Glencross hat trick fuels Flames in rout of Oilers
The Calgary Flames were still bitter from a one-goal loss to the Nashville Predators on Friday night.
They took it out on the Edmonton Oilers a day later.
Curtis Glencross had a hat trick and Matt Stajan scored on a penalty shot and added three assists as the Flames scored four times in just over three minutes in the second period to cruise past the Edmonton Oilers 8-1 on Saturday night.
"What a great game," Flames coach Bob Hartley said. "We wanted to redeem ourselves from (Friday) night's game. I could see that the boys were not very impressed with the performance from last night. We just worked very simple, we were very effective and we scored some great goals."
Mike Cammalleri, Mark Giordano, Paul Byron and Kevin Westgarth also scored for the Flames, who lost 6-5 to the Predators on Friday. They have won four of their last six and are 26th overall in the NHL standings.
"It's been a challenge for us to produce offense this year," Cammalleri said. "It's nice to see pucks go in like they did. You don't expect to score eight goals every night, but it's nice to get that feeling where you feel like the puck is going to go in the net for us."
It was an emotional game for Stajan, who pointed up to the sky after scoring in honor of his newborn son, who died earlier this month.
"That one means a lot," he said. "It's been obviously not easy and that one was for the little guy. It felt good and it gave us some puck-luck after, too.
"We'll move on now and I'll remember that one forever."
Jeff Petry scored for the Oilers, who have lost two in a row and remain in second-to-last place in the league.
"It's pretty obvious how bad we played tonight. We are obviously very frustrated with how we played this game," Oilers forward David Perron said. "It is pretty embarrassing."
Oilers coach Dallas Eakins agreed that the fans were within their rights to voice their disgust.
"That was probably the longest last 15 minutes of a game that I have ever been involved with," he said. "I apologize to the fans who were here tonight and had to watch it."
The Flames went up 2-1 four minutes into the second period as Mikael Backlund sent a cross-ice pass to Cammalleri, who was able to pick the corner with a quick shot before Fasth could get across the net.
A minute later, Calgary had a two-goal advantage. Stajan was awarded a penalty shot after a slashing call on a breakaway from Edmonton defenseman Mark Fraser. Stajan made the most of the 1-on-1 opportunity, beating Fasth glove-side with a backhand shot.
The Flames scored their third goal in a span of 1:47 as Cammalleri stopped short on a quick breakout and allowed two Edmonton defensemen to go sliding past before feeding the puck to Byron at the side of the net.
Just 1:18 later, the Flames made it four goals in just over three minutes as Glencross tucked a shot over Fasth's shoulder. Ben Scrivens came into Edmonton's net to replace Fasth, who allowed five goals on 16 shots.
Late in the second period, Edmonton's Taylor Hall threw a water bottle in frustration while sitting on the bench that ended up spraying the coaching staff, earning him a scolding from Eakins.
"That stuff happens," Hall said. "Dallas and I have a great relationship. At times, we all get a little frustrated with how things are going and sometimes you need to take a step back and realize that frustration isn't going to accomplish anything.
"I don't expect anything more. We are all good."
The frustration continued for Edmonton in the third period as a jersey was thrown on the ice soon, prompting Scrivens to hook it up with his stick and fling it back into the crowd.
"I always feel like as a fan, you pay your money and you get to do whatever you want," Scrivens said. "If you want to boo me, jeer me, call me every name, you are entitled to that. You could spit on me for all I care, if I deserve it.
"But when I see a jersey thrown on the ice, I'm from here. You are not just disrespecting the guys in this room, you are disrespecting guys who wore this jersey before us. All of the great guys who have pulled this sweater over their heads -- Gretzky, Messier -- they all took great pride wearing that jersey. That logo is a sacred thing for us. It is disheartening for me to see our fans treat it that way."
Calgary made it 8-1 with just under seven minutes to play as Glencross notched his hat trick on a long shot through traffic.
NOTES: It was the fifth and final meeting this season between the provincial rivals. Each team had two wins to their credit, although both of Calgary's came in extra time. The road team was victorious in all four of the previous matchups. ... Coming in, Edmonton had won six of the last 10 meetings overall. However, the Flames have wins in four straight and eight of their last 10 in Edmonton. ... Ramo made his return to the Flames net, his first appearance since spraining his right knee on Feb. 1.
