We all knew the script.
Five day break pits the brutally flat home side against the suddenly streaking left for dead season over squad, the Flames come out flat dig themselves a hole and then battle back hard but come up empty in a disappointing loss.
Well not quite.
The reality is a Flames club that came out strong as hell, deserved to be up about three after one period, but instead leave the ice after 20 down 1-0 and then fail to show up at any point again in a listless 5-0 loss that could have been a whole lot different.
The bottom line is a huge missed opportunity for the Flames, and they can’t afford to give away points given the standings and the point the standings. Head shaker.
The Flow
After a five day break you expect a little rust, and rust is what you got from the Flames, at least in the games first handful of minutes. The biggest culprit was Chad Johnson who let a puck bounce off the wall behind the net and out the other side while standing behind his net and watching; very close call. The Flames have a monster shift in the Yote’s zone with Sam Bennett’s line ragging it around the zone for what must have been almost a minute but they fail to score. As you’d predict a minute later with the face off in the Flame’s zone the Yotes get a fortunate when Vrbata sends the puck wide but it hits Handzal’s stick, the post, and then in past Johnson; 1-0 Coyotes. The Flames pretty much take the period over from there, but can’t solve Mike Smith out shooting the Coyotes by a wide 19-9 margin. Play this way through out and you win, but could they keep it up?
And the answer is noooooooooooooooo, they cannot. The Coyotes, clearly garbage canned by Dave Tippet between periods are money in the first five minutes of the second out shooting the Flames 5-0 and striking quickly twice. First Dvorak scores on a three on two, using players as a screen glove side on Johnson. The Coyotes go up three zip soon after when Dennis Wideman gets tossed aside by Martinook who corrals the puck and beats Johnson high. Not much happens for a good ten minutes in the middle of the period, but the visitors add another one when Schenn centers the puck to have it bounce off of White and then off of Engelland’s stick and into the empty net and this one was practically over. Tough period, Flames trail 4-0 after two.
Don’t think anyone was on the edge of their seat in anticipation of a third period comeback from down four goals, but even if that minority existed their hopes were dashed early when the Coyotes made it 5-0 quickly, Christian Dvorak scored his second of the night in the period’s first few minutes. The Flames actually get back to back powerplays towards the middle of the period, overlapping for a 39 second burst of five on three action but can’t find a way to break Mike Smith’s shut out. Heck, they even iced the puck towards the end of the second powerplay; not a good night for the guy’s dressed in red. Another failed powerplay for the Flames is pretty much the last chance to get one by Smith but to no avail, the Flames drop a stinker 5-0 to the Coyotes.
Possession Pulse
First Period – the eyes match the stats for the first period as a dominant Flames period was proven by a 24-13 shot attempts mark, and a 16-9 edge in scoring chances.
Second Period – The statistics were closer than the scoreboard in the second with the Coyotes enjoying a 14-8 edge in shots and 3-0 in goals, while the shot attempts were much closer at 18-15. Scoring chances were 14-6 for the Coyotes however, married the goal production.
Third Period – You’d never know it by the energy in the building but the Flames actually put a lot of pucks towards the Coyote net in the third with a 14-9 edge in shot attempts five on five and 23-11 overall.
Players – Don’t feel much like passing out accolades, but the Backlund line was all in the 70s on the night, other guys with a good five on five numbers included the Bennett line who were all above 65%. Only four players were under the 50% mark which featured the fourth line plus Troy Brouwer.
1. Mike Smith: He was simply huge in the first period when the Flames were all over his club, standing tall and stopping all 19 first period shots.
2. Christian Dvorak: Career night for Matthew Tkachuk’s former London linemate as he scores twice and adds an assist to be a difference maker for the Coyotes.
3. Luke Schenn: Sure he didn’t get his first of the season, but he did pick up two assists and blocked a key Monahan shot that could have changed the game.
Big Save
Not by a goaltender believe it or not. With the game 2-0 Arizona in the second Micheal Ferland makes a great pass (OK, it hit a guy but whatever) to Sean Monahan who gets ready to deposit his 100th of his career only to have Luke Schenn extend his stick and tip the puck out of play. That one goes in there and it’s a different game me thinks.
The Goat
So many options, yikes. Chad Johnson is less than stellar in the nets, Dennis Wideman gets pushed over like the old lady in the retirement home fire by George Castanza in Seinfeld, TJ Brodie posted a -4 to get his leaderboard golf score back in check. But I’m going to go with the Backlund line who all posted a -3 on the night. Sure the Wideman gaff was one of them, but that line is counted on to carry the load, not soil the sheets.
Mr. Clutch
Kris Versteeg. Someone didn’t tell Versteeg that the game was over after 20 minutes as he as Calgary’s best player on the night from coast to coast. Lots of chances, some good set ups and oodles of jam on every shift.
Odds and Ends
Have to admit I chalk it up to good news to have the Flames entering tonight’s contest only a point out of the playoffs in the West. With a break and all the teams around them chewing up the games in hand they had in Calgary it could have been a lot worse. The Blues and Predators have had their runs, but the Oilers and Kings have stumbled a bit making it a pretty interesting race. … The Flames changed nothing when it came to the lineup for tonight’s game from that of the roster that played the Penguins before the break. That means Chad Johnson in net, Brett Kulak in on the blueline, and Garnet Hathaway in for Lance Bouma. The win and you’re in mantra has continued. … Odd happening towards the end of the first when Josh Jooris got thrown out of a face off at center ice, something you don’t see very often. … If the Flames would have found a way to change a forward or two during that blitzkrieg in the first period with the Bennett line on they score. Instead the attacking trio ended up just as tired as their opponents and it fizzled out. … I certainly get while first game back would be tough, and lord knows we’ve heard that the Flames were certainly not alone in struggling with this. But for a bubble team needing points, it’s a really tough two points to give up in the standings. Could easily be the two you remember at the end of the season. … Was interesting to see Glen Gulutzan send a message to Johnny Gaudreau for his turnover that turned into a second period Coyote’s goal. All players have to be careful in the “grey zone” without exceptions to skill guys. Was wondering if putting him on the fourth line when the team needed goals was wise, but in the end probably a pretty important message. … Gutsy to pull Johnson after the second period in the win and you’re in era in Calgary. Let him play and he’s the goaltender in a 4-0 or 5-0 loss, pull him and you risk having two goaltenders looking shaky with the Flyers coming to town on Wednesday. Elliott gave up one, and didn’t have a whole lot to do, so I guess you come back to him, but there can’t be a good feeling either way.
Next Up
The Flames host the Flyers on Wednesday’s night concluding this brief two game home stand before a tough five game road trip. Game time against Philadelphia is 7.30pm, on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Versteeg – Bennett – Chiasson
Gaudreau – Monahan – Brouwer
Ferland – Stajan – Hathaway
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Wideman
Kulak – Engellend
Johnson
