For what seemed like 20 years the Flames couldn’t win in Anaheim. Like ever. And I lived it one night, sitting in the crowd and hearing “you can’t win here” all around you.
They won a playoff game in 2015, but that didn’t break the curse as it didn’t cut the streak of regular season futility.
Luckily that was put to bed a few seasons, ago and tonight the Flames rolled into Anaheim and took care of business for the second time in two games on this Pacific warmer weather road trip beating the Ducks 4-2 on the strength of Johnny Gaudreau’s two point night, and Michael Stone’s game winner in his 500th career game.
No rest for the weary, as the Flames take to the ice tomorrow night against the San Jose Sharks.
The Lineup
The Flames lineup is still in a bit of flux, as we saw with the recall after the demotion after the recall of Jusso Valimaki again today. Connor Macki is up for Oliver Kylington so that’s not it. So another of the six has to be dinged up enough that they need the game day backup reassurance. I still think it has to be Nikita Zadorov for that tumble he took in the St. Louis game.
Up front the issue is around Calle Jarnkrok, who was deemed fit to play after being sick for a few days, but no word on if he gets inserted or not. As it stands they plan to go with the same line up from the win in Los Angeles.
So lets assume it’s Elias Lindholm between Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, Mikael Backlund with Andrew Mangiapane and Tyler Toffoli, Adam Ruzicka with Dillon Dube and Blake Coleman, and a fourth line of Ryan Carpenter with Milan Lucic and Trevor Lewis.
On the blueline with Kylington not on the trip I’d assume it’s Noah Hanifin with Rasmus Andersson, Michael Stone with Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov with Erik Gudbranson.
The suggestion is a start from Jacob Markstrom, meaning it’s likely we see Dan Vladar tomorrow night in San Jose.
Line Metrics
xGF%
Gaudreau – Lindholm – Tkachuk 62.8%
Mangiapane – Backlund – Toffoli 55.6%
Dube – Ruzicka – Coleman 27.6%
Lucic – Carpenter – Lewis 28.6%
Hanifin – Andersson 57.7%
Stone – Tanev 57.4%
Zadorov – Gudbranson 57.2%
Goals Saved + Avg
Markstrom +10.9
Who They Playing?
The Ducks have been sputtering, and are out of the playoff chase. They sport a CF% of 48.5% which is good for 20th overall in the league. They have the 20th ranked CF60, and the 22nd ranked CA60. Not much change when you look at quality as they are ranked 19th in xGF%, with the 16th ranked xGF60 five on five, and the 22nd ranked xGA60.
Not a strong finishing club as they are ranked 27th in five on five team shooting percentage, and possess the league’s 21st ranked team save percentage.
Pretty consistently a sub bubble team in the National Hockey League.
They have a decent powerplay, ranked 12th, and their penalty kill is also upper half sitting at 13th.
500 & 800
Some milestones for two hard working depth players tonight as both Trevor Lewis (800) and Michael Stone (500) celebrated some pretty heady games played plateaus given they both had to scrap for every season in their careers.
Lewis of course has grinded his way to 800 games with a start from his current coach Darryl Sutter in L.A., winning two cups with the Kings.
Michael Stone, acquired from Arizona and a former Calgary Hitmen has been the consummate pro through the last three years, where he’s been used sparingly but is always ready.
Was great to see Stone pick up the game winner plus an assist on the first Calgary goal to mark his big game.
Trevor Lewis didn’t get a points, but his line was at the top of the charts for their play driving on the night.
+51
Johnny Gaudreau moved into some pretty heady company with his plus on the Elias Lindholm goal that he assisted on in the first period.
That moves him to +51 for the season, which would tie former Flames great Joey Mullen if the season ended today.
Plus minus is a funny animal though. If you’re +51 through say 70 games then you’re going to likely be plus more by the end of the season but there are no guarantees.
Mullen was a great hockey player, just love seeing some old records fall.
Depth Scoring
Tyler Toffoli … Tyler Toffoli!
Broken play started by a great defensive effort by Mikael Backlund results in the team finally getting some support scoring after the top line scored all three goals in L.A., and the first one again tonight.
As I pointed out on the site today, the depth guys haven’t really slipped in chance generation, but regardless they’ve gone quite cold, and that just won’t work in a seven game playoff series.
Good to see Toffoli end a slump, and it’s god to see all four of those guys (Toffoli, Coleman, Backlund and Mangiapane) slump now and not in May!
In the third period the second line got on the board again when Michael Stone scored while they were on the ice.
Had to happen. They were due.
Gaudreau Again
What more can you say about this guy?
I thought Monday night’s game in L.A. may have been the most noticeable and effective game in Johnny Gaudreau’s career. Not sure tonight tops that but another stellar game from Calgary’s top player.
A first period assist that had Elias Lindholm shaking his head, a great defensive effort on the powerplay to break up a Derek Grant chance short handed and then a nice pass to Matthew Tkachuk for the empty netter, giving him 97 points on the season. He’s now just two points off his career best mark.
Over under on him getting that done tomorrow night?
So consistent every game, with more and more layers being added to the onion.
Sign this guy please.
Rough Night for Zadorov
Not picking on the guy, but I thought Nikita Zadorov had a bit of a rough time of it tonight.
Took a second period penalty, and then had a goal go through him (might have hit him) right after, and then lost his man in the neutral zone almost giving up the game tying goal in the third period.
When the season began we saw a boat load of chaos from the big man but then he settled down. His game is never squeaky clean, but he has an impact with his reach and physicallity.
Tonight though, a bit of a battle.
Special Teams
Flames lose the special teams battle again as the Ducks score the only special teams goal of the night on a third period powerplay turning a 3-1 game into a 3-2 nail biter.
The Flames only get one chance and don’t accomplish a whole lot.
Standings and Record
Lets hear it for the Canucks!
Beating the Knights in Vegas does two things that should make Calgary fans happy. One, it keeps Vegas from picking up two key points towards securing a wild card spot and two, it hurts Vancouver’s draft position. Yes they even have their pick this year!
The Flames win is big too of course as it pushes the now 2nd place Oilers back to six points behind with Calgary having two games in hand.
It also turns a three game losing streak before the L.A. game into a two game win streak and points in three of the last four games.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 28 Ducks 28
Face Offs: Flames 53% / Ducks 47%
Powerplay: Flames 0-1 / Ducks 1-3
Fancy Stats
I thought that other than the game’s first five to ten minutes the Flames played a pretty effective road game against the struggling Anaheim Ducks. Five on five the Flames had 58% of the shot attempts with period splits of 55%/63% and 54% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 51%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 59%, with a 17-12 split.
In all situations the Flames had 55% of the shot attempts, 54% of the expected goals, and 56% of the high danger splits, despite having less powerplay time.
Individually the Flames were led by Milan Lucic with 83% of the five on five shot attempts when on the ice. His linemate Ryan Carpenter was also in the 80s, followed by Trevor Lewis at 79%. Chris Tanev and Michael Stone were in the 60s. Only three players were under the break even mark; Blake Coleman, Johnny Gaudreau and Rasmus Andersson.
