Sun Jan 26 00:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Flames Head to Minnesota Riding High After Dominant Win Over Sabres
**Calgary, AB** – The Calgary Flames embark on a two-game road trip, starting tonight against the Minnesota Wild, carrying momentum from a resounding 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Thursday’s win saw the Flames overcome a 2-1 deficit with four unanswered goals, fueled by a potent offensive performance and an exceptional penalty kill that included two shorthanded goals – a feat the team hadn’t accomplished in six years.
Jakob Pelletier, Nazem Kadri, and Jonathan Huberdeau combined for eight points, while goaltender Dustin Wolf stopped 32 of 34 shots, earning his 25th win of the season in record-breaking time. Wolf’s performance marked a new franchise record for wins through the first 15 home games.
Coach Ryan Huska praised the team’s composure, particularly their penalty kill, stating, “I thought they were composed, I thought we had some chances on the penalty-kill as well. Hopefully it’s something that unit can continue to build on.”
The win moved the Flames three points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference wild-card race.
The Flames face a Wild team struggling after losing four of their last five games. While Minnesota welcomes back key players Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon from injury, their recent performance suggests a vulnerable opponent. Despite this, the Wild boast a strong home record and Kaprizov remains a significant offensive threat.
Historically, the Flames have fared well in Minnesota, holding a strong record against the Wild. Calgary aims to continue this trend and extend their impressive Saturday game record (7-3-2).
Meanwhile, the Flames made roster moves, assigning defenseman Tyson Barrie to the Calgary Wranglers on a conditioning loan and recalling forward Clark Bishop. Bishop made his NHL debut in Thursday’s game against Buffalo.
The Flames’ two-game road trip continues Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets. Their next back-to-back series is scheduled for the following weekend.
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