5 Things - Flames @ Lightning

1. Keep The Momentum Rolling

What a way to start a tough trip.

The Flames are on the road for close to two weeks, taking on some challenging opponents as their push for a playoff spot continues and the first spot on this lengthy journey?

Washington.

The Capitals are one of the best teams in the NHL this season and came into Tuesday's contest on a roll but the Flames were undeterred. They came out absolutely flying - thanks in large part to the fourth line, which started the game and immediately hemmed Washington into their own zone - and put together one of their best road periods of the season. Martin Pospisil and Matt Coronato scored in the opening stanza, quieting the crowd at Capital One Arena.

Washington pushed hard in the second but thanks to Dan Vladar's play, Calgary came out with a 2-0 lead through 40 minutes.

In the third, Alex Ovechkin was able to get a shot past Vladar while the Caps were on the powerplay but Jonathan Huberdeau was able to halt any sort of momentum they gained from it, scoring his team-leading 22nd goal of the year with just under 5:00 left in regulation.

"We came out ready to play, and we knew we were playing a really good team that’s been really good at home," Rasmus Andersson said afterwards. "We didn’t give ‘em a whole lot in the first period - managed to score two - we knew they were going to come with a push, especially in the second with a few powerplays. We weathered the storm. Tight game there, then our top guys stepped up big and scored an important 3-1 goal. Massive win on the road to kick off the trip."

Vladar, who is now two games shy of 100 in his career, ended the evening with 26 saves and plenty of praise post-game.

"I thought he was excellent," head coach Ryan Huska said. "But, you know, most of his starts over the last little while have been like that. You look at the game in Seattle - the last one he was in, in Seattle - he was really good for us, again.

"He’s a very good goaltender, and he’d probably like to have a few more starts at this point of the season, and to be quite honest with you, there’s been some nights where he’s deserved to go back in again. He’s just done a really good job, and he’s been a really supportive teammate."

It was a statement win that gives the club something to build off in another tough test tonight when they take on Tampa at 5:00 p.m. MT (Sportsnet West).

2. Know Your Enemy

Much like Washington was, Tampa is rolling.

The Lightning head into tonight's clash on a six-game winning streak, with their most recent victory coming over the Flames' provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers.

On Tuesday, they picked up a 4-1 win over the Oilers at Amalie Arena and now have a 33-20-4 record and 70 points on the year. Nikita Kucherov had two assists in the win, which brings him to 85 points through 54 games, while Michael Eyssimont, Brandon Hagel, Victor Hedman, and Nick Paul found the back of the net. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 23 saves.

"We're not giving up a slew of chances," Tampa coach Jon Cooper told NHL.com. "The odd-man rushes aren't there. We've done a good job in concentrating on the area that you need to to win. It sounds simple and boring, but puck management is a big thing. How we've managed the puck ... we're letting the game come to us. The guys are working their tails off."

During their winning streak, the Lightning have given up just 12 goals - a point of pride in their locker room.

"We have not given up much the last few games," Vasilevskiy told NHL.com. "Playing good defence and when we have scoring chances we're scoring goals. It's simple."

3. Fast Facts

Ryan Lomberg recorded an assist on Martin Pospisil’s goal on Tuesday in Washington, giving him helpers in back-to-back games. This is the first time Lomberg has recorded points in back-to-back games with Calgary.

The Flames opened the scoring against the Capitals on Tuesday, which was the 31st time this season they've scored first in games. This trails only the Sabres (35), Blue Jackets (35), Wild (34), Avalanche (33), Flyers (32) and Lightning (32) for the most among all teams. Calgary has scored the first goal of a game in five of their seven contests through February. Jonathan Huberdeau has scored the first goal in eight of those games this year, ranking him second in the NHL in this category.

Nazem Kadri leads the Flames in scoring in February, compiling three goals and nine points over the last seven games.

Yegor Sharangovich needs five goals to hit 100 in his career.

Rasmus Andersson sits fourth in the NHL in blocked shots, throwing himself in front of 141 this year.

Martin Pospisil is seventh in the NHL in hits, with 199 to his name through 57 games played.

4. Mr. 600

Tonight will mark Blake Coleman's 600th NHL game, fittingly coming in the city he won back-to-back Stanley Cups in. The veteran forward played a key role in their postseason success, scoring 13 points in 25 games during the NHL's playoff bubble in 2020 and posted 11 points in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He joined the Flames as a free agent in the summer of 2021 and has played in 298 games with the club, scoring 76 goals and 154 points with Calgary. He set his career-highs in scoring with the Flames, posting 30 goals and 54 points in the 2023-24 campaign.

Coleman was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2011, being selected in the third round (75th overall) that summer. In 599 career games, he's amassed 147 goals and 280 points. Since his first game in the league in 2016-17, he has thrown 1306 hits, ranking him 29th out of all NHL players during that stretch.

5. Players To Watch

Flames - Jonathan Huberdeau

Huberdeau kicked off this lengthy trip in fine fashion, scoring a crucial goal late in Tuesday's win in Washington, quelling the momentum the Caps were trying to build after Alex Ovechkin's powerplay tally in the third period. His 22nd goal of the year also extended his point streak, which now sits at six games - his longest point streak since being acquired by the Flames in the summer of 2022. During that stretch, Huberdeau has amassed three goals and seven points.

The veteran forward has also had plenty of success against the Lightning, scoring 17 goals and 51 points in 47 career games against Tampa.

Lightning - Victor Hedman

Named the first star in Tampa's 4-1 win over the Oilers on Tuesday, Hedman was a plus-two and scored one goal in the victory. The veteran leads all Lightning defencemen in scoring with 45 points through 55 games this season and leads all Tampa skaters when it comes to ice time, averaging 23:29 this year.