The Calgary Flames' struggles hit a new low Tuesday night, cementing their status as the NHL's basement dwellers after a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. In a clash between the league's two worst teams, the Flames failed to capitalize, dropping their record to a dismal 4-12-2 and maintaining their hold on last place overall.
A Familiar Story of Frustration
The game at Enterprise Center in St. Louis followed a painfully familiar script for the Flames. After being shut out for over 154 minutes of play, the team finally snapped the drought and showed a spark of life in the third period. Forwards Matt Coronato and Rasmus Andersson scored two goals in a remarkable 25-second span, cutting a 3-0 deficit to a single goal and making for a tense finish.
Despite a late push for the equalizer, the comeback fell short. The loss extends a troubling franchise record; in the two decades since ties were eliminated, the Flames have never needed more than 15 games to secure their fifth win of a season. This year's squad is now at 18 games and counting.
Post-Game Reactions: 'Just Not Acceptable'
The frustration was palpable in the locker room after the game. Defenceman Rasmus Andersson, who scored the team's second goal, did not mince words in his assessment.
"I don't want to stand here and give the same old cliches as we've done in the past, but it's time to dig in," Andersson stated. "We should have digged in a few weeks ago here, because this is just not acceptable. It's not one or two guys, it's all 23 in here that needs to dig in and we have to do it now."
Forward Matt Coronato, who broke the team's lengthy shutout streak, was also seen visibly frustrated, working to snap the blade of his stick after the final buzzer. While he praised the team's "good resilience" in battling back, the overarching sentiment was one of profound disappointment.
Rock-Bottom Reality and Looking Ahead
The numbers paint a bleak picture for the Flames. The team currently ranks dead last in the entire NHL in several critical categories: wins, goals per game, power-play percentage, and goal differential.
While the team's effort has often been described as admirable, the results are undeniably poor. The reality is that it may be "way too late already" for a dramatic turnaround this season, with fans now likely looking past a playoff push and toward the potential of a high draft pick. As Andersson succinctly put it, "We're in a tough situation. There's no sugarcoating it. It sucks, where we're at."
