The Calgary Flames defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday night by a score of 4-2. With the win, recently appointed interim head coach Geoff Ward improves his perfect record as an NHL head coach to 6-0-0… officially.
When Bill Peters was under investigation by the Flames for verbal and physical abuse allegations made by former players of his, Ward assumed the head coaching responsibilities on November 27 for a game against the Buffalo Sabres. The Flames would go on to win the game in overtime.
Bill Peters resigned on November 29 and that is when Ward was officially promoted to interim head coach. The NHL does not currently recognize Ward as being the head coach for the game on November 27, thus not counting the win on his official coaching record.
Although technically 6-0-0 with Ward as the head coach, the Flames improve to 7-0-0 under his care and continue on a 9 game point streak going 8-0-1 including the last two games coached by Bill Peters.
Perhaps the most impressive numbers to come out of the new coach's debut run are the goal totals. Calgary has scored at least 4 goals in each of their last 5 games and has scored at least 3 in the 7 games since Ward took over. Including the November 27 game against Buffalo, they have outscored their opponents 28-17 and won 5 of the 7 games in regulation.
Ward is getting production out of everyone, including Michael Frolik and the fourth line. Frolik has scored 3 goals in 3 games after only scoring once in his first 29 games of the year.
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