Flames’ struggling power play sparks at the right time in overtime win over Bruins

Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, centre, reacts as Calgary Flames' Connor Zary, left, celebrates his team's game winning goal during overtime NHL hockey action in Calgary on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY — Connor Zary wasn’t on either of Calgary’s struggling power-play units to begin the game, but he ended the night on one and made the most of it by ending the game, too.

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Zary’s goal 1:53 into overtime on a 4-on-3 gave the surging Flames a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday.

With eight wins in their last 11 and on a 9-1-1 roll on home ice, Calgary has been winning lately despite having the NHL’s worst power play.

They finally won a game because of it Monday, albeit barely.

“It wasn’t the prettiest,” said Flames coach Ryan Huska. “The struggles that our power play had, at the end of the day, it scored the goal. So that’s an important thing for us.”

Calgary was 0-for-4 on the night and was in a 1-for-24 tailspin on the man-advantage when Jonathan Aspirot’s high-sticking penalty on Blake Coleman at the third period buzzer put the Flames onto the power play once again.

This time with Zary given an opportunity, it came through.

“We all looked at each other when it went in, like, who touched that? Who scored that?” said Zary, credited with his fifth goal. “It bounced around. I think it just goes off my foot after it got shot, and it then it bounced around some more.”

The winning goal being an ugly one was fitting considering how poor Calgary had performed with the extra man up until that point.

Given two man-advantages in the third period to break the 1-1 tie, the Flames squandered both while failing to generate a shot on goal on either chance.

That’s when Huska decided to tweak the personnel and gave Zary an opportunity.

“It wasn’t accomplishing much,” explained Huska.

“You start challenging certain guys that you’ve been on it all year and we haven’t really generated much, and unfortunately, that’s the way our power play has been. So we took (Zary) off it for a bit, but he does have a great skill set, so when he’s in those situations, when he has some time, he can make a good play that can allow you to score a goal. So it’s just putting him back on the ice, and giving him a chance.”

Zary hopes getting an ugly one will help it get on track. Operating at 13.6 per cent, Calgary is a ways back of the Los Angeles Kings, who are second-last at 14.4 per cent.

“We try to take a lot of pride in that and guys that are out there, and when it’s not going your way, it can get frustrating,” he said. “It’s just trying to get back to basics and make plays and get shots on net and force the issue of getting (the puck) to the cage. It’s tough when you’re not going on the power play, but when you can get one, no matter how it comes, boosts the confidence.”

Not to be forgotten is the winning goal almost never had a chance to happen as seconds earlier, Dustin Wolf was forced to make consecutive saves off Pavel Zacha on a short-handed breakaway and then Nikita Zadorov on the rebound.

“Saw the first one, got snowed on the second one, so it just thankfully hit me and we got another bounce. So it’s nice,” said Wolf, who had 24 saves to improve to 13-14-2.

“We just know he’s got our back, and he’s going to make big saves all the time and keep us in games,” said Zary. “You don’t want to rely on those things, but when you look back and whether they’re on a two on one, or have a breakaway, you have confidence that Wolfie is gonna make the save.”

Huska knows a better power play is going to be a must.

“It’s something that we have to improve,” said Huska. “It has to get better for us, because the tight games that we’re in right now, you have to find way for your power play to be the difference in games.”

With its miserable 2-9-2 start in the rear-view mirror, confidence is growing with the Flames, who are within three points of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

“It’s just that quiet confidence that we come into a game expecting to win,” said Coleman, whose 12th goal moved him into the team lead. “And when we don’t get a bounce, we’re unfazed by it and we keep chugging.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2025.

Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press