Flames 2*, Islanders 1 (*SO): Wolf at the door stymies Isles

Another point, but another missed opportunity. Also: another Engvall goal!

The New York Islanders’ winding, quadruple-border-crossing road trip continued in Calgary on Tuesday with a new wrinkle on a similar theme: Good effort overall at 5-on-5, but not enough offense and a stuttering power play meant their chance for two points slipped away with a 2-1 shootout loss.

They still managed one point, via a shootout loss, and perhaps could’ve had more but for a rock-solid performance by rookie Flames goalie Dustin Wolf. He was beaten only one time, including the shootout, and a third-period Flames power play — their first and only of the game — forced the game into extra time. After the goalies stopped both teams’ best chances in overtime (Semyon Varlamov had a really good game too), Calgary took the extra point with two conversions in the breakaway exhibition.

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It was a sleepy start to the first period, which initially hinted that the Isles might not carry their strong play from the previous two games into this one. An early Flames penalty 26 seconds in did the Islanders no favors, and Calgary’s kill might’ve put some spring in their step.

But things settled down and the first period finished even overall, and scoreless. The second period continued the same, with mostly tight, low-event play interrupted by the occasional scoring chance that seemed to come out of nowhere. But the lens was a little different, as November Pierre Engvall broke the deadlock just 1:32 in. His third goal in three games capped a good forecheck and cross-zone puck movement. His quick drag-and-fire move from the left faceoff circle changed the angle just enough to beat Dustin Wolf to the far post.

The Flames only managed another seven shots in the period, but Semyon Varlamov had some good saves to keep it 1-0 at the second intermission.

The Islanders did not sit on their one-goal lead to open the third. In fact, they showed quite a bit of jump, with pressure that forced multiple really good saves from Dustin Wolf through the first six minutes. Noah Dobson made a great move through the Flames D to walk in on Wolf, which was preceded by a golden chance for Bo Horvat that looked like it would be a critical insurance goal.

But they had some leaks, and the hockey gods made them pay. A Flames pushback led to a faceoff in the Isles zone, on which Scott Mayfield took the first Islanders penalty of the game.

The Flames power play is just as bad as the Islanders, but they were able to cash in after steadily amping up the pressure in the final 40 seconds. Calgary arguably shouldn’t have still been on the power play, as Casey Cizikas was taken out in the slot in what looked like clear interference.

Alas, the Islanders’ cries went unheeded, and Rasmus Andersson’s shot made it through to tie it 1-1 at 8:17.

After the equalizer, both opposite-conference teams downshifted into a more conservative approach to preserve the regulation point, but hockey being hockey, there were moments where that nearly backfired for each team.

With seven minutes left, the Isles had a couple good stretches of pressure that forced two icings out of the Flames. It ended with a Kyle Palmieri one-timer that Wolf ate, allowing for a TV timeout and change.

The Flames had a big push with three minutes left, generating chances ranging from Nazem Kadri off Varlamov’s mask to a wide-open Mikael Backlund rebound that Varly reached across to stop with his toe.

Brock Nelson then had a partial break to unleash his lethal wrist shot, but Wolf came out to cut down the space.

Overtime

The Flames controlled the first minute of OT, with Long Islander Matt Coronato getting the best chance alone, forcing a great save from Varlamov. The Isles had some pressure in the next minute, but Casey Cizikas couldn’t fish a chance from between his legs as he cruised across the top of the crease

Brock Nelson was tripped coming out of the Isles zone, and the Isles pulled Varlamov for a, er, fourth attacker, but Palmieri gained the Calgary line and handed the puck over to force a whistle, timeout and offensive zone faceoff.

On the power play, the Isles coughed it up or whiffed two critical times, but Noah Dobson had a lovely one-timer that rank off the crossbar and out.

Shootout

So it went to the shootout. Palmieri and Bo Horvat each missed their straight-on shots, while the Flames converted their second and third tries to seal the bonus point.

Up Next

This long, long road trip finally comes to a conclusion Thursday in Detroit.