Calgary Flames enter the new year with 4 3 win over Philadelphia Flyers

An unlikely hero? Maybe. Dennis Gilbert is known for a lot of things. His toughness is probably the first thing that comes to mind for most people. Scoring goals, though, is not necessarily near the top of the list of attributes that most Calgary Flames fans would talk about in terms of what Gilbert brings to their team.

But when Jonathan Huberdeau found Gilbert in the slot with a beautiful pass in the third period, the 27 year old defenceman fired a wicked wrist shot past Samuel Ersson to give the Flames a lead they would never relinquish as they hung on for a 4 3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Gilbert dropped to one knee and gave as enthusiastic a fist pump as you’re ever likely to see.

It was a big goal for a lot of reasons. It put the Flames (15 16 5) on track to beat a very strong Flyers (19 12 5) team, for one thing. The gorgeous feed snapped a 12 game pointless streak for Huberdeau, too. It wasn’t just the assist, either; Huberdeau looked the best he has in a while on Sunday night.

And for Gilbert it was the first goal of his season and the third of his career. He had also assisted on Mikael Backlund’s opener for the Flames, which had tied the game 1 1 after Rasmus Ristolainen had put the Flyers ahead in the first period. Nazem Kadri appeared to seal the deal late in the third when he made it 3 1, but there was more drama to come.

Bobby Brink pulled the Flyers to within one before Blake Coleman put the Flames up two with an empty netter in his . Game over? Not quite, as Egor Zamula gave the Flames reason to feel nervous, although that would be the end of it and they held on. After losing their last two, the win puts the Flames back on track as they embark on a crucial four game road trip that will take them through Minnesota, Nashville, Philadelphia and Chicago.

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