connor Zary better in Part 1 of this new feature, brought to you by O16. Stay tuned for Part II later this week.

5. Players to Watch

Flames - Andrew Mangiapane

The Flames forward had three assists against the Flyers and has four points in his last three games. 

Wild - Matt Boldy

The guy has been lights out against the Flames this year, with three goals and four points in the two meetings. He has 11 goals and 21 points this season, good for fifth in team scoring.