Flames 6, Senators 1: Staying afloat by stretching the ice

After they surrendered so many rushes to Winnipeg on Wednesday, it was refreshing to see the Calgary Flames seizing free ice themselves against the Ottawa Senators last night. In fact, it was better than that. The Flames did not score six goals last night because their opponent’s goofs and gaffes gifted them breakaways. The Flames scored six goals last night because they created their own space.

Shift after shift, the Flames pummelled the Senators by separating the puck from their bunched and clustered opponents in key moments. They shadowed and pressured and shoved and passed their way to open slabs of ice. Drawing Ottawa defenders towards them and suddenly pitching the puck in the other…