5 Things - Flames @ Canucks

1. About Last Night

It really was a play in five acts, sandwiched by a strong start and finish for the Flames, who arrived in Vancouver early Sunday morning after a 3-2 shootout triumph over the Stars.

READ SATURDAY'S GAME STORY HERE

There were moments of brilliance: Matt Coronato's opening salvo, Nazem Kadri's shootout winner, save after save including a second-period web gem from Devin Cooley.

There were moments of anger, too, the 'Dome's collective blood brought to a boil after Coronato was sent hurtling face-first into the boards by Mikko Rantanen late in the second stanza.

But above all, there was a happy ending, and good feelings as Calgary opens a five-game trip that will see them lay eyes upon both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

And a deserved pair of points, according to the bench boss.

"I liked our game, pretty much for the full 60 minutes," Head Coach Ryan Huska surmised. "I thought early, we gave up some chances in the first period with that powerplay that they did have.

"As the night went on, I thought we were pretty good 5-on-5, and I thought our special teams tonight were excellent, which is a great thing for us."

And so, the Flames have spent the week in the Central, Eastern and Mountain time zones, so why not cap it all off with a trip to the Pacific Sunday evening.

More travel miles, but along with it another chance to make a statement.

For players to keep feeling rays of sunshine as the long winter settles in.

"There was a lot of our players, tonight, I thought were good players," Huska said Saturday of his group's workmanlike effort against Dallas. "It was a good night for a lot of guys.

"Now the challenge is to build off it, in a tougher road game tomorrow."

2. Know Your Enemy

Tonight's matchup will cap off quite the sporting weekend in Vancouver. Friday night, the Goldeneyes scored an overtime win in their inaugural PWHL game at a sold-out Pacific Coliseum. Then last night, the Whitecaps advanced to the MLS Western Conference Final with a shootout win in front of more than 50,000 spectators.

The Canucks have been idle, though, since Thursday, when they suffered a 4-2 setback at the hands of the Stars on home ice. Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson scored in the first frame, but Dallas broke the tie and secured the win in the final stanza.

The team skated Saturday at Rogers Arena, but defenceman Filip Hronek did not skate due to illness.

Pettersson and Hughes are tied for the team lead in scoring with 20 points apiece, though Hughes holds the upper hand in the month of November with 13 points (all assists) to Pettersson's 12. Jake DeBrusk and Drew O'Connor have a half-dozen goals each since the calendar flipped over from October.

With Thatcher Demko on injured reserve, Finnish netminder Kevin Lankinen has assumed the No.-1 role between the pipes. He's helped Vancouver earn at least a point in three of his last five outings.

3. Fast Facts

2025-26 Season Series

Tonight marks the second of three meetings this season between the Flames and Canucks, and the second to take place in B.C.

Vancouver took both points in the opener, a 5-1 decision at Rogers Arena Oct. 9, with Morgan Frost supplying the lone goal for Calgary.

After tonight's game, the two teams won't meet again until Mar. 28 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Did You Know?

In addition to his two assists and shootout winner Saturday night, Nazem Kadri drew a pair of first-period minor penalties against the Stars, bringing his season total to 10.

That's three off the league lead (shared by four players including Connor McDavid and rookie Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer), but Kadri knows a thing or two about finishing top of the crop in terms of helping his team get on the powerplay.

Kadri and Ottawa's Tim Stutzle each drew 38 penalties to lead the League during the 2024-25 campaign.

4. All About Bahl

Saturday's game might not have gotten to a shootout were it not for some overtime bravado from Kevin Bahl.

Remember Mason McTavish's heroics for Canada in the World Juniors a few years ago? Well Bahl's play was right along the same lines. With just over a minute left in the extra frame, the Calgary defender swatted a puck destined for the goal out of mid-air, and away to safety, preserving what was - at the time - a 2-2 tie.

It's just the latest bit of defensive heroism in what's become a growing resume for Bahl, who leads the Flames with a +9 rating this season.

5. Players To Watch

Flames - Matt Coronato

Saturday's performance was Red Blazer-worthy, no doubt, but Coronato's body of work over the past week or so has been nothing short of impressive.

His powerplay goal Saturday opened the scoring - a quick turn and tuck from the goalline that flummoxed Stars netminder Casey DeSmith - but it also extended his career-best streak to four consecutive games with a tally (and now five goals in his past six contests).

Coronato's been extra-special on special teams, too, leading the Flames with five powerplay markers entering tonight's game on the West Coast.

Canucks - Jake DeBrusk

DeBrusk has lit the lamp a half-dozen times in the month of November as mentioned above, and fans in Vancouver are quickly beginning to learn that it might just be the Albertan's favourite month of the year.

Over his career, DeBrusk has scored more goals (36) and points (61) in November than any other month and over the past 23 days, he's lighting the lamp on nearly 20% of his shots on goal.

Five of DeBrusk's six goals this November have come on the powerplay, including his tallies this past Sunday and Monday in back-to-back road contests at Tampa Bay and Florida.