As a big-time footie fan, Andersson is no stranger to the Magnus Effect.
Sure, his own bit of 'English' was helped, in part, by the bevelled stick blade of Stars defenceman Andrej Sekera, but the knuckleballing free-kick from the hash marks worked all the same.
"We talked about how the D men needed to start skating a little bit," Andersson - a Real Madrid supporter - said of his game-winning strike on Tuesday. "I came in on a 2-on-2, saw a little angle, went for the shot and luckily it went in."
Just like Ronaldo.
Well, sort of.
However you look at it, the goal loomed large after the Stars rallied to even the score with two quick ones in a blustery middle frame. It settled the troops and ultimately stood as the game-deciding marker, guiding the Flames to a 1-0 series lead in this best-of-seven contest.
Andersson, who's now tallied in back-to-back games after helping eliminate the Winnipeg Jets last Thursday, has been a massive contributor for the Flames in these playoffs - and we're not just talking about his impact on the score sheet.
The 23-year-old played north of 20 minutes for the third straight game Tuesday and as a result of his efforts, continues to rack up the praise from his head coach.
"He's a really good player for us right now," Geoff Ward said. "He's a competitor, No. 1. He loves to play the game and loves the big moments. With the way that he's been playing, he's expanded his role and (assistant coachRyan) Huska can use him in a variety of situations.
"The credit goes to him as a player. He's really bought into what we're trying to do as a team. He's playing hard from the defensive side of the puck first, and as a result, he's been reliable in all three zones and in different situations, and he's earned the opportunity to have more time."
Andersson was out on the ice late in Game 1, helping the Flames nurse home a 3-2 lead after Mark Giordano was tagged for a delay-of-game penalty that led to a 6-on-4 advantage for the Stars.
He's been a rock on the blueline to this point, finding comfort on a pair with fellow youngster Noah Hanifin, who he says brings a complementary skill-set.
"The more games you get, especially in the playoffs, the more comfortable you get, the more confidence you get in yourself to play at a high level," Andersson said. "Just to get out there and play with some poise ... and even if you're struggling a bit here and there, in the playoffs you can't get too focused on yourself. You've got to stick to the system and go out and play your best game every night and that's what I'm trying to do."
