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<p>The Calgary Flames hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon in the Flames&#8217; final game before their Christmas break.</p>
<p>With a week off waiting in the wings, the Flames played pretty well for 40 minutes and then hung on for dear life in the third period. After leading 5-1 after two periods, they held on for a 6-4 victory over Chicago.</p>
<h1>The rundown</h1>
<p>The first half of the first period was a bit of a goaltending duel. Neither goalie was especially busy, but both had to make some big saves on some high-danger chances. Dustin Wolf made big stops on Connor Bedard and Ilya Mikheyev, while Petr Mrazek used his paddle to make a big stop on Jake Bean in-close.</p>
<p>With Mikael Backlund serving an interference minor, the Flames scored their first shorthanded goal in 33 games. Blake Coleman battled at the Flames&#8217; blueline to clear a loose puck into the neutral zone. Jonathan Huberdeau alertly took control of the puck, sped into the Chicago zone and cut to the front of the net. He beat Mrazek to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🔥FLAMES GOAL🔥</p>
<p>Jonathan Huberdeau scores an incredible short handed goal! That&#39;s his 13th of the season. He had 12 goals all of last season. </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/UPchFHpAtk">pic.twitter.com/UPchFHpAtk</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870583447271686271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>67 seconds later, the Flames scored again. The penalty kill ended and the Flames made a personnel change. Nazem Kadri intercepted an errant puck from Chicago in the neutral zone, then skated into the Blackhawks zone and fired a low wrist shot that beat Mrazek to give the Flames a 2-0 lead.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🔥FLAMES GOAL🔥</p>
<p>Now Nazem Kadri scores his 13th goal of the season! It&#39;s 2-0 Flames! </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/pizbvMtIY3">pic.twitter.com/pizbvMtIY3</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870584443674448201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Later still, Huberdeau had a penalty shot opportunity, but Mrazek made a save.</p>
<p>First period shots were 15-8 Flames. Via Natural Stat Trick, five-on-five scoring chances were 12-10 Flames (high-danger chances were 3-2 Blackhawks).</p>
<p>The Flames pressed for much of the second period, but couldn&#8217;t score. The Blackhawks intercepted a pass in their own zone and went on an odd-man rush into the Flames&#8217; zone. Taylor Hall found Connor Bedard with a nice pass and Bedard&#8217;s one-timer beat Wolf to cut Calgary&#8217;s lead to 2-1.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Connor Bedard cuts the Calgary lead to one. </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/SziKZq2pTX">pic.twitter.com/SziKZq2pTX</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870594608671203767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>But the Flames responded back 28 seconds later. Off a rush opportunity, Yegor Sharangovich&#8217;s initial shot was blocked by a Chicago defender, but Jakob Pelletier alertly grabbed the loose puck and fed it to Connor Zary, whose wrister found the open net behind Mrazek to give the Flames a 3-1 lead.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🔥FLAMES GOAL🔥</p>
<p>Jakob Pelletier finds Connor Zary who buries it! </p>
<p>It&#39;s 3-1!</p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/FAits5yXcr">pic.twitter.com/FAits5yXcr</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870595528192573726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>A little later, Martin Pospisil stepped into Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar. He had previously stepped into Bedard and the Blackhawks were unhappy with these hits, so Ryan Donato jumped Pospisil and a scrum ensued. The Flames ended up with a power play.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Martin Pospisil crushes Frank Nazar and then gets jumped by Ryan Danato</p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/Uc8zYVKUlM">pic.twitter.com/Uc8zYVKUlM</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870596394408612307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>On the power play that resulted from the Pospisil scrum, Huberdeau fed Matt Coronato near the Chicago net and he beat Mrazek to make it 4-1 Flames.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🔥FLAMES GOAL🔥</p>
