Sometimes the NHL playoffs can bring on surprises, and the Calgary Flames have two of them. The first is the aging wonder Milan Lucic who has now scored in each of the team’s five postseason games. He also looks as if he’s picked up a step in his skating and seems to be keeping up with the young guys just fine – thank you.
The second surprise for the Flames is Dillon Dube. It isn’t like he hasn’t shown he can score in the past – just not with the Flames at the NHL level. During the 2018-19 and the 2019-20 seasons, which he split between the AHL’s Stockton Heat and the Flames, he showed he could score with the Heat. In fact, he was a point-a-game player there.
Related: The New/Old Cam Talbot Stands Tall for Flames in Series Victory
Who Know Dube Could Score Like This?
But this season with the Flames? He didn’t show that he could score at the pace he’s scored at during the playoffs. During the 2019-20 season, he scored six goals and 16 points in 45 games. However, he’s had half that many in his last three postseason games. Dube now sits with three goals and four points in those last three games.
That officially makes the 22-year-old Dube one of the great surprise stories of the playoffs for the Flames. In fact, even going back a month it might have been a surprise that Dube is even playing during the postseason at all.
As Phase 3 started for the Flames, Dube was one of the young Flames players who was deemed “Unfit to Play.” At first, people thought it might be a positive COVID-18 test. Whatever it was, the youngster missed two early practices with the team. And, as per NHL rules, the Flames weren’t allowed to divulge the reason he was unable to skate.
Dube Is Fast Becoming a Playoff Hero
In tonight’s game, Dube scored two goals – one on the power play – in the 3-2 win over the Stars in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. As you can tell by the videos included, both goals were highlight-reel worthy.
The first goal came from a great set up by Lucic, which Dube’s absolutely blistered past the helpless goalie. The second goal was a solo rush where he went around a Stars defenseman like his skates were on the wrong feet before sweeping right into the crease and tucking the puck on the far side of goalie Anton Kudobin.
On both goals – especially the second – Dube showed great speed and skill. His goals gave the Flames a 2-0 lead. Although the Stars did come back, in the end, the Flames young Rasmus Andersson scored the winner.
As Dube noted about his second goal, ”I came through with some speed. At that point, I just wanted to challenge him. And luckily enough, I got to step on him.”
Next Game Thursday Night
Oddly enough, playoff games between the Flames and the Stars simply don’t happen that often. In fact, this series is the first time these two teams have met in the playoffs since the North Stars became the Dallas Stars. The Flames did play the Minnesota North Stars in the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals in 1981 and lost that series 4-2.
Game 2 will be played Thursday night.
