Forward Jonathan Huberdeau had one of his best nights on Thursday since arriving with the Calgary Flames in the summer of 2022 and he will have positive elements to build on, especially since he still has the trust of the team’s fans.
The Quebecer, who has still struggled this season, broke loose a bit in the game against the Vancouver Canucks, scoring a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win. Furthermore, this goal – the veteran’s third of the season and the Flames’ fourth game – was greeted with warm cheers at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The crowd cheered as he beat goaltender Casey DeSmith in the final period, and his teammates congratulated him with great joy.
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“I accept it, it’s nice to get that support from the viewers. They were patient, Huberdeau admitted daily to the Calgary Sun. It’s just one encounter, but I think it’s important that I take that with me into the next encounter. I think Calgary is a great city compared to other markets. People support me and sometimes I see them and they want me to succeed. It’s definitely nice to see.”
This performance and the club’s second win in a row also gives head coach Ryan Huska reason for hope, although his team has a good chance of climbing the rankings; The Flames are in sixth place in the National League Pacific Division and 11th in the Western Conference with a record of 6-8-2
“We have great fans and they recognize hard work. We saw that from him and when he was rewarded, it was good. It took a long time for a player to try to find their way. That’s why we’re all happy for him, it was great to see him score,” commented the pilot of the player who ended the drought of eleven games without a goal.
Relief in the locker room
Huberdeau’s nine points in 16 games remain far from his 2021-2022 season stats, and he’ll need to do better to lead his team to the playoffs. However, his accomplices at the Flames were happy about his return to success. On Thursday, he also showed off his defensive prowess when he intercepted an opponent’s pass in the final moments of the game. His pass to Elias Lindholm allowed him to slide the puck into an empty cage.
“It’s great and it was a great goal too. I know it was in an abandoned net, but “Hubey” made a great play at the end when he caught the pass [des Canucks] “To discover “Lindy,” praised a delighted Dillon Dube.
The Flames return to action in front of their fans on Saturday when the New York Islanders come to Alberta.