Markstrom Snaps Stick As Frustrated Flames Lose Another in Overtime

Disgusted by the outcome, Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom took his frustration out on his stick. 

Snapping it to a dangle with a chop over the boards as he left the ice, a second whack on the bench saw half the weapon fly back out onto the ice. 

It was another one of those games for the Flames. A 15th loss when games go to extra time. They’re 6-15 now when it comes to overtime and shootouts. The 6-5 loss to the Dallas Stars at the Saddledome on Saturday stung more than most. 

Because of the missed opportunity, they only managed to keep pace with the Nashville Predators, but fell another single behind the Winnipeg Jets — who beat the Preds in OT earlier in the day to extend their Western Conference wildcard lead over the Flames to four points. 

For all the bad luck the Calgary Flames experienced on the night, adding a few more posts to their league-leading total and a missed call after the puck hit the net over the Stars goal before Jason Robertson’s overtime winner, their flat start and bad coverage at the end were the deciding factors. 

The teams’ starting lineups graphics hadn’t even gone through their cycle before the Flames were down a pair of goals — from Joe Pavelski and Radek Faksa. 

They headed to intermission with a 3-1 deficit after Elias Lindholm and Wyatt Johnston exchanged goals later. 

With three straight goals to start the second period, the Calgary Flames took their first lead. 

MacKenzie Weegar, Nick Ritchie and Blake Coleman all scored at five-on-five. Robertson, though, scored his 40th a little more than a minute later. Tie game. 

When Rasmus Andersson scored midway through the third, Stars defenceman Jani Hakanpaa tied it again a little more than two minutes later. 

On the OT winner, the Flames lost the draw in the offensive zone, watched a long pass connect from Pavelski to Robertson. With Andersson defending in a one-on-one situation, Robertson made a quick move to gain a better shooting position, and patiently roofed a backhand shot over Markstrom’s glove, with Hintz’s spray and body presence serving as a distraction for the Flames goaltender. 

“Tough one,” Andersson told reporters post-game. “You give Robertson an inch and he takes it and he scores.

“Tough game. That sucked.”

It definitely did, especially with the next two coming in back-to-back nights on the road this week. Hard to imagine the team making the playoffs without a four-point finish before heading home. 

“Stay in the moment boys,” said the Calgary Flames head coach. “Everybody is trying to push you away. Stay right there.

“Just stay focused on the next one. That’s how you win in this league.”