{"id":134644,"date":"2023-01-12T08:25:47","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T13:25:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=134644"},"modified":"2023-01-11T22:10:37","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T03:10:37","slug":"calgary-flames-bizarre-overtime-troubles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2023\/01\/12\/calgary-flames-bizarre-overtime-troubles\/","title":{"rendered":"The Calgary Flames And Their Bizarre Overtime Troubles"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re trying to get a sense of how a team has been playing lately, it\u2019s a good idea to check the current streak the team is on. You can tell the Seattle Kraken<\/a> are playing well \u2014 they\u2019ve won their last six games. Likewise, you can see the Nashville Predators<\/a> are gearing up for a push for a wildcard spot when they have a 4W in that column.<\/p>\n

It goes the other way. After a brilliant 8-1-0 stretch, you can see the Buffalo Sabres<\/a> stumbling a bit with two straight losses. The Arizona Coyotes<\/a>, with a glaring 6L, might mean it\u2019s safe to assume starter Karel Vejmelka<\/a> is getting tired.<\/p>\n

Then there is the odd duck of the NHL\u2019s \u201cSTRK\u201d column. That being the Calgary Flames<\/a> and a bizarre 2OT. It\u2019s rather uncommon for any team to get to overtime consecutively and lose out on the extra point on both nights. Unless you\u2019re the Flames.<\/p>\n

Overtime Troubles For the Calgary Flames<\/h2>\n

Calgary has lost consecutive games in overtime four times this season. Three instances of two in a row and one instance of three in a row.<\/p>\n

The team skippered by Darryl Sutter<\/a> has lost 25 regular season games and won 19 just over halfway through the 22-23 regular season. Despite losing 55% of their games, their ability to squeeze the game into overtime has kept them in the number one wildcard spot in the Western Conference as of January 11.<\/p>\n

Their ability to reach overtime has secured nine points, if the Flames were to reach just the league average of overtime losses at 4.46, or four if we\u2019re rounding down, then we would see them in 11th<\/sup> place in the Western Conference and three points out of a wildcard spot.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if they were to win their overtime games at a similar rate that the leaders of their division do \u2014 they would be much more comfortable in the standings. The Vegas Golden Knights<\/a> have locked down eight points by scoring in overtime or winning the shootout. The Los Angeles Kings<\/a> have gotten seven via the same method. Calgary has earned three. Two in extra time and one in the shootout.<\/p>\n

Calgary sits nine and seven points behind Vegas and LA respectively. Earning only 15 of 24 points from their overtime games has them facing the prospect of falling out of the playoff picture once Nashville and the Colorado Avalanche<\/a> catch up in games played. The Predators are three and four points behind the Flames\u2019 47 \u2014 with three games in hand.<\/p>\n

This all begs the question.<\/p>\n

Why are the Calgary Flames struggling so greatly after regulation time ends?<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>