Three Takeaways From Flames Deflating 4-3 Overtime Loss To Bruins

The Calgary Flames have played three games on a crucial homestand leading up to the Christmas break but are now 1-1-1 after a 4-3 overtime defeat to the visiting Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

The Flames led 2-0 and 3-1 before watching the Bruins roar back in the third with two goals to tie the game. David Pastrnak scored the game-winner in the final 38 seconds of overtime.

The loss was just netminder Dustin Wolf’s second on home ice this season, while Nazem Kadri extended his point streak to five games.

Despite this recent setback, the feisty Ottawa Senators are in town on Thursday. There’s no time for the Flames to dwell on tonight’s takeaways.

Flames Didn’t Play Full 60 Minutes

Despite not winning a single face-off in the first period (0-11), the two teams remained tied at 0-0, but the Flames led in shots and hits. They played a great period and were the more dominant team.

Calgary scored three goals on Jeremy Swayman in the second, with Matt Coronato, Kadri, and Ryan Lomberg each lighting the lamp. After a wild week with the birth of his daughter and receiving his Stanley Cup ring, Lomberg scored his first in a Flames sweater.

However, that was the last highlight of the night for the home team, who let the Bruins dictate the pace in the third and finish the game with the final two goals and eight shots, with three more in the extra period.

With the game on the line, the Flames didn’t get another puck at Swayman past 6:31 of the third and didn’t get one in overtime. Although they have some zone time in the final 25 minutes, the Bruins netminder was hardly tested.

Patience and Hard Work Pay Off

Last year, Lomberg played for the Florida Panthers, where he won the Stanley Cup. In the offseason, he came to Calgary and has been a difference-maker in the dressing room and on the ice.

Whether it’s hard work or an animated personality, Lomberg has made significant contributions to the Flames organization and is the type of spark plug that has thrown the rebuild plans out the window.

His second-period goal was the first one in a Calgary sweater and his first since Mar. 4, 2024. Everyone could see the monkey come off his back for finally lighting the lamp, a testament to his hard work and dedication to this craft.

Bad Bounces Cause Problems

Sometimes, when a team loses, the blame shifts to a poor start from a team’s goaltender. However, that’s not the case with Wolf and his performance on Tuesday.

Related: Can Wolf Became Fifth Flames Goalie To Win 20 Home Games In Single Season?

The Bruins scored three goals to force overtime with lucky bounces and crash-the-crease greasy goals. Only Pastrnak’s snipe in overtime was the only goal scorer’s goal that Wolf gave up.

Ultimately, the offensive went dry, and the defense had some lapses, leaving Wolf to fend for himself. Sometimes, in those moments, a goalie can only do so much, and although this loss will be on Wolf’s record, it’s not entirely his fault.

The Flames still have some things to clean up before their next game on Thursday.