This is some run.
Three wide margin wins interrupted by a date in Edmonton that had a goaltender steal one and the Flames are suddenly playing their best hockey of the season; which says something.
Tonight it had the feeling of one of those games you regret … the team gets up in shots and chances but doesn’t convert enough leaving the opposition in the game far too long before things go sideways.
But that wasn’t to be the case as the Flames score two late second period goals before piling on in the third period cruising to a 6-0 victory.
The team is dialed in 100% on the Sutter system now, more so then even early on when the Flames were running up wins on Eastern road trips. They’re simply dominating.
Might have to adjust the expectations upward a little for this season; this team could be a tough out.
The Lineup
Not a single change from Monday’s ass kicking of the St. Louis Blues which certainly isn’t a surprise, but it does make things interesting.
The most interesting wrinkle to going with the same crew is Adam Ruzicka sticking in the lineup for his second straight game. It won’t be the story, he’s a fourth line center, but if Sutter is starting to gain trust in the strapping youngster it could mean some change to the bottom of the roster.
So it’s Elias Lindholm with Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau, a trio that just ran over the Blues on Monday and were in on five of the team’s seven goals. Mikael Backlund between Blake Coleman and Andrew Mangiapane, the PDO line that drives play but just can’t finish; have to think that will even out. The suddenly surging Sean Monahan with Milan Lucic and Dillon Dube, and finally Ruzicka with Trevor Lewis and Brett Ritchie.
On the blueline no changes as we see Noah Hanifin with Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington with Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov with Erik Gudbranson. I’ll be interested to see how Zadorov plays on this two game swing, as he was visibly more active in skating and joining the rush on Monday.
In goal Jacob Markstrom which I’d assume means they’re going to Dan Vladar tomorrow night in St. Louis.
Line Metrics
xGF%
Gaudreau – Lindholm – Tkachuk 63.7%
Mangiapane – Backlund – Coleman 61.6%
Lucic – Monahan – Dube 67.4%
Lewis – Ruzicka- Ritchie 49.1%
Hanifin – Andersson 56.2%
Kylington – Tanev 58.0%
Zadorov – Gudbranson 58.4%
Goals Saved + Avg
Markstrom +9.2
Mangiapane Dube Swap
With the Flames playing a pretty dominant first period and the Backlund line providing the lone goal, Darryl Sutter changed up his middle six by swapping Andrew Mangiapane to the Monahan line in exchange for Dillon Dube.
Didn’t seem like punishment for either player, but it was an interesting wrinkle.
Dube finished the period with a breakaway stretch pass form Noah Hanifin and full crest on the Columbus goaltender.
Speaking of Mangiapane
Andrew Mangiapane has struggled of late, and tonight he was bobbling the puck like crazy, creating turnovers and ending zone pressure.
In the second on a line with Monahan and Lucic though he got a pretty key goal, tipping a high shot in for his 19th of the season, and his 18th on the road.
The goal was key as the Flames continued to roll up the Jackets in terms of play but were still only sitting at a 1-0 lead.
The goal was reviewed and looked high given the stature of the player, but by the crossbar rule it was really close and ultimately stood.
The play was Mangiapane’s 100th career point.
Top Line Gets Help
The top line finally got on the board with 5 seconds left in the second period when Johnny Gaudreau hustled back to help break up a Columbus three on two, before spinning and sending Matthew Tkachuk in on a two on one.
Tkachuk with a toe drag and just like that they extend point streaks and give the Flames an important three goal lead.
Gaudreau who was nothing but magic on Monday night was fighting the puck a little bit early, before making the great pass to Tkachuk.
It was looking like a game where the secondary scoring carried the team.
But the last 1/3 of the game the top line goes off again with the Tkachuk goal, and then third period goals from Lindholm and Tkachuk again. Just like that you have Gaudreau with three points in a game, where like I said, it didn’t look like his night.
The chemistry developed between Tkachuk and Gaudreau is off the charts, perhaps that plays a role in both players wanting to stay in Calgary long term.
New Franchise Record
62
No not a movie about Roger Marris, but the shot total from the Calgary Flames tonight.
Think about that … 62 … more than a shot a minute through an entire hockey game.
The record had stood for 45 years when the Atlanta Flames ran it up against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hats off to the Flames, but what the hell is wrong with the Columbus Blue Jackets? How do you just give in like that?
Special Teams
I guess you have to say the Jackets won the special teams battle as they killed off all three Calgary chances including a lengthy two man opportunity.
Almost incredulous to say it could have been worse.
Calgary killed off the line Jackets chance so a blank night on special teams.
Standings and Record
The win gives the Flames three wins in their last four games, all by lopsided scores after limping their previous four games.
Their record is now 20-12-6, good for 46 points in 38 games keeping them in the second wild card spot in terms of points, tied with Dallas and San Jose.
In terms of points percentage the Flames are still 6th in the conference at .605 but narrowing in on division leader Vegas who are .616.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 62 / Jackets 23
Face Offs: Flames 63% / Jackets 37%
Powerplay: Flames 0-3 / Jackets 0-1
Fancy Stats
Shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Flames, with 62 shots on goal, probably had a decent share of most of the underlying metrics in the game. In fact they were just as lopsided as the shots on goal. Five on five the Flames had 66% of the shot attempts with period splits of 70%/59% and 69% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 79%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 83%, with a 15-3 split. It was honestly a mirror image of the St. Louis game on Monday night.
In all situations the Flames had 66% of the shot attempts, 77% of the expected goals, and 77% of the high danger splits.
Individually, the Flames were led by Johnny Gaudreau with a 70% split of five on five shot attempts on the night. The entire team other than Gaudreau was in the 60s led by Matthew Tkachuk, Adam Ruzicka, Chris Tanev, Oliver Kylington, Brett Ritchie, Nikita Zadorov, Trevor Lewis and Sean Monahan (all over 68%). The “worst” player was Dillon Dube at 61%.
