Vladar credits Flames goalie coach after outduelling Markstrom
Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar put forth his best performance of the season in what was a massive win on Friday night.
The Flames were coming off of four-straight losses entering the tilt against the New Jersey Devils, in large part due to a lack of scoring. They had just one goal in their prior two games, and only six over that entire four-game skid.
Those woes continued until late in the third, where Blake Coleman was able to put one home. They would add two more shortly after to make it a 3-0 game, though one was all they needed, as Vladar kicked aside all 22 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season.
š„Flames Goalš„
Blake Coleman gets the Flames on the board in the third period!
š„: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/RGizql3lZu
— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) November 2, 2024
“I felt good,” Vladar said afterward. “In this league though, it doesn’t matter how you feel, the only thing that matters is what you do. [The] guys did an awesome job in front of me, and this one goes to [goalie coach Jason LaBarbera], for sure.”
He explained that it was LaBarbera who was able to help him get composed in a game that was rather difficult given that he was going head-to-head with not only his former teammate, but one of his biggest mentors in Jacob Markstrom.
“Playing against Marky, he’s such a great person and we are still really good friends. Obviously I [still] cheer for him,” Vladar said. “Going into tonight’s game, I wasn’t nervous but I didn’t feel comfortable, to be honest, playing against Marky because he’s a really good friend of mine. [LaBarbera] got me ready. He was like, ‘Let’s go, let’s go, this is your net now.'”
Not on Dan Vladar's watch! š āāļø
He stopped every single shot sent his way for his first @pepsi shutout of the season! pic.twitter.com/vbbWDTjtHX
— NHL (@NHL) November 2, 2024
Through the Flames’ first 11 games of the season, head coach Ryan Huska has been alternating his goalies. That may not be the case moving forward, however, thanks to Vladar’s outstanding showing in this one.
“It may,” Huska said with a grin when asked if this would change the rotation going forward. “It may, yup.”
What also made this a huge win for the Flames was the fact that Mikael Backlund was celebrated before the game after having suited up for the 1,000th outing of his career on Wednesday night. The Flames fell in that one by a 5-1 final, and knew they needed to come out with a better effort for their captain’s sake this time around.
“I know that he was upset and disappointed after the last game, and quite frankly I was too. I imagine everyone in this room was,” Blake Coleman said afterward. “But, to [win] on home ice is a little bit sweeter, anyway, so I just told him how happy I was for him and that I was proud of him. He’s one of those guys that’s so easy to root for. It was a good win for him.”
Backlund and his teammates will have tonight to celebrate with no game tomorrow. They will be back in action on Sunday, however, in what will be their second outing this season against the Edmonton Oilers.