Matt Coronato spearheads Flames’ gritty turnaround effort
In his first game at Madison Square Garden, Matt Coronato was one of many reasons for the Flames to be proud, as they continue defying the odds with a turnaround performance few saw coming.
NEW YORK — Of the dozens of friends and family members who showed up at Madison Square Garden to support Matt Coronato, there sat his former math teacher, Sonia Armstrong.
Making the hour-long drive from Lahey Elementary in Coronato’s hometown of Greenlawn, N.Y., she praised her former student for diligently completing all his assignments no matter how often he was away, chasing his NHL dreams.
Playing his first game at the world’s most famous arena, the assignment Tuesday night was daunting for Coronato and his crew: Turn things on a dime following a drubbing in Toronto less than 24 hours earlier, followed by a 3 a.m. arrival at their Manhattan hotel.
A Rangers goal 73 seconds in by Artemi Panarin almost seemed like piling on, setting the stage for what seemed destined for the Flames fourth loss in a row.
Not so.
Coronato wasn’t about to start letting Mrs. Armstrong down.
Shortly after Nazem Kadri banged in a rebound to tie the game midway through the first, the Flames took over, getting what would stand as the game-winner 18 minutes in when Coronato put an exclamation mark on one of the team’s grittiest efforts of the season.
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Winning a draw to open a power play, Coronato eventually got a pass from Kadri in the middle where he unleashed the shot that made him a first-round pick.
“I heard Huby yell ‘shoot’ from the net-front, so I turned and shot,” smiled the 22-year-old, whose 17th of the season stood as his third game-winner.
“It was great to bounce back after last night and get a win.”
More newfangled lines had Coronato’s line up alongside Morgan Frost and Jonathan Huberdeau to form the team’s top trio. Combining for 13 of the team’s 35 shots, they tested Igor Shesterkin throughout an evening in which the Flames only allowed 13 shots.
Yet, in the final two minutes of a 2-1 win, there they were, blocking shots, and killing the clock for more than a minute-and-a-half of textbook defensive hockey with Shesterkin pulled.
“Not a busy night for me at all, and the blocks you see from Nacho (Joel Hanley), Weegs (MacKenzie Weegar) and Frosty towards the end are just… that’s the team right there,” said Dan Vladar, who made 12 saves.
“That’s playoff hockey and it gives me goosebumps that guys are willing to do that stuff for us. I’m so proud of this group.”
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There was indeed plenty to be proud of for a team that chose to continue defying the odds with a turnaround performance few saw coming.
Hanley’s head-first block was a big rallying point with six minutes left, drawing endless praise afterwards.
Frost was throwing his body in front of shots and sucking wind in the final few minutes, mere days after admitting he’d never been tasked in Philadelphia with holding leads late in games.
Connor Zary returned from a two-game suspension and was returned to the Kadri and The Kids Line, opposite Martin Pospisil.
Just as they did last year when the vet helped the two AHL revelations turn into everyday NHLers, they carried the play with a relentless forecheck and deft puck control.
With Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York blaring in the dressing room to kick off the post-game celebration, the players walked around with a bounce in their step that had been absent through a tough stretch that had many wondering if the Flames were on the precipice of dropping from the playoff race.
The much-needed win kept the Flames within two of the West’s final playoff spot.
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And you can bet it meant a ton to Coronato, who can now feel good about translating his memorable MSG debut into a fruitful visit to New Jersey Thursday and Long Island Saturday.
“I saw in warmups he had probably 70 people here, so everybody was pumped up for him before the game,” said Vladar, who had been thrown into action for the third period the night before in their 6-2 loss in Toronto.
“His first time coming to the Garden, and this is a special place to play. I’m so happy he got the game winner.”
Huberdeau referred to him as, “Matty New York.”
Someday soon they’ll refer to him as a 30-goal scorer.
On this night he did it all, at both ends.
“We’re just one big family,” said Vladar after a team effort that saw all but four Flames players record a shot on goal.
“Not an easy night for us last night, but the way we bounce back is unbelievable.
“We are not always going to be perfect but today we just showed everybody we are a good team and we deserve to be in this playoff race.”
