CALGARY, Alberta — Much like the Columbus Blue Jackets did nearly two months ago, the Calgary Flames celebrated the lives of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau on Tuesday with a stirring, emotional ceremony in Scotiabank Saddledome.
There were tears, on the ice and in the crowd. There were hugs, not just between the players from each club and the Gaudreau family but also among opposing players. These franchises — these cities — are an indelible part of Johnny Hockey’s legacy, and they celebrated his life with a stunning combination of class and compassion.
Rarely has a final score, or a winner or loser, meant less. But the Flames rode two power-play goals and a stifling defensive effort to a 3-0 win over the Blue Jackets, snapping Columbus’ six-game point streak and marking the first time the Jackets had been shut out this season.
The pregame ceremony included a video tribute to Gaudreau, who spent nine seasons with the Flames. It ended with a ceremonial puck drop from the red carpet. Gaudreau’s parents, Guy and Jane, and his widow, Meredith, dropped the puck while the Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan and the Flames’ Mikael Backlund — two of Gaudreau’s closest former teammates — took the draw.
“I thought it was awesome,” Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski said. “It was definitely hard to get yourself back into (game mode) right away. The video tribute was great. The fans were great for the Gaudreau family, and just seeing them on the ice was great.
“Definitely tough to gather yourself, but I thought it was very well done by them. It definitely took a few shifts, that’s for sure.”
The Blue Jackets and Flames players all wore No. 13 Johnny Gaudreau jerseys when they took warmups. Fans, many wearing Gaudreau’s jersey, lined the on-glass seats of the Saddledome’s lower bowl holding their homemade signs.
“It was nice to see the entire Gaudreau clan in Calgary,” Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger said. “Them being here. Them wanting to be here. They have all of the support in the world from both organizations.
“Just to see their faces and to get any type of smile is a true blessing.”
It’s no surprise Tuesday’s game was nothing like the game played between the Flames and Blue Jackets in Columbus just last Friday. That game had three fights, several massive hits and plenty of acrimony between the sides.
Understandably, Tuesday’s game was a bit more subdued.
The Blue Jackets had a season-low 16 shots on goal, including a 23:41 stretch from the end of the first period through most of the second period in which they failed to make Calgary goaltender Dan Vladar make a single stop.
The game also marked the end of Werenski’s career-long eight-game point streak, as well as Kent Johnson’s string of having scored in every game in which he’s played this season. The Jackets got one puck past Vladar early in the first period (Werenski scored it); the goal was overturned when replays showed it was offside.
Coach Dean Evason noted the Blue Jackets “didn’t have the same pop we’ve had,” but it’s also true that whatever energy they had early seemed to fizzle when Werenski’s goal was overturned.
But the six-game point streak masked an issue that’s been percolating for the Blue Jackets for a while now: Their penalty kill is hurting them.
The Flames scored two power-play goals Tuesday, meaning the Blue Jackets have allowed at least one power-play goal in 10 straight games, matching a franchise record set late in the 2006-07 season. During that 10-game span, the penalty kill has allowed 15 goals on 38 chances, only a 60.5 percent success rate.
“We were just talking about it (as a coaching staff). It goes in flows, right?” Evason said. “Pucks are finding their way. We had some bounces (go against us). Maybe some clears are the biggest concern for us right now, in that when we have the pucks on our sticks, we have to get it cleared down the ice.
“That’s hurt us as of late. We have to clean it up, for sure. And we will.”
Just look at that. Amazing. https://t.co/aohTcG5d3a
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) December 4, 2024
The Flames’ Rasmus Andersson scored a power-play goal on a one-timer at 10:14 of the second period to break the 0-0 tie. Kevin Bahl made it 2-0 with a power-play goal from above the left circle —Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (19 saves) was screened on the play — which felt insurmountable.
“It’s on us to not have any cracks in the structure,” Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger said. “The mistakes we’re making are little errors, but they’re costly. We have to be better, and we have to get tighter.”
Evason hinted that the Blue Jackets might get an off day Wednesday in Edmonton before a road back-to-back against the Oilers on Thursday and the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.
“We’re going to dive into it tonight and tomorrow, but we didn’t have the same pop that we’ve had,” Evason said. “We were just kind of a step behind all night, literally. We had a little push in the third period, but … we didn’t have that extra that we’ve had consistently here of late. We have to figure it out.”
(Photo: Brett Holmes / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
