The Flames have played a lot of tough games, and in a lot of tough buildings of late, so hosting the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night certainly set up as the classic trap game. With 7 dates left on the schedule, and this only light tough left (assuming the Kings still have something to play for), the game set up as a great test for the professionalism of this edition of the Calgary Flames.
So how did they do?
Meh.
They were professional enough to get things done, so you can give them a check mark for the final result, but the 4-2 nail biter over the Colorado Avalanche was certainly not the intense, system laden effort that we’ve seen from this team in recent weeks.
But then how could it. Magic number down to 2, and move on to the California teams.
The Flow
The Flames had a strong start, with Johnny Gaudreau drawing a penalty in the game’s first ten seconds. The ensuing powerplay was money as well, or at least Mony as Sean Monahan scored a quick fluke goal when an attempted pass hit an Avalanche skate and went past Pickard to make it 1-0 Calgary. The Flames really controlled the period, but had great difficulty getting pucks on net, with several wide shots, or blocked efforts keeping the game tight through 20 minutes. Matt Stajan takes a tripping penalty just as the period runs out setting up a 2 minute powerplay for Denver at the beginning of the second.
The Flames do well to kill off the Stajan minor but with about 8 seconds to go in the shorthanded situation Mikael Backlund flips the puck over the glass as he attempts to put the puck down the ice and get off. The Flames are strong again on the second minor, killing it off again, keeping the game 1-0 Flames through the first four minutes of the period. From there it’s all Calgary territorially again, but once again they just can’t seem to generate enough to put the game away. Micheal Ferland bobbles the puck on a three on two, but Monahan corrals it and sends it to Gaudreau who attempts a stuff with Ferland finishing it off and it’s 2-0 Flames. More chances in the period, but the game stays 2-0 through 40 minutes.
Not a great third period for the Flames, as they abandon their system and revert to sitting on a lead against the league’s worst hockey club. And they almost pay for it twice. The Avalanche get back into it on a Michael Stone tripping penalty when Andrighetto beats Elliott and suddenly the outcome was in doubt for the first time all night. The Flames get a powerplay of their own though when Pickard flips the puck over the glass, and the Flames make quick work of it when Troy Brouwer beats him to make it 3-1, Brouwer’s third goal in the last four games. The Avalanche make it close with the goalie pulled again when Adrigehetto beats Elliott again, this time on a screened shot from the point and the tension begins again. The Flames get another powerlay though when Frolik is hooked, setting up Johnny Gaudreau’s empty netter on a Sean Monahan shot that sailed wide from center ice. Flames win 4-2.
Possession Stats
1st Period – All Calgary with a 22-11 shot attempts lead in the first period, scoring chances were 8-5 for the Flames.
2nd Period – Second period more of the same, as the Flames ran up a 17-8 shot attempts margin, 39-19 through two periods. Scoring chances were 10-3 for the Flames or 18-8 through two.
3rd Period – The third period was pretty much what you’d think, as the Avalanche pressed for a 16-9 edge in shot attempts and a 6-4 edge in scoring chances.
Players – Everyone has decent numbers in games like these, but as expected the big 5 had the best night once again, with all five players in the 63-70% range, Dougie Hamilton leading the way with 71%. Guys not used to driving play also hit the list as Kris Versteeg, Troy Brouwer and Matt Bartkowski were all in the 60s as well. Only four players were under water and they included the middle defense pairing (Brodie and Stone) as well as Lance Bouma and Alex Chiasson. Their center, Sam Bennett escaped with a 53% night.
Three Stars
1. Sean Monahan: Scores the first goal, and assists on the other three as the Flame center continues his hot hand in the past 20 games.
2. Johnny Gaudreau : One of those nights where Gaudreau was dancing, as he picked up the empty netter and assisted on two other goals.
3. Sven Adrighetto : Scores both Avalanche goals.
Big Save
If not for Calvin Pickard’s heroics in the first 40 minutes the game could have been over with early. He stopped Sean Monahan, one of the game’s hottest shooters in March, on a breakaway in the second period late, getting a blocker on a shot that looked to be heading top corner. In the third he stopped Michael Frolik on another breakaway to boot.
The Goat
Could pick on the Avalanche skill players, but once again this really wasn’t a goal night. The Flames were the better team, but both clubs worked hard without any one play standing out as ugly.
Mr. Clutch
Brian Elliott. Could have easily been a game star for his work in the third period. The guy just provides “A” list goaltending every night for the Flames, and they needed him tonight with the team not as sharp as usual.
Odds and Ends
If you want a hint at how day by day the Flames are taking things these days, look no further than the fact that there are no changes to the lineup despite lining up against a team that trails the 29th place Arizona Coyotes by 20 points. It would have been a game to rest some players if you had that way of thinking; maybe start Chad Johnson in net, perhaps a first NHL game for Rasmus Andersson, but no they stay status quo to take care of business. Good on them. … Sean Monahan’s 4 point game marks the fourth four pointer by a Flames since the beginning of February, the others going to TJ Brodie and Johnny Gaudreau with two. Four in two months is pretty amazing when you consider they had two in 2016, and one each in 205, 2014, and 2013. It’s Sean Monahan’s second career 4 point game, the last came in February of 2016 against Carolina. His four points now give him 26 goals and 30 assists on the season for 56 points, which is pretty startling given his brutal start. He may not eclipse his career high of 63 points set last season, but it looks like he’s going to get somewhat close. … The win moves the Flames magic number to two games with the team they are looking to eliminate coming in on Wednesday. If the Kings lose in Edmonton tomorrow night the Flames could win in overtime on Wednesday, if they win in Edmonton the Flames would have to win in regulation time. Who would have thought that making the playoffs would be so undramatic this season? The Flames now have a 13 point lead on the Kings with 6 games to go. Call it! … With the Blues winning an easy on against Arizona tonight, the Flames had to do the same with their easy opponent to stay two points ahead. The Flames will have to win steadily to avoid the 8th spot and a date with the Blackhawks as the Blues have an easy schedule and the Predators just keep on winning. Calgary’ best target may be the Sharks who are struggling and are now just one point up with the teams playing twice in the next two weeks. … The Flames are a point back of the Sharks, as said, but also the Oilers, and now just three points back of the Ducks.
Next Up
The final homestand continues with a date against the Kings on Wednesday night. Could it be clinch night in Calgary? Game time 7pm on Sportnet.
Lines:
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Gaudreau – Monahan – Ferland
Versteeg – Stajan – Brouwer
Bouma – Bennett – Chiasson
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Stone
Bartkowski – Engelland
Elliott
