The ultimate comparison of too much rest versus far too little at the Saddledome tonight with one team coming off a long break and the other playing their second of back to back games. Team mothball versus team lactic acid in a scientific study about rest and athletic preparation.
Well in this case, a limited sample size, rested won out over gassed in the end as the Flames ran up the Minnesota Wild by a 5-1 score on Wednesday night, sweeping the season series in what could potentially be a first round playoff series.
The Flames, would be happy to play anyone in the playoffs of course, got great efforts from most of their players including the goaltending of Brian Elliott, two goals from Sean Monahan and a great effort by their fourth line.
The Flow
The game starts pretty slowly, the Wild do control things off the opening face off. I’d give the edge to Minnesota through the first few minutes up until a big hit by Matthew Tkachuk on Eric “Gaudreau Slasher” Gaudreau, which turned the tide of the period for Calgary. The Flames open the scoring soon after when TJ Brodie finds Kris Versteeg in the slot who in turn finds Sam Bennett. Bennett one times it, but the shot if fluffed towards the cage bouncing of Alex Chiasson and in, 1-0 Flames. Soon after the Wild take a penalty, a dumb one to Jason Zucker and the Flames quickly make them play when a great zone entry results in a Gaudreau shot and a Sean Monahan goal, 2-0 Flames. The Wild basically take over from there though, as they get two powerplays and enjoy some pretty serious territorial time in the Calgary zone, but are unable to beat a razor sharp Brian Elliott. Flames lead 2-0 after twenty minutes.
A frenetic start to the second with the Flames controlling the better of the play, ironically the 3M line the only Calgary group to get hemmed in by the Wild. The Flames come close a few times including an extended period in the Wild zone with the Monahan line moving it around with the Wild skating with a player sans stick, but Devan Dubnyk is ready for the challenge. The Flames get an unsportsmanlike penalty, which I’m guessing was for complaining about a hit on Johnny Gaudreau behind the net. The Flames get a powerplay of their own and the Wild seem to score but the goal is wiped out because Parise bowled Elliott over in the crease. A minute later they do score when Dennis Wideman botches two plays in succession; first shooting into shin pads and then falling down, setting up a two on one and a Jason Zucker goal. The Flames had that hanging on feeling to wind down the period, but survive with their 2-1 lead in tact.
Very poised start for the Flames in the third period given the pace of play that the Wild were bringing to close out the second. The rough stuff continues as the two teams show a general hate towards one another. The officials miss a high stick call against Matthew Tkachuk but call Parise on a slash soon after. On that powerplay TJ Brodie and Dennis Wideman set up a slot chance for Sean Monahan who goes top corner through a Troy Brouwer screen to make it 3-1 Calgary. A minute later the Flame’s fourth line goes to work when the puck goes back to the point of a draw and Derryk Engelland wrists a low shot into traffic and past Dubnyk to make it 4-1 Flames and essentially put things away. The fourth line isn’t done however as Micheal Ferland takes advantage of a Wild turnover and goes in on a two on one with Lance Bouma, shooting and beating Dubnyk to make it a 5-1 final.
Possession Pulse
First Period – The underlying numbers match the eye test once again as they show Minnesota as the better team in the first period, earning a 14-10 edge five on five, 20-15 overall.
Second Period – Much better period for the Flames with the play both five on five and overall, their leads 20-18 five on five and 23-20 overall.
Third Period – You’d think the third period would be tense in a 2-1 narrow lead but the Flames ran the table in the third period edging the Wild in 18-10 in five on five shot attempts and 26-14 overall. On the game they were finished 48-45 (64-47 overall).
Players – I was annoyed that Glen Gulutzan moved Michael Frolik back to the 3M line as I liked his effect on Monahan and Gaudreau in that Senator game; maybe the guy knows more than me. With Brouwer back on that line the trio all finished at the top of the leaderboard with Monahan leading the way with over 70%. Another big surprise was the 60%+ number by Jyrki Jokipakka stepping in for a sick Brett Kulak. Ironically the 3M line was the team’s worse through two periods, but saved themselves somewhat with a solid third moving up the low to mid 40s. The bottom dweller on the night was TJ Brodie and Alex Chiasson both at 41%.