<p>Matt Coronato scores the Flames 4th goal of the game! </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/ikrEaQKf3N">pic.twitter.com/ikrEaQKf3N</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870597446696620292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Late in the period, the Flames added some insurance. Bean fired the puck on net and it glanced off a Blackhawks player and was deftly deflected by Coleman past Mrazek to give the Flames a 5-1 lead.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🔥FLAMES GOAL🔥</p>
<p>Blake Coleman scores! It&#39;s 5-1 Flames! </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/KAYxWh7fOh">pic.twitter.com/KAYxWh7fOh</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870599891329642774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Second period shots were 10-10. Five-on-five scoring chances were 8-5 Blackhawks (high-danger chances were 2-2).</p>
<p>Early in the third period, Tyler Bertuzzi scored off a cycle play after the Flames kept struggling to clear their own zone. That cut the lead to 5-2.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tyler Bertuzzi scores for Chicago. It&#39;s 5-2. </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/LHEa1AGTio">pic.twitter.com/LHEa1AGTio</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870605945383817549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>On a single sequence, both Kevin Bahl and Backlund took minor penalties. On the resulting two-man advantage, Bertuzzi parked himself at the far post and converted a great pass from Bedard to cut the Flames&#8217; lead to 5-3.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tyler Bertuzzi scores again. It&#39;s 5-3. </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/Yu7mQzzFLr">pic.twitter.com/Yu7mQzzFLr</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870611494980792379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Chicago pulled Mrazek for the extra attacker and kept pressing. Mikheyev jammed in a loose puck off a scramble following an initial Wolf save to cut the Flames&#8217; lead to 5-4.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ilya Mikheyev scores for the 4th straight game. He continues to stay hot. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/cgzZJYWogb">pic.twitter.com/cgzZJYWogb</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) <a href="https://twitter.com/CRoumeliotis/status/1870617183858081862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>But Backlund added an empty-netter with 23 seconds left in regulation to halt Chicago&#8217;s comeback. The Flames won 6-4.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🔥FLAMES GOAL🔥</p>
<p>Mikael Backlund puts this one away with the empty netter!</p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flames</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/pCysCW3lhf">pic.twitter.com/pCysCW3lhf</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870616266060534101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Third period shots were 10-5 Blackhawks. Five-on-five scoring chances were 5-0 Blackhawks (high-danger chances were 2-0 Blackhawks).</p>
<h1>Why the Flames won</h1>
<p>Give the Flames credit: the final game before Christmas, especially at home, can be a bit of a grind. But the Flames were <em>generally</em> pretty good. Were they a bit leaky defensively at times? Yeah. Did they take too many penalties? Sure. Did they take their foot off the gas in the third period? Definitely. And it made the game way closer than it probably should&#8217;ve been.</p>
<h1>Red Warrior</h1>
<p>A lot of players in red had strong games. We&#8217;ll single out Huberdeau here for his strong special teams work.</p>
<p>But honorable mentions to Zary, Pelletier and Coronato.</p>
<h1>Turning point</h1>
<p>The Flames responded back from Bedard&#8217;s goal immediately, which allowed them to maintain their momentum and then pile up a few goals. (That turned out to be important later.)</p>
<h1>This and that</h1>
<p>Huberdeau has surpassed last season&#8217;s goal total. Already. He scored 12 in 2023-24 and already has 13 this season.</p>
<p>The prior Flames shorthanded goal was on Oct. 9, scored by Anthony Mantha in the season-opener.</p>
<h1>Up next</h1>
<p>The Flames (16-11-7) are off for the holiday break! They&#8217;re back in action on Dec. 28 when they visit the San Jose Sharks.</p>
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<em class="text-lg italic">This article is brought to you by bet365.</em>

