The Calgary Flames defeated the St. Louis Blues 2-1 in a shootout on March 18. Rookie Matvei Gridin clinched the victory with a shot over the goaltender’s glove, securing the extra point for Calgary and ending a four-game winless streak.
The victory also snapped an eight-game losing streak the Flames held against St. Louis. The Blues previously held their longest active winning streak against the Calgary franchise before the shootout loss.
Goaltender Devin Cooley anchored the Flames, stopping 26 of 27 shots to improve his season record to 8-9-4. At the opposite end of the ice, St. Louis goaltender Joel Hofer made 31 saves.
Connor Zary scored the lone regulation goal for Calgary. Dylan Holloway provided the equalizer for St. Louis in the second period, forcing the game beyond regulation. Joel Farabee also scored for Calgary during the shootout prior to Gridin’s decisive conversion.
The matchup featured a rare sequence of coaching interventions that directly impacted the scoreboard. St. Louis successfully challenged three separate Flames goals during the first two periods, tying an NHL record. Blues video coach Elliott Mondou initiated the reviews, wiping all three goals off the board due to two offsides and one missed high-stick whistle.
The intense matchup underscored the unpredictable nature of professional sports, as both teams battled severe statistical deficiencies. The Flames failed to convert on the power play, going 0-for-4. The team’s drought extended to 0-for-10 over a six-game span, ranking 31st in the NHL.
Meanwhile, the Blues continue to drop points past regulation. St. Louis fell to a 3-11 record in overtime and shootout games this season.
Calgary moved to a 27-34-7 overall record following the victory. St. Louis dropped to a 27-30-11 standing.