So you just have to feel great for David Rittich, don’t you?
Team goes out and signs Jacob Markstrom to a six year deal all but killing any chance you’d have to be the club’s number one goaltender going forward. Then you start the season with two losses, and sit for a huge spell of games.
Team in a swoon goes into Toronto with the Leafs licking their chops to run up the score on a down trodden team and at the morning skate you find out you’re no longer backing up but starting the game in only a few hours.
No problem … you pitch a shut out in a 3-0 Flames victory in Toronto, snapping the team’s three game losing streak and delaying … for now … the funeral march in an obscure season.
Love it.
The Line Up
Given the current situation does the lineup even matter? I don’t say that in a defeatist, negative, dreary fashion, I mean it honestly. With all that has gone wrong in the last week I’m not sure the biggest issue is who plays with whom? Or whom dressed or scratched. Every player on the team has to dig deeper and do a better job of what they do. Having said that it was quite surprising to hear that Jacob Markstrom couldn’t go today when he was the suggested starter all day. And it can’t be understated how much getting Sean Monahan back will help in making the top nine look more dangerous.
The Cage
The Flames didn’t give up a lot to Edmonton in the 2-1 loss on Friday night, neither team generated a lot of chances or shots to the net. So if you want a silver lining from the Jacob Markstrom injury maybe there’s that? David Rittich when he’s right is a solid middle tier NHL starter, there really isn’t any reason why he can’t be one of the league’s best backups, given his penchant for wearing out with too much duty in the previous two seasons. Really have to hope Jacob Markstom’s injury isn’t serious and/or long lasting.
Jacob Markstrom
Save percentage above average -0.322
David Rittich
Save percentage above average – -2.147
The Blueline
The revolving door for the sixth blueliner continues to spin with Oliver Kylington making his first start of the season … heck of the last 365 days! Kylington has great boots but through his young career has struggled in his own zone. Luckily that has a been a trait of the two players not playing tonight as well, so he has a safety net. Mark Giordano stays with Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin continues to be paired with Chris Tanev, and Kylington will play the left side with Juuso Valimaki. Valimaki had a game just marginally less dreadful than Nikita Nesterov on Saturday, so it will be interesting to watch his game.
Giordano – Andersson
47% xGF in 207 minutes
Hanifin – Tanev
61% xGF in 266 minutes
Kylington – Valimaki
New pairing
Up Front
Hard to say how “right” Sean Monahan is in returning to the lineup after a two game absence against the Edmonton Oilers. His presence sure makes the lineup look more potent though doesn’t? His re-insertion makes the top nine look much more consistent and interesting. Andrew Mangiapane returns the top line with Matthew Tkachuk and center Elias Lindholm. That combination has been one of Calgary’s best this season for play driving. The second line has Monahan back with Johnny Gaudreau and the bouncing roster utility player Sam Bennett. They’ve had solid results, but lesser underlying metrics. The third line of Mikael Backlund between Milan Lucic and Dillon Dube has also been very dependable. A new fourth line with Glen Gawdin in his second ever NHL game centering PK specialist Joakim Nordstrom and Josh Leivo.
Tkachuk – Lindholm – Mangiapane
59% xGF in 49 minutes
Gaudreau – Monahan – Bennett
42% xGF in 48 minutes
Lucic – Backlund – Dube
73% xGF in 6 minutes
Nordstrom – Gawdin – Leivo
51% xGF in 3 minutes
The Start
The. Calgary. Flames. Scored. First.
No seriously they did!
The Flames opened the scoring early in the first period when Sam Bennett went to the net from the corner after winning a puck battle and cleaned up the puck through the pads on Hendrickson.
Only the 7th time this season the Flames have opened the scoring.
The first wasn’t without it’s warts however as the Flames took two silly penalties; Joakim Nordstrom sticking his leg out on Mitch Marner after a terrible clearing attempt, and Sam Bennett grabbing on to John Tavares on a backcheck.
Luckily the PK and David Rittich were ready for the task.
Way Too Many Penalties
Honestly thought the stripes were way too involved in tonight’s game.
