In the 1980s we were spoiled, so very spoiled and often with the spoiled we didn’t even realize it. Two powerhouse teams being built in a province, and a new playoff format that pretty much ensured they’d have to go through each other each and every year.
A few playoff series are played, a level of hatred achieved, and with that every regular season game came with a level of importance that wasn’t quite a playoff game, but so close it almost felt the same.
Dark year after dark year for both franchises have seen little by way of excitement, hatred or importance in their pre-Spring contests, but tonight was a step in the right direction. The Oilers have pulled into a battle with other struggling clubs for a wildcard spot, while the Flames sit atop the West and need points to keep the challengers at bay.
The disparity in standings was clear on the ice in this one, as the penthouse Flames were clearly better than the trying to escape the outhouse Oilers in a 5-2 contest in Edmonton on Saturday night.
A late second period goal for Edmonton followed by an early one in the third gave the game a new wrinkle but the Flames took it away with back to back third period goals to coast to the win.
Line Up Changes
The gang is back together again tonight in Edmonton with the return of Neal and Hamonic last night, and David Rittich between the pipes with the team playing the second night of back to backs (three in four nights).
The lines stay as per normal with the top line, the 3M line the Neal/Jankowski/Bennett combo and a fourth line of Derek Ryan, Garnet Hathaway and Andrew Mangiapane.
Last night Peters came up with an interesting wrinkle, swapping James Neal for Matthew Tkachuk in the third, a move that had Michael Frolik moving to the left side on line two, and Bennett moving to the right side of line three.
Drai No Center
Coming into tonight’s game, Leon Draisaitl had played 60% of his five on five minutes on a line with Connor McDavid. Since McDavid is a center, we should safely deduce from that split that the German forward spends more time as a winger than he does as a center.
Therefore he’s not a center.
The Oilers media is always talking up the big two down the middle, and this year with the resurgence of Nugent-Hopkins the big three. But Nugent Hopkins has only played 57% of his shifts without McDavid, and Draisaitl the aforementioned 40% coming in.
This is a line, not depth up the middle
Draisaitl in the last two years plus has only played away from McDavid for 47% of his five on five ice time, producing a pedestrian 1.87 points per 60 five on five. A rate like 1.87 is good for a middling to lower end second line center, but hardly the line carrying stat you’d hope for from a guy being paid $8M per season.
Backlund on a Ripper
Last season, and for much of the beginning of this season Mikael Backlund was getting chances, but not the goals or points fitting of a second line center. With the big new contract, one had to wonder if he was going to be more of a well paid Selke candidate than an offensive force on the second line.
With a goal an assist last night he continues a hot January which has him scoring seven points in just nine games, and getting his season projections back to the production that got him paid.
Backlund is now on a 20 goal / 48 point 82 game pace (he missed time with a concussion), which is right in line with the past three years that featured point totals of 47, 53 and 45 points.
That level of production certainly has him in the middle of 2nd line center production historically.
Special Teams Dominant
The Flames won the battle of the special teams with two powerplay goals, while giving up just one to Edmonton.
However things look more dominant when you look at the shot clock. Calgary generated 15 shots on goal on their seven powerplays compared to just eight by the Oilers on their six opportunities. When it comes to scoring chances, the Oilers had two while the Flames picked up nine.
Geoff Ward really has the powerplay unit, and now it’s not just the top unit as the second unit is starting to generate chances as well. Rasmus Andersson was on the ice for six scoring chances on his own, showing the 2nd unit is starting to carry the mail.
Giordano with Three More Points
Mark Giordano’s incredible season just keeps on chugging along, as the Calgary captain picked up three more points last night giving him six points in the back to back games this weekend and 52 on the season in just 48 games.
That makes five players in Calgary that have 50 or more points, with the next closest team having three.
Since the player learned of his all star game snub he’s put up five goals and seven assists in just six games for two points per game, and three games where he picked up three points.
Still can’t believe this contract was attacked when it was signed three years ago.
High Stick Calls
I think it’s time to add some consistency to what is and isn’t a four minute call when it comes to high sticking, as I certainly can’t figure it out.
The rule seems to be two minutes unless blood is drawn then it becomes four. Its only five with intent or a level of maliciousness that makes five and a game necessary.
Is it not time to do away with the blood call and just make it a line for referees to call about carelessness? Two for an accident, four for a careless act and five and a game for intent would be my recommendation.
Last night McDavid took a high stick from Sean Monahan that resulted in a four minute powerplay but a high stick on Gaudreau later was just two. Are they really that different? Should a boo boo really be the difference between two and four minutes?
McDavid Contained
The Flames without the last change didn’t have the option of matching lines and containing the Oilers top line with the 3M line. With that the onus fell to the Calgary top line, and the team’s top pairing for the most part with TJ Brodie specifically doing his best to wear McDavid like a second jersey.
Monahan’s line had McDavid for about seven minutes of work five on five, essentially splitting the high danger chances at one apiece, not a bad night.
All told McDavid finished with 23 minutes of ice time, three shots and was -1.
He seemed pretty rattled by a Hathaway hit that seemed to give him a compression cut in the eye, couldn’t see from the replay how the cut happened, but it took him off his game.
Showing Up Refs
I’m not a fan of the Johnny Gaudreau mitt shaking when he gets slashed, I think he’s created a relationship with referees over it that is taking away and not adding calls generating powerplays.
Last night McDavid did something similar when he was cut, but taking off his helmet and tossing it into the Oilers bench when he was leaving the ice.
Just doesn’t look good on a player to attempt and embarrass an official for not making a call.
Standings Implications
Not a good night for the Oilers, with the Stars, Ducks, Wild and Blues all winning (the Canucks the night before) and Edmonton losing to Calgary. The loss moves them out of the wildcard spot and into a situation where they have multiple teams to catch, and pressure from below. Good Saturday!
The Flames on the other hand, had the other type of Saturday. A Calgary win with a Jets loss gives the Flames a five point lead atop the conference. The Jets have two games in hand, but winning both will no longer catch Calgary. The Sharks lost as well, meaning the Flames have a six point lead on the Sharks with even games played.
The Flames now lead the Oilers by a nice round 20 points.
Counting Stats
Powerplay: Flames 2/7 Oilers 1/6
Face Offs: 56% Calgary
Shots: Flames 34 Oilers 24
Giveaways: Edmonton 24 Calgary 12
Fancy Stats
The Flames had 45% of the shot attempts five on five with period splits of 50% / 32% and 53%. In terms of scoring chances the Flames had only 37%, but high danger chances were split at three apiece, the sixth straight game where Calgary has surrendered between three and six high danger chances (26 in six games). The Flames started the season near the bottom when it came to chances surrendered, but with better hockey for months have now moved into the top 15 in high danger surrender rates.
In all situations the Flames had 51% of the shot attempts, 54% of the scoring chances and 61% of the high danger chances, as their powerplay was tough to handle for the Oilers.
Individually Andrew Mangiapane led the way, though he only had four minutes of ice time. Of guys that played a more prominent role, Andersson was number one at 72%, joined by Derek Ryan. Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau were all over the 60% mark. Travis Hamonic was at the bottom with just 30%, other guys with a rough night included Mark Jankowski, Michael Frolik and Noah Hanifin all in the 30s.
