Dustin Wolf has a hidden message inside his blocker

B/R Open Ice just posted that Flames goalie Dustin Wolf has "Don't think, just play" written on the inside of his blocker.

It's a small detail, but the Flames goalie room has been a big part of their season. Wolf and Devin Cooley have split the work, with Wolf at 9 games played this year and Cooley at 7.

B/R Open Ice tied the message to Cooley, noting that it's safe to say he is rubbing off on the young tendy.

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The line fits a goalie who has been asked to do a lot. Wolf is 25, a seventh-round pick in 2019 (214th overall), and he already has 137 NHL games behind him.

Cooley is 29, undrafted, and has 44 career games. That's a veteran backup passing simple advice to the starter, and the result is a few words inside a blocker.

The two have been tied together in our coverage for weeks. Gino Hard flagged that Cooley was impressed by Wolf's save on Beckett Sennecke, which tells you how closely the veteran watches his partner work.

Why the Flames goalie tandem matters right now

The timing matters because the Flames just lost 5-3 to the Ducks, a result that ended their five-game winning streak. Before that game they were 7-8-1 with a goal differential of -16.

Those are the numbers from before tonight's result, and they show a team that has needed its goaltending. Calgary has allowed 58 goals in 16 games.

Cooley's season also had a scare. He left the Battle of Alberta with an injury on October 28, and early reports pointed to a likely MCL problem. He currently has no injury listed.

So a mantra like "Don't think, just play" lands differently when a goalie tandem has been through that. Wolf has carried real weight for a team that sits 2-5-1 on the road, and a simple reminder inside the blocker is a fair way to handle it.

Calgary is back home Sunday against the Flyers, and Wolf's blocker will be part of the picture once again.

Quick hits

MINNESOTA WILD: Michael Russo reported that forward Michael McCarron went down the tunnel late in tonight's 4-1 win over the Sharks. There's no update yet, and the Wild will want answers quickly.

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ANAHEIM DUCKS: Cutter Gauthier scored the go-ahead goal as the Ducks rallied to beat the Flames 5-3 in Calgary. A big road comeback for a young team.

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SAN JOSE SHARKS: Macklin Celebrini tied it for the Sharks, but they fell 4-1 at Minnesota for a fourth straight loss. One star can only do so much.

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BUFFALO SABRES: The Sabres beat the Blue Jackets 5-2 at home, with Josh Norris scoring twice. Jack Quinn also helped lift Buffalo in a comfortable win.

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COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: Zachary Werenski scored again, but the Blue Jackets lost 5-2 in Buffalo. It was a road game that got away from them.

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