Too many calls … both ways.
I know you have to call the stick in the legs thing for the most part, but we literally saw four of them in a row in the second period. All accidental and without any impact on the game.
Additionally
I would have liked to see McDermott not called on the Gaudreau stand up. It’s just hockey.
Rittich’s Performance
So ironic isn’t it?
Calgary’s big money goaltender is hurt, the announcement comes down late, and with that the struggling backup has to head into the nets and play the Leafs with the weight of the world on his shoulders given the team’s face plant in Edmonton on Saturday and a three game losing streak.
Shut out.
David Rittich was stellar tonight. The Flames didn’t give up a whole lot for a road game with the lead coast to coast, but they gave up enough and Rittich was there to stop them all.
If the team was waiting until this morning to make a call on Jacob Markstrom it’s quite likely the injury isn’t severe, but now to have David Rittich back in the zone is a great feeling. Lots of back to backs to come, so a solid tandem is the difference between making and missing the playoffs.
Monahan Returns
Sean Monahan looked very very good tonight.
Solid five on five, and physical in his own zone. He snapped his goalless streak, had two points, and was the team’s best metrics player on the night.
Good celly too as it turned out.
The team needs all of their top six players if this is going to work. The hole in the lineup with Monahan out was noticeable, and the flow from having him back in the lineup was just as noticeable.
He’s always been a streaky scorer. Chances are getting that gorilla off his back will lead to more twine tumblers going forward.
Andersson on the First Unit
Really like the look of Rasmus Andersson on that first powerplay unit.
He does a great job of vollying pucks back and forth between Elias Lindholm and Johnny Gaudreau keeping the umbrella alive and the team dangerous.
Juuso Valimaki looked tentative running the top unit, and I’ve always felt that Mark Giordano telegraphs what he’s going to do; ironic comment tonight given Giordano’s assist on Matthew Tkachuk’s powerplay tip.
But Andersson is a solid quarterback and the guy they should be going with going forward.
Special Teams Battle
What a special teams win for the Flames.
The powerplay scores twice on five opportunities in a 3-0 win, but it was the penalty kill group that stood out the most with a 7/7 night styming the league’s best powerplay.
The 90 second five on three in the second period was a game changer, as Mikael Backlund, Chris Tanev and Mark Giordano kept the Leafs from penetrating the slot and creating any true blue chances.
Oliver’s Night
Not a very extensive one.
The third pairing was struggling again, and with that Geoff Ward leaned heavily on his top two pairings limiting Oliver Kylington to only 8 minutes, his pairing partner Juuso Valimaki getting 9.
The third pairing was the difference if you can believe it in the big loss in Edmonton, so the leash was short tonight.
Kylington finished with one shot, one block, and a 35% CF on the night.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 33 Leafs 34
Face Offs – Flames 61%
Special Teams – Flames 2/5 Leafs 0/7
Player Stats:
Points – Rasmus Andersson, Matthew Tkachuk and Sean Monahan all had two points on the night, Tkachuk and Monahan with a goal and an assist each.
Plus/Minus – Sean Monahan, Sam Bennett, Johnny Gaudreau, Rasmus Andersson and Mark Giordano all finished at +1.
Shots – Matthew Tkachuk almost lapped his teammates with six shots on goal.
Fancy Stats
The Flames finished at 40% five on five with period splits of 55%/32% and 28% as the Leafs pressed down from the start. In terms of high definition chances Toronto had an 8-3 edge. Expected goals five on five fell to Toronto at 69%.
In all situations the game was a little closer; as Calgary had 40% of the shot attempts, 30% of the high danger chances and an expected goal split of 45%.
Individually a rough night as you’d expect from the numbers above. Only two players posted positive nights with Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett sitting at the top of the pile. Elias Lindholm was at the bottom with 24%, and joined in the 20s by Glen Gawdin (2 minutes), Joakim Nordstrom (3 minutes) and Matthew Tkachuk.
The Flames leaned heavily on the top three lines and top two defense pairings.
