All good things come to an end, and today’s 3-2 setback in St. Louis the Flames finally see an end to what looks like a season saving 7 game win streak through the month of December.
A streak of good can often be followed by a streak of bad, however, and that’s the issue for the Flames when they head into Detroit tomorrow to take on the Red Wings. Losing a game is going to happen, avoiding losing two in a row is the key, especially for a team that has to work extra hard to keep the gains from the last two weeks on the ledger.
The Washington Capitals have made a two loss in a row pact together in their dressing room and it’s worked thus far. Maybe the Flames should step up and do the same on the flight to Michigan this evening.
The Flow
I guess one could hope that trends continuing will mean, well trends will continue. For the third straight game on this trip the Flames started the game on their heels and in trouble. Of course the Flames have gone on to win the previous two encounters. The Blues get a lucky bounce on the first one with a puck hitting Brodie then caroming over to Tarasenko who just nicks the puck but has it go in on Ramo. A few minutes later it’s 2-0 when the Blues seize the cage again and big rookie defenseman Colton Parayko picks up the rebound. The Flames settle down and get back into it, Mason Raymond even hitting a cross bar, but they couldn’t solve Elliot, 2-0 St. Louis through 20.
Much better period for the Flames and one that gives hope that this little streak isn’t an aberration. They carry the play the whole period, but give up the only goal when the Flames get caught changing their D, and some miscommunication between Brodie and Giordano results in a Lehtera goal and a 3-0 Blues, a play that Ramo would likely like to have back. The Flames go zero for three on the powerplay in that period, something that continues to sting the club as they just aren’t generating quality scoring chances at all. Lots of unscreened crest bashers from the point that just won’t get anything done against NHL goaltending. Shots 23 to 13 for Calgary through two periods.
More of the same in the third, but this time the Flames get rewarded. First Sean Monahan hammers down a tipped puck, a play that went to review before being ruled inconclusive, Monahan’s 11th of the season. With just over three minutes to play Mark Giordano brings the game to within one when his shot went off a St. Louis player’s stick and over Elliot’s shoulder. Suddenly we have a finish. Ultimately the Flames were unable to find that blue chip chance over the final 180 seconds and the win streak ends at 7.
Three Stars
1. Brian Elliot: A guy mentioned often as trade fodder for the Flames stepped up and stoned the club making 36 saves on 38 shots. He’d be the first to admit that 25 of them were of the easy variety but he was a difference maker no matter how you look at it.
2.Vladimir Tarasenko : A goal and two assists when your team scores three goals is a pretty good night!
3.Johnny Gaudreau: No points on the night and even, but he had 6 shots and was stirring the pot almost every time he hit the sheet. Great player.
Big Save
The Flames may not put the fear of God into opposing goaltenders these days but Brian Elliot was razor sharp in the second when he did the splits and reeled in a Mark Giordano points shot with his glove. With the game 2-0 Blues at the time, it could have been a game changer.
The Goat
Calgary’s top pairing. Some bad luck sure, but the duo of Brodie and Giordano were on the ice for all three St. Louis goals through two periods. When your best players aren’t your best players, you’re in a heap of trouble. They were part of the comeback in the third, but spotting St. Louis a 3 goal lead isn’t a recipe to success.
Mr. Clutch
Derryk Engellend. I’ll likely get trashed for this, but you have to give the #6 defender credit for dropping the mitts with a monster in an effort to wake the Flames up and attempt to make a game of it. I’m never sure how effective this strategy is, and I don’t know if that’s the reason that Calgary made it interesting the rest of the way, but the guy gets full marks for being a teammate.
Odds and Ends
- Mark Giordano came into the game at a team worst -12, so his -3 tonight is the first half put him to a brutal -15 before finding two pluses in the third. stat. In a sense today’s game mirrored his season as a tough start was somewhat righted, but as today there’s more work to be done. He’s still not the defenseman he was last season, a big concern for given the size of his contract set to kick in this season.
- In my opinion he’s also part of the problem on the powerplay with those constant weak wristers from the point that are creating nothing. …
- Speaking of the powerplay it was good to see Micheal Ferland on the powerplay in the third as I do think they need a more consistent net presence. Colborne is getting lots of powerplay time these days but he tends to stand off to the side more than push the issue in front of the cage. …
- Win streaks have to come to an end, but you have to be buoyed by the fact the Flames pushed hard and didn’t give in over the final 40 minutes. They do have to get to the bottom of these starts however. Teams push on home ice so it’s somewhat expected, but the Flames looked utterly unprepared. Perhaps a new game plan to weather instead of coming out with a plan to dictate and then getting run over?
- Sean Monahan got hammered in the face off circle for the first time in a long while as the young center has continued to pile up 50+% game after game. The Blues have some monsters down the middle though, so a step back is somewhat expected. After a tough start, Monahan is working his way to last year’s average, another season that started slow but finished strong. A good sign.
- I remember when I was a kid and the Flame’s vaulted powerplay was struggling. Bob Johnson put Gino Cavallini and Tim Hunter on the powerplay as book ends in front of the net and soon after the Flames were clicking with the man advantage once again. Sometimes shaking things up a bit can get skill players to re-find themselves. That or they were pissed because they lost their ice time to two guys with lead hands.
Next Up
The Flames conclude this four game road trip tomorrow night with a game in Hockeytown against the Wings. Puck drop 5pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – David Jones
Sam Bennett – Markus Granlund- Jiri Hudler
Mason Raymond – Mikael Backlund – Josh Jooris
Joe Colborne – Matt Stajan – Micheal Ferland
Mark Giordano – TJ Brodie
Kris Russell – Dougie Hamilton
Derryk Engellend – Dennis Wideman
Kari Ramo
