Assertive Huberdeau snaps scoring drought, Flames win second straight

Six minutes into the third period on Thursday night, Calgary Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau looked skyward, exhaled, and grinned. 

The 30-year-old left winger, benched just eight days earlier, had just scored the fourth goal in an eventual Flames’ 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. It was his first goal in 11 games. Captain Mikael Backlund immediately skated over and the two embraced. Fans at the Saddledome then gave Huberdeau a lengthy ovation. 

The response from the fans meant the world to him.

“It’s been a while,” Huberdeau said afterwards.

“I took it in. It’s nice to get the support from the crowd. They’ve been patient.”

“We have great fans here and what they do recognize is hard work,” head coach Ryan Huska said.

“You could see that from him tonight…it goes a long way for a player that’s working to find his way.”

Just a week prior, Huberdeau was answering questions about that third period versus the Nashville Predators in a 4-2 loss where he did not see a single shift. He’d been quiet on the ice in the three games since, but broke out on Thursday. Not only did he record two points, Huberdeau also looked far more engaged and assertive. Huberdeau’s line with Backlund and Blake Coleman had over 80 per cent of the five-on-five shots when they were on the ice. It was a glimpse of the Huberdeau that Flames fans have longed to see.

“It was a nice goal, too,” Dillon Dube said, adding that his teammate had a big block in the dying stages of the game to set up Elias Lindholm’s empty netter that sealed the win.

“All around, he had a really good night.”

Since coming to Calgary two summers ago, teammates and coaches have constantly praised Huberdeau’s work ethic and positivity. 

Dube defended him after last week’s benching and again praised him on Thursday. Despite the tough circumstances and the spotlight of being in a Canadian market, Huberdeau has been open and honest, often answering questions in front of cameras about his play with a smile and dollop of self-deprecating humour. He’s embraced life in southern Alberta, and teammates were thrilled to see him finally get rewarded.

“You learn a ton from him,” Dube said.

"He’s played for however long and his attitude coming to the rink everyday, he’s positive and trying to get better…that feeds off on everyone that he’s here, showing up to work.”

Huberdeau’s was one of several stellar performances by the Flames (6-8-2) on Thursday against the Canucks (12-4-1), who sit in second place in the Western Conference standings two points back of the defending Stanley Cup-champion Vegas Golden Knights.

Once again, goalie Jacob Markstrom played well, stopping 20 of 22 shots. Centre Elias Lindholm had three points. Blueliners MacKenzie Weegar and Noah Hanifin scored. Rookie Martin Pospisil rattled the Canucks with his physicality. Nazem Kadri was noticeable. At times, Calgary had Vancouver pinned for consecutive shifts. After losing six straight, Calgary now has points in five of their last six games and is steadily climbing up in the Pacific Division. 

“We got great goaltending again tonight,” Huska said.

“I think we’re doing a much better job with details in regards to what we’re doing with the puck…I think we’re starting to figure it out a little more in our own zone.”

“A lot has changed [since the losing streak],” Lindholm said.

“We’re following the system more, more dialed in, winning more battles, we’re working harder…we’re one of those teams that needs to work harder than the other team to win games. I think we’re realizing that.”

Sixteen games into the season, it seems like the Flames are starting to figure out how to win together – even with distractions like public trade requests and trade banter about pending free agents. Lindholm alluded to them not having the skillset of other teams and how they need to grind out wins.

Markstrom has consistently given them a chance to win every night. They looked far more creative and fast in the offensive zone. But while 19 players suit up on a nightly basis, the Flames and Huberdeau’s fortunes are very much tied to one another, both in the short- and long-term.

Should he continue to rediscover his swag, Calgary’s chances of making the playoffs increase dramatically. Huska praised Huberdeau but noted that Thursday has to be the start of something bigger. 

“Happy for him for sure, but now he’s got to find a way to do it again against the Islanders [on Saturday],” Huska said.

“And that’s what he wants. That’s what he strives for. He wants to be consistent. He wants to be a guy that’s on the ice at the right times.”