The Calgary Flames concluded November with a hard-fought 1-0 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on Sunday, November 30, 2025. While the result extended the team's overtime struggles, it capped off a month that saw significant improvement from their dreadful start to the season.
November Marks Notable Turnaround
After posting an awful 2-8-2 record in October that threatened to derail their playoff hopes early, the Flames showed remarkable resilience throughout November. The Calgary crew compiled a 7-6-2 record across 15 games this month, earning them the 16th-best point total in the NHL during that period.
This represents substantial progress for a team that found itself in a deep hole after the first month of play. Despite the improved performance, the Flames remain in second-last place in the overall NHL standings with a 9-14-4 record following Sunday's defeat.
Goaltending Situation Evolves
While Dustin Wolf remains the designated starter, backup Devin Cooley has emerged as a crucial part of the Flames' recent plan. The 28-year-old netminder started his fourth game in Calgary's last six contests against the Hurricanes and was exceptional throughout regulation time.
Flames coach Ryan Huska explained the decision to rely heavily on Cooley recently: "A lot of it is Devin's done a really good job, he's finding a way to get us points and finding a way to make a key save at the right time, so you want to reward him."
Cooley's season statistics are impressive for any goaltender, let alone a backup, with a 1.88 goals-against-average and .930 save percentage through 10 appearances. His performance against Carolina saw him stop every shot in regulation, with Nikolaj Ehlers' overtime winner being no fault of the netminder.
Overtime Difficulties Continue
The Flames' struggles in three-on-three overtime persisted against the Hurricanes. Calgary has yet to win a game in overtime this season, although they have managed to secure victories in two of the four contests that progressed to shootouts.
Sunday's game-winning goal came from Carolina's Nikolaj Ehlers during the extra frame, with Taylor Hall assisting on the play as Flames forward Matt Coronato skated away in disappointment.
While the Flames may not be climbing dramatically in the standings, their November performance demonstrates they're far more competitive than their October showing suggested. The team has stabilized considerably, offering hope that the progress shown this month can continue as they work to dig out of their early-season hole.
