Flames roast Detroit 5-1

The Calgary Flames celebrate after Andrew Mangiapane #88 scored a goal against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Saddledome on October 17, 2019 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)

Calgary’s offensive strength was too much for the Red Wings at the Saddledome Thursday night. Exposing Detroit’s issues on both sides of the puck, the Flames ran off to take a 5-1 win handing Detroit their third consecutive loss. Team captain Mark Giordano was well in command scoring two points in the team’s biggest victory this season.

The Red Wings needed a win going into the second of a three-game road trip through Western Canada. Showing little effort as a team Tuesday against the Canucks, Detroit had to bring more pucks to the net by all their lines. The challenge for victory was high as the Flames did well at home going 2-0-1 in their last three. With young forwards on the squad, Calgary had the potential to run away with the lead and not look back.

The notion saw the Red Wings record the first two shots of the game but brought very little in terms of scoring chances. Calgary got into the mix taking three shots where one from Andrew Mangiapane was robbed by Jimmy Howard in net for Detroit. It was their third shot of the period that dug them in to commit the first goal.

Getting the puck around the boards in Detroit's zone, they caught the Red Wings sluggish. Sending the puck out to Giordano, the defenseman drove it to the net deflecting off the stick of Mangiapane. The puck bounced off the ice sending it over the shoulder of Howard and into the net for the 23-year old’s second of the season. The Flames kept the pucks coming as Shane Monahan nearly made it 2-0 only to see Howard make the save on their eighth shot.

A power play for the Red Wings late in the period opened the window to gain momentum. Instead of creating scoring chances, Detroit wasted it shooting once at Flames netminder David Rittich playing in net for the seventh time this season. The first came to a close with a third consecutive goalless streak for the Red Wings while being outshot 10-5.

Detroit knew that bringing some intensity would get them into action with the Flames and did so on a power play. Spending most of the penalty in the Calgary zone, they pressured Rittich several times but could not get the puck behind him. Despite not leveling up on the scoreboard, the energy was high for the Red Wings who kept creating scoring chances.

Halfway through the period, Detroit gave the Flames a second chance on the man advantage. With a great pass in front, Elias Lindholm made it 2-0 on a one-timer in the slot for his fifth. When it looked as if the wind was taken out of Detroit’s sails, they answered 28 seconds later with Darren Helm getting credit for a shot that Anthony Mantha thought was saved. Rittich was sure he had the puck locked between the pads. When Helm saw it slide toward the goal line, he put a stick on it to score his third and make it a one-goal margin.

With five minutes left, the shots on goals were 15-14 in favor of Detroit showing major improvement. Penalties continued to be a problem for Detroit and in the last two, they gave Calgary a shot to regain their two-goal lead. Terrific defense and great focus from Howard got the Red Wings out of the period with the score unchanged going into the third. They outshot Calgary 13-7 leaving hope that the momentum would roll into the decider.

Calgary got the edge coming into the third, bringing a high amount of energy that Detroit could not match. Milan Lucic went after Alex Beiga who had control of the puck at the boards, but lost it on impact by the big defenseman. Lucic connected with Sam Bennett whose shot scored the team’s third of the night and his first of the season. The gap widened in favor of the Flames as their scramble in front of Howard paid off with help from the opposition. Their attempt to clear the puck with Filip Hronek getting it away from the net but it ricocheted off Andreas Athanasiou’s skates and into the net. Derek Ryan earned credit for the goal notching his first and a 4-1 stand for Calgary.

The Red Wings found themselves down a forward as Helm and Lindholm got into it. The Michigan native responded after receiving an elbow to the head and slashed back. Lindholm's teammates did not take lightly to that, getting into a scuffle in front of Rittich. Helm was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

The teams played 4 on 4, but the lead for Calgary was in fine form even with a three-minute man advantage. With a minute and a half left in the penalty, they managed to score, getting plenty of pucks to the net. A final attempt from Giordano who scored on a centering shot from the far end, making it 5-1. With Detroit all but out, the Flames played the last five minutes trying to score another, but Howard was done letting any more in behind him.

In a period where they surged, shooting 20 at the Red Wings, Calgary finished the night with a huge win to end their homestand