After 46 frustrating days without finding the back of the net, Calgary Flames winger Connor Zary finally broke his scoring slump in dramatic fashion during Sunday night's 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
Zary's Long-Awaited Breakthrough
The 24-year-old forward hadn't scored since the opening night of the season, creating significant frustration for a player who expects to contribute offensively on a regular basis. That frustration turned to relief when Zary buried the puck early in the first period against the Canucks at Rogers Arena.
"It felt really good," Zary told reporters post-game. "I've been feeling good about my game recently, but obviously when you come out of the game and look at the stat sheet and it's kind of blank, it's tough as a player."
Zary emphasized the importance of rediscovering his confidence, noting "I know who I am and how good of a player I can be... so I think it's just finding that confidence back and being confident in myself to make those plays and find the back of the net."
Flames Building Momentum
The victory marked Calgary's third consecutive win, their first such streak this season. The Flames (8-13-3) have suddenly closed the gap in the standings and now sit just one point behind the Canucks (9-12-2).
Flames head coach Ryan Huska expressed his happiness for Zary's breakthrough, drawing parallels to another player's recent success. "It's nice for Connor, he's a guy that wants to generate, wants to help the team," Huska told reporters. "When you see him get one I think he's going to be a little like Matt Coronato has been for us where it's starting to go for him a little more regularly now."
Huska also praised Zary's overall performance, noting "I thought he did a lot of good things tonight away from the puck, as well. I'm happy he was able to get rewarded."
Andersson's Dominant Performance
Defenseman Rasmus Andersson continued his impressive run of form, delivering another standout performance against the Canucks. The Swedish blueliner recorded three assists, bringing his total to 10 points in Calgary's last five games.
With 16 points on the season, Andersson now ranks among the NHL's top offensive defensemen, with only 11 defencemen league-wide having recorded more points.
"I think he's been consistent all year for us, now I'd say he's on a heater," Huska said of Andersson's recent play. "The guys always talk about that, the younger guys, but he's doing a lot of good things for us in a lot of different situations, whether it's the penalty-kill or the power-play, which is starting to generate now."
The Flames' special teams units appear to be finding their rhythm at exactly the right time, contributing to the team's recent success and providing hope for a season that began with significant struggles.