The Calgary Flames hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon in the Flames' final game before their Christmas break.

With a week off waiting in the wings, the Flames played pretty well for 40 minutes and then hung on for dear life in the third period. After leading 5-1 after two periods, they held on for a 6-4 victory over Chicago.
<h1>The rundown</h1>
The first half of the first period was a bit of a goaltending duel. Neither goalie was especially busy, but both had to make some big saves on some high-danger chances. Dustin Wolf made big stops on Connor Bedard and Ilya Mikheyev, while Petr Mrazek used his paddle to make a big stop on Jake Bean in-close.

With Mikael Backlund serving an interference minor, the Flames scored their first shorthanded goal in 33 games. Blake Coleman battled at the Flames' blueline to clear a loose puck into the neutral zone. Jonathan Huberdeau alertly took control of the puck, sped into the Chicago zone and cut to the front of the net. He beat Mrazek to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870583447271686271

67 seconds later, the Flames scored again. The penalty kill ended and the Flames made a personnel change. Nazem Kadri intercepted an errant puck from Chicago in the neutral zone, then skated into the Blackhawks zone and fired a low wrist shot that beat Mrazek to give the Flames a 2-0 lead.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870584443674448201

Later still, Huberdeau had a penalty shot opportunity, but Mrazek made a save.

First period shots were 15-8 Flames. Via Natural Stat Trick, five-on-five scoring chances were 12-10 Flames (high-danger chances were 3-2 Blackhawks).

The Flames pressed for much of the second period, but couldn't score. The Blackhawks intercepted a pass in their own zone and went on an odd-man rush into the Flames' zone. Taylor Hall found Connor Bedard with a nice pass and Bedard's one-timer beat Wolf to cut Calgary's lead to 2-1.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870594608671203767

But the Flames responded back 28 seconds later. Off a rush opportunity, Yegor Sharangovich's initial shot was blocked by a Chicago defender, but Jakob Pelletier alertly grabbed the loose puck and fed it to Connor Zary, whose wrister found the open net behind Mrazek to give the Flames a 3-1 lead.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870595528192573726

A little later, Martin Pospisil stepped into Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar. He had previously stepped into Bedard and the Blackhawks were unhappy with these hits, so Ryan Donato jumped Pospisil and a scrum ensued. The Flames ended up with a power play.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870596394408612307

On the power play that resulted from the Pospisil scrum, Huberdeau fed Matt Coronato near the Chicago net and he beat Mrazek to make it 4-1 Flames.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870597446696620292

Late in the period, the Flames added some insurance. Bean fired the puck on net and it glanced off a Blackhawks player and was deftly deflected by Coleman past Mrazek to give the Flames a 5-1 lead.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870599891329642774

Second period shots were 10-10. Five-on-five scoring chances were 8-5 Blackhawks (high-danger chances were 2-2).

Early in the third period, Tyler Bertuzzi scored off a cycle play after the Flames kept struggling to clear their own zone. That cut the lead to 5-2.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870605945383817549

On a single sequence, both Kevin Bahl and Backlund took minor penalties. On the resulting two-man advantage, Bertuzzi parked himself at the far post and converted a great pass from Bedard to cut the Flames' lead to 5-3.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870611494980792379

Chicago pulled Mrazek for the extra attacker and kept pressing. Mikheyev jammed in a loose puck off a scramble following an initial Wolf save to cut the Flames' lead to 5-4.

https://twitter.com/CRoumeliotis/status/1870617183858081862

But Backlund added an empty-netter with 23 seconds left in regulation to halt Chicago's comeback. The Flames won 6-4.

https://twitter.com/RingOfFireCGY/status/1870616266060534101

Third period shots were 10-5 Blackhawks. Five-on-five scoring chances were 5-0 Blackhawks (high-danger chances were 2-0 Blackhawks).
<h1>Why the Flames won</h1>
Give the Flames credit: the final game before Christmas, especially at home, can be a bit of a grind. But the Flames were <em>generally</em> pretty good. Were they a bit leaky defensively at times? Yeah. Did they take too many penalties? Sure. Did they take their foot off the gas in the third period? Definitely. And it made the game way closer than it probably should've been.
<h1>Red Warrior</h1>
A lot of players in red had strong games. We'll single out Huberdeau here for his strong special teams work.

But honorable mentions to Zary, Pelletier and Coronato.
<h1>Turning point</h1>
The Flames responded back from Bedard's goal immediately, which allowed them to maintain their momentum and then pile up a few goals. (That turned out to be important later.)
<h1>This and that</h1>
Huberdeau has surpassed last season's goal total. Already. He scored 12 in 2023-24 and already has 13 this season.

The prior Flames shorthanded goal was on Oct. 9, scored by Anthony Mantha in the season-opener.
<h1>Up next</h1>
The Flames (16-11-7) are off for the holiday break! They're back in action on Dec. 28 when they visit the San Jose Sharks.
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Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (32) guards his net against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome.

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