Dustin Wolf’s night against the Seattle Kraken gave the Calgary Flames something they badly needed: a clean, confident response.
In Friday’s 6-2 win, Wolf stopped 20 of 22 shots and picked up his second victory of the season. More than the result itself, the outing stood out because it looked like the kind of composed, settled performance the Flames have been waiting for after a rough patch against Seattle.
He was sharp in the crease, handled his rebounds, stayed on his angles and delivered key stops when the Kraken pressed. For a goaltender trying to steady himself early in the season, that kind of outing matters.
After the game, Wolf said he was pleased with how things felt.
“Felt pretty good,” Wolf said postgame. “I mean, it’s been a long time off (between) starts, so just getting back into it and feeling good about my game, and my emphasis tonight was, as Cooley says, not to think. And as simple as that sounds, it’s not as easy.”
That mindset seems to be settling in.
Wolf, 25, had gone close to two weeks without a start, an uncommon gap for a team’s No. 1 goalie. But with Cooley injured against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, Wolf got the chance to jump back in and make it count.
The time away didn’t go to waste. He kept grinding behind the scenes, using the extra practice to clean up parts of his game that needed work.
“I came in every day and skated and worked,” Wolf explained. “We worked tirelessly on areas of my game that I think needed some improvement or maybe just some touch ups.
You don’t normally get those opportunities in the season. It certainly wasn’t the start to the season that I wanted, but now we move forward and just focus on the next one.”
And the next one comes fast.
The Flames are right back at it Saturday night against the Colorado Avalanche, with Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and company on deck. If Wolf gets the start - unless recently recalled Arsenii Sergeev gets the nod - it will be another chance to build on what he did Friday and keep pushing in the right direction.
One game can’t wipe away a slow start. But for Wolf, it was a step forward.
In Other News...
Flames Suddenly Have A Crease Problem Dustin Wolf Must Solve
Devin Cooleys sudden absence leaves Calgary with a much different look in goal, and the timing is hardly ideal. The Flames placed the goaltender on injured reserve after he was injured in a game, and Dustin Wolf now steps into the starters role as the club tries to steady itself through an unexpected shakeup in the crease.
To help cover the roster, Calgary also recalled Arseni Sergeev and William Stromgren from the Wranglers, with Stromgren coming up to fill the spot left by injured forward Brennan Othmann, who is day-to-day. The moves give the Flames some short-term depth, but the bigger question is how long they can manage without Cooley and how Wolf handles the added load in the meantime. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Babcock Just Created An Oilers Decision Flames Fans Will Notice
Mike Babcocks return to the spotlight has already produced a familiar kind of debate around how he handles players, with former NHLer Corrado pointing to the contrast between Babcocks deep systems knowledge and Craig St. Louis more individualized approach. For teams around the league, and especially for rival fans watching Edmonton closely, it is the kind of coaching choice that can say as much about the room as it does about the lineup card.
Jake Walmans situation only sharpened that conversation. The defenseman was scratched in a recent game despite the size of his commitment and the fact that he has already dealt with an upper-body injury this season, a move that underscores how quickly Babcock is willing to make hard calls. For Calgary fans, it is another reminder that Edmontons internal decisions can ripple beyond one night on the schedule, especially when a coach with Babcocks reputation starts drawing a line between trust, usage and accountability. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Suddenly Face A Crease And Lineup Problem Before Back To Back
The Flames had to adjust on the fly after a bruising night against Edmonton left their roster thinner at two important spots, and the timing is far from ideal with back-to-back games against Western Conference opponents coming up. Calgary turned to the Wranglers for help, bringing up forward William Strmgren and goaltender Arsenii Sergeev as it tries to stabilize both the lineup and the crease.
For now, the goaltending picture points toward Dustin Wolf carrying the load with Sergeev behind him, while the forward group will have to manage without Brennan Othmann. It is the kind of short-term disruption that can ripple through a schedule quickly, especially when the games keep coming and the Flames do not have much time to sort out the next move. [Read more 🡒]