A road trip that could be make or break for a season, given the tight hot mess that is the Pacific Division and Western Conference, had a few dates circled that would be tougher than others.
A game in Detroit should be a win, and it was, though not in the most convincing of fashions. A game in Nashville is a challenge, that comes up on Thursday … decent team having an off year but very much in the hunt with Calgary. Florida oddly selling pieces at the deadline.
But the other two stops wouldn’t have prognostigators figuring on points, a game tonight in Boston and a game on Saturday in Tampa.
Yet the Flames rolled out what could be their most complete game of the season in nursing a 3-1 lead into the third period and then skating away with a 5-2 victory.
Two goals from Sean Monahan, and two late goals from Mikael Backlund as the team’s top two lines continue to get it done (Matthew Tkachuk had three points), moving the Flames to 2-0-0 on the trip thus far.
Line Up Changes
Weeks and weeks of not much change to starting lineups, a goalie change, an alteration to forward #12 or defenseman #6, the obvious fill in for an injury.
But tonight is a little different.
The Flames are dressing two defenseman that haven’t been available for the past several weeks. All day it looked like it might be three, but captain Mark Giordano was a no go despite teasing all day that he was set to make his return. So a pairing with Michael Stone holding down Giordano’s spot (on the other side) with TJ Brodie. The second pairing which was the first pairing with Giordano out, is kept together with Noah Hanifin paired up with Rasmus Andersson. And an all new third pairing with former King Derek Forbort lining up with former Blackhawk Eric Gustaffson.
Should be interesting.
Up front no change to the 12 guys dressed, but a small change in the bottom six. Sean Monahan continues to center Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm. The red hot Mikael Backlund centers regular linemates Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane. Derek Ryan returns to his old spot between Milan Lucic and Dillon Dube. And Sam Bennett slides down to the fourth line to play the left side with Mark Jankowski in the middle and Tobias Rieder on the right side.
Top Line Coming Along
It’s only a nine game sample size, but it sure seams like the return of Elias Lindholm to the Monahah/Gaudreau line has put things back to at least on track to a recovery of two very dismal seasons.
Before the switch on February 6th both Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau had xGF% marks of close to 47%. This largely on the backs of the duo just getting owned in their measure of high danger splits, both posting 45% on the season despite favourable matchups and zone starts.
Two high paid forwards giving up 55% of the high danger chances was literally a waste of ice time. They were awful.
In the nine games since however, Johnny Gaudreau has recorded an xGF% of 58.6%, while Sean Monahan has been good for 54.6%. In terms of high danger splits the two have measured 58.2% and 54.4% respectively. Tonight they didn’t hurt their numbers at all with two Sean Monahan goals (one five on five) and positive expected goal splits and high danger splits.
It’s good to see some results, as the pair were just under 50% in actual goals through the nine games coming in.
With the Backlund line taking off, it’s a good sign to see some life from what should be the Flames top line. Hopefully they start filling the net soon.
Calgary’s New Stay At Home
Solid first game for Derek Forbort, as he logged 18 minutes, had two shots, two hits and a block. His underlying stats suggested a night just under 50%, which was solid compared to the majority of his teammates. His relative CF% for example was +1.72%.
Sexy? Hell no, and as advertised you probably don’t want to notice a stay at home defensive defenseman and that was certainly the case.
Didn’t see a lot of panic plays, giveaways, or extended time in his own zone, as check marks.
Out of Town Scoreboard
Not the best of nights out of town for the Flames.
The Canucks came back and won in overtime. The Oilers and Jets came back to earn a point, and Nashville won in regulation. The only truly good news was a regulation loss for the Arizona Coyotes.
As a result the Flames now find themselves in the first wild card spot, two points up on three teams; the Preds, Coyotes and Jets with a game in hand on Winnipeg, two games in hand on Arizona and with Nashville having two games in hand on Calgary.
They are two points back of the Oilers and Canucks with Edmonton having a game in hand, and the Canucks two.
By points percentage the Flames are the second wild card team behind Nashville, with a bit of a gap forming over Winnipeg and Arizona.
Backlund Puts It Away
Another two goals and an assist for Mikael Backlund, as the player now has 15 points in 12 February games, and 16 points in 14 games since the all star break.
His 82 point pace is now climbing over career averages (full seasons) with a 18 goal 49 point pace on the season.
Incredible turnaround.
And Gets Some Revenge
And what made it sweet for the player and entertaining for the viewer was the turn of events in the game in Backlund’s little battle with super pest Brad Marchand.
Marchand after exchanging whacks and run ins with Calgary’s center basically taunted Backlund and the Calgary bench after scoring a second period short handed goal.
So to have Backlund add both insurance goals late must have been a pretty nice piece of revenge served. Didn’t get a full picture of whether Backlund returned fire late when it came to a bench challenge, but it certainly looked like he turned his head in that direction.
Powerplay Quarterback
Not a bad start for Erik Gustaffson in Flames colours.
A damage free five on five record against a top NHL club, and a powerplay assist, the second assist on Sean Monahan’s second goal on a second period powerplay.
I thought he forced things a bit in the first period on a powerplay, looking to shoot a little too often, and a little too quickly, but he calmed down for the team’s second and third looks on the powerplay.
He distributes the puck well on the top of the umbrella, though I’d prefer they put say Gaudreau in that spot and open Gustaffson up for the one timer.
Wayne Simmonds Huh?
Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion, but Cassie Campbell’s take on wishing the Flames had acquired Wayne Simmonds would certainly not be considered a popular one.
Adding a veteran character guy is fine, especially if the cost is low, and that was certainly the case when he went to Buffalo for just a 5th round pick. But where does he play?
Does he put a top nine forward out of the lineup? Bump say a speedy Toby Rieder off the fourth line and replace him with a physical guy that doesn’t have the wheels?
Nothing wrong with depth, but there has to be a fit, and Simmonds would not have fit with the current Calgary construct.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 31 Bruins 28
Face Offs – Flames 43%
Special Teams – Flames 1/3 Bruins 0/1
Player Stats:
Points – Matthew Tkachuk and Mikael Backlund both had three point nights for the Flames; Backlund with two goals, Tkachuk with one.
Plus/Minus – Matthew Tkachuk led all skaters with a +3 night.
Shots – Johnny Gaudreau was tops in shots as he posted four on the night.
Fancy Stats
Some score effects with the Flames leading pretty much the whole way, as the Bruins finished with 44.6% of the five on five shot attempts with period splits of 51.6%/58.1% and 56.7%. In terms of high danger chances the Bruins had 57% on a count of 8-6, a good number for Calgary however keeping the Bruins in single digits on home ice. The Flames lost the battle of expected goal split as well with just 45.6% on the night.
In all situations the Flames had 48% of the shot attempts 52.4% of the high danger chances and an expected split of 58.2%, but with two extra powerplays.
Individually the Flames were led by the second line with Andrew Mangiapane, Matthew Tkachuk and Mikael Backlund all at 60% on the night. Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson also had solid nights. Derek Ryan and Dillon Dube were both under 30% with awful nights, six other players were in the 30s.
