PHILADELPHIA — The two guys returning to Philly got their due, but it was the guy who returned to form that got Calgary the win.
Abruptly ending the Calgary Flames’ recent scoring woes with two goals in the opening ten minutes, Connor Zary spearheaded a 6-3 win over the Flyers that saw one of the club’s most talented youngsters get back on track.
“It felt great to get out there and kind of do what I’m supposed to be doing,” said Zary, following the first multi-goal game of his young career.
“I think it takes a little bit of weight off your shoulders to allow me to just go play.
“It’s just good to get the two points and get the win. I think we needed that after how the last few games have gone. To put up six goals is big.”
Playing their fifth game of a six-game road trip, the Flames had only scored once in their previous three outings — a power-play marker.
Like everyone, Zary felt the heat as he had failed to record a point in his first five games back from a knee injury that cost him six weeks.
On Tuesday, his frustration was likely compounded by a demotion to the fourth line.
Although quickly promoted to the top line once the game started, his response came in the form of a redirected goal seven minutes in that did wonders to help lighten the mood on the bench.
“Absolutely it did,” beamed coach Ryan Huska, who watched Nazem Kadri and Zary round out a three-goal binge in a two-minute span that finished with a season-high four goals in the period.
“And then when you got the two quick ones after that, then it felt like a lot of weight was off their shoulders.
“I didn’t think it would be six, but I had a feeling we were going to score.”
Huska’s hunch stemmed from the team’s emotional finish in Carolina Sunday when the team’s suddenly-clicking penalty kill earned the club a loser point with a gritty four-minute kill late in the game.
Buoyed by an emotional return to Philadelphia for teammates Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, the Flames managed to chase Samuel Ersson from the game nine minutes in.
Watching from the crowd, in a Flames hoodie, was the club’s guest coach at the morning skate, Guy Gaudreau.
Shortly thereafter, one of the men traded for the duo, Andrei Kuzmenko, narrowed the gap to 3-1 before Frost and Farabee were welcomed back with a video tribute that had the crowd on their feet.
It was all part of a memorable evening for Frost, who had two assists and a sweet, between-the-legs attempt in close that led to MacKenzie Weegar’s power-play clincher in the third.
And while Yegor Sharangovich’s first goal after being a healthy scratch was the game-winner late in the first period, Zary’s early strikes made him the game’s star.
The relief in the dressing room was as much about the win as it was about how they did it — with offence to spare.
“I think at the end of the day, when you don’t score five-on-five for three games, the gates gotta flood open at some time,” said Zary, who scored his 11th and 12th of the year.
“I think anyone here would be lying to say it didn’t feel good to put up more than one goal.”
Kadri had predicted after the Carolina loss that goals would soon come in bunches.
“I guess I really do know what I’m talking about, huh?” smiled Kadri, whose club got 24 saves from Dustin Wolf and an empty-netter from Matt Coronato.
“For (Zary), as a young player trying to establish yourself in this league, I think coming back from a serious injury is a huge obstacle you’ve got to hurdle over.
“He’s done a great job with his rehab, and he came back maybe not how he necessarily wanted, but stuck with it. I’m happy for him.”
The win gives the Flames a 2-2-1 record as they head to Dallas to close out a 12-day trip that will be punctuated by Friday’s trade deadline.
