Losses hurt, wins are fun, overreactions a plenty in Canadian markets.
When every game is a Canadian market vs a Canadian market it probably amps things up even more.
The Flames were awful on Saturday night dropping a 3-1 game while getting massively outshot on Hockey Night in Canada. Tonight the Flames bounced back with a well played 4-3 overtime win to take four of the six points from the Canucks in the mini series in Vancouver.
Hands up … who would have been pissed with a 6 point result in Vancouver? Can’t think there would be many.
Tonight it was a solid second period after a Calgary penalty filled first that spun the game before a crazy finish that saw the Flames give up a goalie pulled shorty to lose a lead, and then score on the very same powerplay when Gaudrea finished it in overtime.
What a crazy season.
The Line Up
Could be some forced change with a potential injury to Mikael Backlund, Backlund blocking a shot on Saturday night in the first period and missing the rest of the contest. Having said that, the effort and result in Vancouver on Saturday was sub par so you’d have to think we’d see a change or two up and down the lineup not including ….
The Cage
Would love to hear what was said in the dressing room after the stinker on Saturday night. So many mistakes, so many unforced turnovers, literally the only two players that had good nights was Backlund (because he missed 75% of the game), and of course Jacob Markstrom who was a fortress and almost secured the team a point or two. It’s expected that Markstrom starts again with once again another full day off and not travel in Vancouver. Good call, why risk it?
Jacob Markstrom
Save % Above Expected – 0.585%
David Rittich
Save % Above Expected – -3.670%
The Blueline
The Flames don’t make a change to the blueline despite the loss, so Connor Mackey skates in his second NHL game. Mackey didn’t have a glowing first night at the NHL level, but then who did. They do however change up the pairings. Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, a pairing that was impenetrable to start the season, but has looked a little more “human” of late is the only pairing staying together. Juuso Valimaki moves up to play the right side with Mark Giordano. And a third pairing of Connor Mackey with Rasmus Andersson.
Giordano – Valimaki
77% xGF in 4 minutes
Hanifin – Tanev
63% xGF in 205 minutes
Mackey – Andersson
New pairing
Up Front
With Backlund out the Flames had to shuffle their lines to complete the game in Vancouver on Saturday, and they had to do the same thing again tonight with the Swedish center unable to go. As a result we lots and lots of change through the lineup including the return of a line that we saw in last year’s playoff bubble. The top line gets a change with Andrew Mangiapane giving the Elias Lindholm/Matthew Tkachuk line a new wrinkle. They’ve been dynamite in limited action this season. The trio with Dillon Dube of late honestly wasn’t working. Sam Bennett is needed at center so Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau get Dominik Simon. The aforementioned Bennett back with his playoff linemates of Milan Lucic and Dube. And finally a brand new fourth line Byron Froese centering Buddy Robinson and Joakim Nordstrom.
Tkachuk – Lindholm – Mangiapane
75% xGF in 27 minutes
Gaudreau – Monahan – Simon
43% xGF in 41 minutes
Lucic – Bennett – Dube
Brand new line
Leivo – Froese – Nordstrom
Brand new line
Cassie Campbell Between Periods
Lots of talk about Cassie Campbell on the site when she does colour.
I cringe while saying it, but she’s just not that good at colour commentary. She is though, very very good at between periods analysis.
From a city that has had Troy Brouwer and Cory Sarich, who are good humans but struggle … and Brendan Morrison and Matt Stajan who are solid contributors, I’d say that Campbell has been the best with Ryan Leslie between periods.
The jobs are different, they require a different kind of talent.
Personally I think Campbell is better between the periods than during.
No Flow With Penalties
The Flames definitely showed up for this one, a far cry from both first periods in the previous two games.
Problem though … too many penalties. When you take all four first period minor penalties it goes with saying that you’re not setting yourself up for success.
That’s golden opportunities for Vancouver but also a complete block in the engine of your five on five forward lines getting into the game, establishing their play, and generating momentum.
Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan led all Flames forwards with just 4.5 minutes of action in the first period. That’s not a normal night. The PK forwards like Elias Lindholm were close to eight minutes.
