Rookie G Wolf one of the driving forces behind Flames' playoff push
Published
Well past the halfway mark of the season, the Calgary Flames occupy the second wild-card spot with a 22-16-7 record and their rookie goalie has been a huge reason why.
Dustin Wolf, 23, has arguably been the club’s Most Valuable Player so far, with a stellar 16-7-2 record. Among the 38 goalies with at least 20 games played, Wolf is 12th in wins, fifth in save percentage (0.917), and ninth in goals-against average (2.50).
He’s taken over the Flames crease in the second half, starting seven of the team's past eight games. Head coach Ryan Huska sheltered Wolf earlier on in the season, but that’s changed. Earlier this season, Wolf would get the first start in back-to-backs and often face lesser opponents. Now, he’s going out in the second of back-to-backs, facing playoff teams, and playing after tough losses.
Huska gave Wolf the start in Winnipeg on Saturday after a tough outing in St. Louis on Thursday where he allowed four goals on 29 shots. Wolf rewarded the coach’s faith with 38 saves on 39 shots in the 3-1 win.
It is now Wolf’s crease.
“Probably one of his best games of the year in a situation that was difficult,” Huska said of Wolf, after Tuesday’s skate.
“We had a lot of conversation about who we were gonna start [in Winnipeg]. But the game in St. Louis, really, two goals that he would probably tell you he wasn’t all that happy with. This gave us a chance to see how he would respond at the NHL level against a very good team.”
Flames coaches have applauded Wolf’s ability to read and anticipate plays. He said he doesn’t try to rely heavily on pre-scouting opponents.
“Just trying to be aware of everything going on around you,” Wolf said.
“After a game, if I can check off a box that I was scanning the ice well and plays before they happen and know where guys are, that’s the objective. You want to be one step ahead of them.”
They also love that ability to bounce back after bad games.
“There’s probably two [goals] in that St. Louis game I certainly should have had, or at least given myself a better opportunity to have,” Wolf said.
“You’ve got a brief time to reflect and then you want to come back the next night and show one, you belong to be back in there, and you want to help your team win.”
Wolf and his teammates enjoyed two straight days off after that victory in Winnipeg, a rare break during the season.
Huska acknowledged that, given the gruelling style he wants the Flames to play and the condensed schedule ahead of the Four Nations Face-Off, rest is crucial. Calgary doesn’t play until Thursday when they host the Buffalo Sabres.
“I think it was good for the players, to get them away mentally and physically,” he said.
Huska added that the extra days off play in to the club’s identity.
“I look at the travel a lot,” he said. "When we come home and we land at two or one [in the morning], it’s hard on the players, especially if you’re changing time zones. That factors into a lot of the decisions.
"We want to be a team that’s hard to play against. That’s what we would like people to say about our team when they leave here. In order to do that, you have to make sure [the Flames players] are sharp mentally and physically. If that means we have to give them a lighter skate or a shorter practice or an extra day off here or there, then that’s something we’ll do.”
Flames lines at practice
Rooney-Kadri-Pospisil
Coleman-Backlund-Coronato
Pelletier-Sharangovich-Kuzmenko
Lomberg-Kerins-Duehr
Bahl-Andersson
Weegar-Miromanov
Bean-Pachal
Hanley-Barrie
Vladar
Wolf