And there you have Jacob Markstrom’s first stolen points … not grand larceny but his second period, a hectic chaotic period by the Flames certainly felt like the difference in a 2-0 shut out win.
Calgary started strong with a solid first period, going ahead on a Johnny Gaudreau powerplay goal.
The second was an absolute mess however, with Markstrom getting left all alone way too many times … honestly amazing that Calgary kept the lead into the third period.
The third was much better for Calgary, but certainly not perfect. The Flames had a good deal of their own chances, firing wide often, and having a close call on a Joakim Nordstrom wrap around.
In the end the Flames hold on, Mikael Backlund hits the empty net and the Flames hand the Canadiens their first regulation loss of the season.
Next up Winnipeg, then Winnipeg, and then well, Winnepeg.
Lineup Changes
Looks like the Flames were set to inject two upper roster players back into the lineup tonight, an infusion needed for a team that’s lost three in a row including a dispiriting last outing in Montreal against the very same team.
Dillon Dube creates a great trickle down effect, should he play, as it appeared in the warmups. With Dube on the top line with Elias Lindholm neither Andrew Mangiapane nor Josh Leivo, coming off his best game in Calgary colours, is needed. A small change to the second line with Sean Monahan centering Johnny Gaudreau but with Andrew Mangiapane to help drive play. The third line gets Josh Leivo, as he lines up with Mikael Backlund and Sam Bennett. And finally a fourth line with Derek Ryan between Milan Lucic and Joakim Nordstrom. Dominik Simon comes out with Dube coming in.
No change on the blueline as the recovering first pairing; they’ve had their two best games of the season in games five and six as Mark Giordano and Rasmus Andersson line up. The second pairing continues to be the Flame’s best as Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev try to stretch their streak of not giving up a five on five goal. Finally Juuso Valimaki and Nikita Nesterov try and bounce back after a rough start last time out against Montreal.
The other big addition is in goal, where Jacob Markstrom is back in the starter block after taking a night off on Thursday.
The Markstrom Start
Well what can you say?
He stole two points.
Second shut out of the season, and this one in a way more impressive fashion, stopping 37 shots on the road in Montreal and masking a lot of defensive mistakes and break downs for his teammates.
Only time will solve the answer as to the value of his contract over six seasons, but the early returns have been pretty solid. An iffy start against Toronto on Tuesday the only blemish on his time in Flames colours.
Consistent Inconsistency
Was that 60 minutes?
No … no it was not.
The second period was an absolute cluster f*ck in my mind as the Flames ran around, had too many unforced errors, bad reads, and insane decision making. The second period was bad enough to have buried them in most games, but somehow they pick up a shut out win on the road.
I was pretty happy with the team’s play through five games despite being 2-2-1, but at 3-3-1 I’m just shaking my head.
Two Men Down
Lots of shot blocking guts from the Flames tonight, as the give a rip meter was up despite some chaotic play.
The two guys with the most blocks, both almost left the game with injuries in the second period. First Juuso Valimaki takes a Shea Weber shot off the forearm and misses a shift; he was second for the Flames with 4 blocks on the night.
Then a few minutes later Rasmus Andersson takes a shot off the inside of the knee and hobbles to the bench. Andersson led the way with 5 blocks in the game.
Speaking of Andersson
Was he ever engaged.
He comes in for Josh Leivo in the first period, jumping Cory Perry and getting his salad yanked in retaliation.
In the second period he got mixed up with Brendan Gallagher taking a penalty, but showing up physically against a difficult player to play against.
More and more of the leadership of this team will be shifting towards Matthew Tkachuk and Rasmus Andersson.
What a second round draft pick.
Speaking of Gallagher
Shout out to my wife catching it, but did anyone else see what looked like a spear on Mikael Backlund on the faceoff in front of the Flames bench prior to Backlund’s empty net goal?
Looked like Gallagher skated to Backlund after the face off and put a stick in his mid section, without a call.
Certainly could have been a sell job by Backlund, but there could be two reviewed plays from this game.
Bennett Wants Out
Elliott Friedman after the second period reported that he’d heard rumblings that Sam Bennett has asked for a trade.
Friedman followed up with Bennett’s agent Ferris, and confirmed that it wasn’t a demand but more of a request.
Leave it to Bennett to ask for a trade 6 games into a Covid season where players have to be quarantined before joining clubs, as much as 14 days if he’s traded to any of the 24 teams that would make more sense.
Honestly I almost assume the Flames may just tell him they’ll look into it in the off season after the expansion draft. There’s really no point.
Chris Tanev Early Returns
I think even the biggest optimist wouldn’t predicted the impact that Chris Tanev has had on the Flame’s defense core.
It’s early, there is lots of hockey to be played, but to form 1/2 of the team’s best defense pairing, and to seemingly have settled Noah Hanifin into his best hockey in Calgary is a huge win for a free agent signing that didn’t have the approval of all onlookers.
Is that fair? It’s early as I say, and the above could be a huge mischaracterization of what’s going on in the second pairing, if it’s actually Noah Hanifin popping and helping out his battery mate instead of the opposite, but regardless it does make the expansion draft a little more interesting doesn’t it?
Do you take a year of Tanev, market valued upped, and let him go to Seattle, avoiding what could have been a rough back nine on his contract? Or do you change gears and expose the captain of the team, who looks to have slipped (once again it’s early) to start the season?
Would love to be a fly on the wall.
Dube’s Impact
Interesting enough … not a lot as his line got fed all night.
He did get into a mix up with Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the second period, running over the Montreal player behind the net and creating a stir, and eventual powerplay.
It will be interesting to see what the league does in this case as there was head contact, though the collision almost looked like a surprise more than a targeted hit.
Special Teams Bounce Back
On Thursday night not a lot happened five on five, literally next to nothing until the game was already over.
When the team’s weren’t skating five a side is when Montreal put the boots to the Flames with two powerplay goals and a shortie to put the Flames on their heels, the two extra man strikes coming on two opportunities in the first putting the Flames firmly behind the eight ball.
Tonight not a lot of goals … period, but the special teams battle won by the Flames with a powerplay goal and a perfect record killing penalties.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 33 Habs 37
Face Offs – Flames 53%
Special Teams – Flames 1/6 Habs 0/5
Player Stats:
Points – Elias Lindholm led all Flames with two points on the night, both assists on the only two goals.
Plus/Minus – Mikael Backlund, Elias Lindholm, Matthew Tkachuk, Chris Tanev and Mark Giordano were all +1 for Calgary.
Shots – Mikael Backlund, Sam Bennett and Rasmus Andersson all had four shots on goal.
Fancy Stats
The Flames simply got crushed by Montreal five on five tonight. Calgary had 40% of the shot attempts with period splits of 46%/17% and 45%. Yes that was not a typo, 17% in the second period, thank you Jakob Markstrom. High danger chances five on five were 17-4 Montreal, that’s not close folks. And the math, as you’d assume for expected goal splits was 69% Montreal.
In all situations the Flames had 39% of the shot attempts, 20% of the high danger chances and 49% of the expected goal splits, a suprising number given the other tabulations.
Individually the Flames had only five players above water in shot splits five on five. Milan Lucic led the way with 67%, Joakin Nordstrom was next at 64%, followed by Derek Ryan, the unflappable Chris Tanev and Michael Backlund. At the bottom of the pile was the usual drive kings Elias Lindholm at 14% and Matthew Tkachuk at 17%. Yikes!
