The Calgary Flames have gone from a rough early stretch to one of the league’s hotter teams over the past week, and Devin Cooley is a huge reason why.
With Calgary riding a three-game winning streak and four wins in its last five, Cooley has been the man in net for all three of the club’s current victories. The Flames had an 0-5-0 start to the season, but after wins over the Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings, they’ve climbed back to 4-6-0.
That run earned Cooley some league-wide recognition on Monday, when the NHL named him its second star of the week. In two games over the past week, he put up a 1.00 GAA and a .971 save percentage, both marks that stood out as the best in the NHL during that span.
He finished behind Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl, who posted 6 goals and 9 points in three games, but Cooley’s place in that company says plenty about the kind of week he just put together.
For now, the Flames appear to have a clear answer in goal. Dustin Wolf is still part of the long-term picture after signing long-term, but Cooley has forced the issue with his play and has taken hold of the starter’s net. Wolf will get another chance, but at this moment, Cooley is the one carrying the crease.
That next test comes Monday against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Saddledome, where Calgary will try to prove this surge was more than just a short burst of good form. Devan Cooley will be back in net for that matchup, and after the week he just had, he’ll be doing it with an award in hand.
In Other News...
Oilers Rivalry Loss Came With A Bigger Concern Calgary Will Notice
The Oilers left Detroit with a frustrating result, but the bigger worry for Calgary watchers was how the night unraveled around Zach Hyman. Edmonton spent much of the game on the front foot, outshooting the Red Wings in stretches and carrying the kind of pace that usually leads to better results, only for the scoreboard to keep slipping away each time it looked like the Oilers had control.
Hymans night ended after a heavy collision along the boards, and he did not return. In a rivalry that always seems to carry extra weight for the Flames, any concern about a top Edmonton forward matters, especially when it comes on a night when the Oilers had already let a lead get away more than once and still came up empty in the shootout. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Game Takes A Turn After Leafs Winger Goes Down
An otherwise routine night against Toronto took a concerning turn when Kirill Marchenko went down in the second period after an awkward fall into the boards. The play came after a hit from Yegor Sharangovich, and Marchenko skated off in discomfort before leaving the game altogether.
For the Flames, the sequence was a reminder of how quickly a physical matchup can shift the tone of a game. Marchenko had already been on the ice for 7:05 before exiting, and the Leafs were left to sort out their lineup with another forward suddenly unavailable. [Read more 🡒]
Thomas Chabot Could Change Everything For Ottawa's Blue Line
Calgarys latest game ended with more than a few nervous moments, and the injury ripple went beyond the scoreline. There was a hard collision that sent one opponent out with a lower-body issue, while Flames forward Aydar Suniev also left after an apparent head injury in a separate scrum with Easton Cowan, reminders of how quickly a night can turn complicated in the NHL.
For Calgary, the bigger takeaway on the outside looking in is that the Senators may be getting an important piece back on the blue line. Ottawa captain Thomas Chabot has returned to full practice and could be in line to rejoin the lineup on an upcoming road trip, a welcome development for a team that has leaned on its defense to stabilize the season and would clearly benefit from more of his presence. [Read more 🡒]