Nashville Predators left wing Cole Smith controls the puck in front of Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Flames won 2-0 on Nov. 15, 2024.Sergei Belski/Reuters
Daniil Miromanov’s first goal of the season was the game-winner and rookie Dustin Wolf had 29 saves for his first career shutout as the Calgary Flames beat the Nashville Predators 2-0 on Friday night.
Blake Coleman, with an empty-netter, also scored for Calgary (9-6-3). The Flames have earned points in five of their last six (3-1-2) games after a rough patch in which they lost five of six.
Nashville (5-10-3), shut out for the third time on the season, continues to struggle. The Predators have just one win in their last seven (1-4-2) games.
Wolf improved to 6-2-1 overall and has an impressive 5-1-0 mark on home ice.
Juuse Saros, who faced 32 shots, fell to 4-8-2.
Both netminders made clutch stops on short-handed breakaways with Wolf turning aside Cole Smith in the first period. Saros kept it a one-goal game in the third when he jabbed out a pad to deny Coleman after he was set up by Yegor Sharangovich on a 2-on-0 break.
Takeaways
Predators: Steven Stamkos had one of Nashville’s best scoring chances when an Alexandre Carrier rebound kicked out to him at the side of the net, but Wolf stuck out a pad to deny him. In his first year with Nashville after 16 seasons with Tampa Bay, the 34-year-old has eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) in 18 games, but only two points (1-1) at even strength.
Flames: The power play continues to be a sore spot despite changing the personnel on both units. The Flames had a two-man advantage for nearly two minutes late in the second period, but Jonathan Huberdeau’s harmless-looking 60-foot wrist shot from the blueline was the lone shot on goal.
Key moment
With the game scoreless in the third period, Calgary finally broke through at 6:38 off an offensive zone faceoff win by Nazen Kadri, who drew the puck back to MacKenzie Weegar. After faking a shot, Weegar sent a pass across to Miromanov, who broke in from the point and snapped a shot over Saros’ shoulder.
Key stat
The low-scoring game was a showdown between the league’s two smallest goaltenders. Saros, at five foot 11, is one inch shorter than Wolf, who’s the lightest netminder at 166 pounds.
Up next
Predators: Continue their road trip on Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Flames: Play host to the New York Islanders on Tuesday.