Honestly that was a good hockey game.
With one team travelling across the country and the other on a five day hiatus, the afternoon start had the makings of an ugly game for at least one if not both teams at Saddledome today.
Instead it was a spirited affair with the Toronto Maple Leafs scoring three goals off unintentional deflections to pare back the Flames by a 3-2 score.
Toronto went up 3-1 early in the third, with the Flames scoring a powerplay goal before pushing hard to the buzzer for the equalizer. A bounce here or there going the other way could have been a very different outcome.
Line Up Changes
Only one change due to injury from the Flames two game sweep of the Vancouver Canucks, but the single change effectively altered all four lines.
Dillon Dube, reportedly working through a groin injury was unable to go (in the game, or practice all week), and with that Joakim Nordstrom suits up for his second game of the season.
Andrew Mangiapane heads up to the top line with Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm, Tkachuk swapping sides to the right. Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau start the game with the guy they finished the last Vancouver victory with in Dominik Simon. Mikael Backlund is up the middle with Sam Bennett and Josh Leivo on his flanks. Finally, Derek Ryan on the fourth line with Milan Lucic and Nordstrom.
No change on the blueline with Mark Giordano paired with Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin with Chris Tanev, and finally Juuso Valimaki with Nikita Nesterov.
In goal, Jacob Markstrom starts his fourth of four games to start the season.
Shut Out Streak *
Have to feel for Jacob Markstrom and this odd run of luck to start the season.
After giving up an overtime goal to former Jet Patrick Laine to open the season, the giant goaltender hasn’t been beaten by a direct shot or purposeful deflection in now 180 minutes of hockey.
Nadda.
Not one.
Today he was beat three times; the first off of Dominik Simon, the second Wayne Simmonds accidentally banking the puck off his own skate, and the game winner with a puck off of Auston Matthews skate and then Ramus Andersson’s boot before hitting the corner of the net.
Can’t say enough about how well the goaltender has played, so you’d like to see him get the win for his efforts. Today he stopped a Mitch Marner breakaway, as well as numerous other tough chances as the Leaf’s had the lion’s share of the play until the final minutes of the third.
TJ Brodie Returns
Just seems odd to have TJ Brodie in a uniform other than Calgary’s, and even more so to see him in a Leaf’s silks with a big unorthodox number on his back.
Brodie played 10 years in Calgary, and was a key part of the core for at least the last eight.
You wish the guy the best, but I’d sure like to know how things broke down to have the player not sign and stay in Calgary.
Did he want to return to Ontario?
Did the Flames want a more rough and tumble luck on the blueline?
A game of chicken that failed?
A no trade clause demand that wouldn’t bend?
As I said, hope the rest of his career goes well … he was a great Flame and an even better person, but I’ll miss him.
Broken Stick Free Option
I honestly try hard to avoid criticizing referees, as it’s a fast game and it’s almost impossible to catch every detail live.
Additionally the Flames had the same number of chances including two in the third giving them a chance to tie things up … they didn’t impact the game.
But I don’t get the lack of consistency in sending Sean Monahan off for a one handed stick breaking slash in the corner of the offensive zone, but then not sending Morgan Rielly off for breaking Mark Giordano’s stick when he had a scoring chance.
If it’s an automatic play as Rick Ball said this afternoon, shouldn’t it be well … automatic?
The Defense Pairings
Warning! Sample Size Issue Ahead!
It’s only four games so results can tip the other direction very quickly, but a fairly consistent trend has been found in all the games to start the season.
The team has a dynamite third pairing that is giving Geoff Ward all kinds of options. Today they both posted close to 70% in possession metrics and were a stand out.
Additionally, the chemistry between Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev seems to be spot on, with Noah Hanifin playing some of his best hockey of his career, and certainly in his time in a Calgary uniform. Hanifin has been the work horse five on five, hitting the sheet for six more minutes than his defense partner on the season, and almost ten more minutes than his captain.
But it’s not all rainbows.
The top pairing has struggled. They’re under water in shot attempts, and only playing to about a 35% goal expectency.
Normally that would signal a toss up to the pairing configurations, but with the second and third pairing being lights out, it’s probably best to let them work it out.
Another Solid Gaudreau/Monahan Effort
The defense, rebuilt, looked pretty solid on paper.
The goaltender, signed, was ready to be the most prominent number one stopper in Calgary since Miikka Kiprusoff retired.
The issue … of course was up front.
Can a team add depth to the bottom six and compete if their top line didn’t rediscover an element of their magic before things went dark a year and a half ago?
So far the answer is yes, and today was yet another solid effort for the team’s first (or second line). They didn’t give up too much defensively and had a hearty split of around 60% in goal expectancy.
With Dillon Dube out, things got blendered, but the early returns suggest the Flames have built themselves two pretty potent lines.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 33 Leafs 32
Face Offs – Maple Leafs 52%
Special Teams – Flames 1/4 Leafs 1/4
Player Stats:
Points – Sean Monahan led the Flames with a goal and an assist for his second straight multi point game. He has points in all four games this season.
Plus/Minus – Only two positive players on the roster, with Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin both +1 on the afternoon.
Shots – Matthew Tkachuk had an eye popping eight shots on goal for Calgary today.
Fancy Stats
The Flames had 57% of the five on five shot attempts on the afternoon with period splits of 58%/54% and 58%. Their expected goal split five on five was 54%, due largely to strong second period that had them dominate.
In all situations the Flames had 58% of the shot attempts, an even split of high danger chances at 15-15, and an xGF% of 55%.
Individually the Flames were led by their third defense pairing with Juuso Valimaki and Nikita Nesterov posting an impressive 68.8%. Right on their heels was Chris Tanev and Andrew Mangiapane. Other players with 60+% on the afternoon were Elias Lindholm, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, Noah Hanifin and Sean Monahan. Only five players finished under water with the worst record going to Derek Ryan with 38.5%. The other four culprits? Joakin Nordstrom, Rasmus Andersson, Mark Giordano and Josh Leivo.