1. Brian Elliott: Would be easy to pick Sean Monahan and his two goals, but Elliott’s play in the first period was huge in holding the fort until his team was able to shake the all star break cob webs. Ends up with 27 saves on 28 shots.
2. Sean Monahan: What a run this guy in on, two powerplay goals and leads his team in possession.
3. Derryk Engelland: Quite the third period with a goal, an assist and a blocked pass with his face.
Big Save
You really want to give this to Elliott, he was the busier of the goaltender, especially early where he does a great job to keep the Flames in it. But that Dubnyk save on Sam Bennett in the second was a thing of beauty. Kris Verteeg takes the line, drops it to Bennett who toe drags the puck to the middle and snaps it through a pair of legs only to have Dubnyk to get part of the puck between his pad and catcher. Great save. Amazing puck tracking.
The Goat
Easy call tonight with Dennis Wideman’s fire drill on the opposing blueline. In the first period he heels one giving Zach Parise a 150 foot break away (give Wideman credit for forcing him with all the speed he could muster), and then in the second he shoots into a set of pads, falls down and spoils Elliott’s shut out bid.
Mr. Clutch
Troy Brouwer had a great game for the Flames. Picked up an assist, was a great screen on the second Monahan goal and was a key part of the team’s best line when it came to underlying stats.
Odds and Ends
With Glen Gulutzan’s pre-all star game declaration of win and you’re in for the goaltenders, it came as little surprise that Brian Elliott started tonight. Back to back games, but they may as well not be given the long lay between games. The same group of skaters hit the ice with the exception of Jokipakka in for Brett Kulak at the last second as Kulak fell ill, though they did make a swap back to put the 3M line back together. That I don’t get. The Flames win in Ottawa and the Monahan/Gaudreau/Frolik line is deep in the positives for possession, the Backlund line not hurt all that bad. Why put it back to the way it was and have the other two lines take a dive again? Makes no sense to me at all. … Imagine this season for Sean Monahan if he didn’t have a ten game point streak earlier this season, and then 8 goals in his last 9 games? Shudder. … I’m a broken record on this, but I simple didn’t see this Matthew Tkachuk phenomenon coming this season. I was over the moon when they selected him in the draft, but I thought he’d be 9 games and back to Junior, let alone being an impact top five or six players on the roster all season. He just keeps getting better and better. That hit in the first period really changed the game for the Flames; they went from post all star game slumbering to engaged in a blink of an eye. … I follow hockey but have never refereed it so maybe I just don’t know, but that Parise review called no goal; why wasn’t it a penalty. He goes to the crease and knocks Elliott into his net. That’s goalie interference no? … Jason Zucker is a classic hockey player, could totally see him in Calgary at some point in his career, but man does the guy fall down without any help from any other player. He may steal the thunder from Hartnell Down. … The Wild had a 14 game road point streak coming into the game, an unbelievable stat, but was ended by the Flames victory tonight. The Flames were the last loss for Columbus before their big run this season, as they’ve been in on a few streak start and enders. … Well the win and your in mantra should put Brian Elliott in goal in New Jersey when the Flames kick off this brief three game road trip. With the Kings getting hot and the Blues in flux the Flames need all the points they can muster. They’re not going to reel in the rest of the teams in their division so it looks like wild card or bust this season. I don’t think the Avalanche or Coyotes have a run in them, so they need to put a spike in four other teams. Winnipeg has been inconsistent all season, the Stars have had a rough time again with their goaltending, and the Canucks are well, the Canucks. That leaves Calgary with the Predators, Blues and Kings for a playoff spot. Tough crowd! … Sean Monahan’s night has me wondering if the coaching staff has been able to rebuild his game in a more complete way as he’s had a few solid 200 foot games of late. Perhaps that line doesn’t need the presence of a 3M member to settle things down.
Next Up
Back out on the road for the Flames as they travel to New Jersey to take on the Devils on Friday night, game time 5.30pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Versteeg – Bennett – Chiasson
Gaudreau – Monahan – Brouwer
Bouma – Stajan – Ferland
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Wideman
Jokipakka – Engellend
Elliott