A late surge gave Calgary a huge goal, and they actually out shot the Canucks in the first. Quite the feet with a 0-4 penalty split.
Top Line With Mangiapane
First off Andrew Mangiapane with anyone is a boost. If you could run Mangiapane through a cloning machine and put one on all four lines the team wouldn’t lose a game.
He’s that good at driving play five on five.
So it was a little strange to see the top line “Mangiapane boosted” had an under water night overall.
Perhaps it’s time to get Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk on different lines? Something has to change for Tkachuk as he seems lost … Lindholm continues to produce no matter who he plays with.
Shoot Tanev Shoot!
Love the guy defensively. He’s a warrior.
But he has to start shooting the puck, I don’t care if he has a muffin from the point.
Vancouver knows him well, probably knows he won’t shoot the puck so guess whose open when he’s on the ice five on five? You got it Chris Tanev.
It’s honestly hurting them when he’s on the ice, they get control and cycle it around but the only guy open is the only guy that refuses to shoot.
Valimaki On the First Unit
Was interesting to see Juuso Valimaki on the first powerplay unit tonight.
Honestly don’t think he’s the best choice, I like Rasmus Andersson, but when the team plays as bad as they did on Saturday I certainly respect the idea to change a lot of things.
Overall I don’t think he’s as good a puck distributor as Andersson (at this point; I’m sure he’ll improve), but with his size he was amazing at keeping the puck in and prolonging pressure.
Will be interesting to see if he settles in and evolves if he gets more time.
Mackey’s Second Game
Quite the second game!
Two first period penalties, and then your first NHL assist in the second period, followed by a third period penalty. All over the damn scoresheet!
Ends up number one on the team in shot metrics.
I like Nesterov, but I’m starting to see what Connor Mackey is long term if you make the investment now. He’s got some rough edges as seen by the penalties, and the over commitment on the Gaudreau turnover on Saturday night.
But he also sees the ice well, jumps up in the play at timely moments, and distributes the puck really well.
Bubble Third Line
Just amazing to see the chemistry of that third line again tonight; they literally just took over from where they were in August.
They turned the game around with a late shift in the first period, had good chances on most shifts, and found the go ahead goal by pressuring Nate Schmidt into a Steve Smith brain fart.
Two zip in goals, the rubber that literally hits the road, but also huge contributors in almost every metric. They dominated.
You never want to lose a Mikael Backund but the reuniting of that bubble third line gave the team a dominant third line to replace a dominant third line … all while losing the play driving Andrew Mangiapane to the first line.
Lindholm Interview
Have to chuckle at Elias Lindholm’s reaction to Dan Murphy when asked if he thought his elbowing penalty on Tyler Myers was a little weak.
His response? Something like not much of an elbow from what we’ve seen in this building … of course referring to his mush taking an elbow from Alex Edler last game with no call.
As they said on the broadcast … love me an angry Elias.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 27 Canucks 33
Face Offs – Flames 39%
Special Teams – Flames 1/4 Canucks 2/6
Player Stats:
Points – Rasmus Andersson and Elias Lindholm each had two points on the night, Lindholm with a goal and an assist, Andersson with two helpers.
Plus/Minus – Five players were +2 in the game including Sam Bennett, Milan Lucic, Dillon Dube, Connor Mackey and Rasmus Andersson.
Shots – Nobody even close to Johnny Gaudreau in shots on goal as Johnny had 7 towards Thatcher Demko.
Fancy Stats
Five on five the game swung back and forth with the Flames coming up short at 49% with period splits of 71%/51% and 33%. In terms of high danger chances though the Flames had a 10-8 edge (56%). Expected goals five on five were basically even, slight edge for Vancouver 50.4%.
In all situations the Flames had 46% of the shot attempts, 53% of the high danger chances and an xGF% of 47% (Vancouver had almost ten minutes of powerplay time to Calgary’s just under six).
Individually, the Flames were led by Connor Mackey with a 58% night, essentially tying both Sam Bennett and pairing mate Rasmus Andersson. Dillon Dube, Milan Lucic and Chris Tanev also had rock solid nights. Byron Froese, Juuso Valimaki, Mark Giordano and Buddy Robinson brought up the rear with numbers near 40%.
