Usually when you sit down to write a game story you hope you have an angle, that driving point that writes itself that flows off the keyboard.
Tonight we have two.
One Jacob Markstrom is back. To those that thought he was cooked, give your head a shake .. his reset seems to have him back to his game stealing ways we’ve seen in all of his recent seasons. We saw it in Columbus without the result, but tonight we saw the goaltender take it back to his Vezian 2nd spot level as he stole a point for the Flames.
The other hook? The Flames not only take a penalty in overtime for the fifth time this season, they take a double minor only a minute into the three on three frame and kill it off. Or, tying in the two themes, Markstrom kills it off as the Flames secure a point in a 2-1 entertaining loss in Montreal.
The game had more than a lost point though, as the team minus Mackenzie Weegar and Elias Lindholm to start the game lost Chris Tanev with a puck to the back of the head on a Montreal powerplay.
Fingers crossed.
The Lineup
Ideally there would be no change in the lineup, well at least with skaters.
The pre game skate today had Mackenze Weegar missing due to non covid related illness, and as expected he didn’t take a turn in the warmup and was a scratch for the game. What we didn’t see coming at all was a late scratch to Elias Lindholm with an upper body injury.
So chaos on all fronts!
Up front Mikael Backlund moves to take Elias Lindholm’s place with Jonathan Huberdeau and Tyler Toffoli, no change to the second line with Nazem Kadri with Andrew Mangiapane and Dillon Dube, Radim Zadornov moves up to take Backlund’s with Adam Ruzicka and Matthew Phillips, and Trevor Lewis moves over to play center on the fourth line with Blake Coleman and Brett Ritchie.
On the blueline with Weegar out it’s Noah Hanifin with Rasmus Andersson, Nikita Zadorov with Chris Tanev and Connor Mackey with Michael Stone.
In goal Jacob Markstrom tries to build on the foundation from his strong start in Columbus.
Line Metrics
Went with the intended lines and not the last second scramble.
xGF%
Huberdeau – Lindholm – Toffoli 55.2%
Dube – Kadri – Mangiapane 46.5%
Ruzicka – Backlund – Phillips 68.84%
Coleman – Zahorna – Lewis 21.0%
Hanifin – Andersson 49.0%
Weegar – Tanev 56.6%
Zadorov – Stone 49.7%
Goals Saved + Avg
Markstrom +1.1
Vladar -2.5
Trend Tracker:
Dan Vladar’s underlying numbers took a hit in the Toronto game. Expected goals against that night were closer to 2.5 but he gave up 5 in all situations. One clearly he would want back but I wouldn’t call it a poor goaltending performance, and he was better than the guy at the other end. … Michael Stone’s days in the lineup could be numbered. Such a great story in the playoffs last year and to kick off this year, but he’s just suffering in five on five work in recent games. He’s been under 50% in his last four starts (and 7 of his last ten), but has taken a deeper dive in recent games with 12%, 29% and 10% in his last three contests. Much like the changes to the fourth line; that just can’t continue without a change to who dresses. … Finally saw a step forward from the top defense pairing and in Toronto of all places. They added 2% points on Saturday night, which is a significant move 1/3 of the way into a season.
Flames Careless
Some careless hockey being played by the Flames on this road trip.
It’s easy to list penalty totals per game … 7 time short in Columbus, 6 time down a man in Toronto, tonight 5 more times … that’s nuts!
But it’s not bad officiating.
You can debate whether more calls should be made the other way in say Toronto (tonight Montreal was whistled often too), but the infractions by the Flames are right there.
Sticks in feet.
Sticks in faces.
Pucks over the glass.
Or a double minor in overtime!
Just a general lack of concentration.
Speaking of the Officials
The two refs came oh so close to handing the game to Montreal with just over two minutes to go in the third period.
As I said above … sticks in feet, well Montreal first rounder Juraj Slafkovský put his stick in the blades of Nikita Zadorov behind the Flames net creating a turnover and a great opportunity from the slot that could have won the game in regulation.
Montreal was called six times for penalties, so it’s not like they ignored one team in making calls, but not calling that was almost very very impactful.
Markstrom Sharp
Where would this game have been if Jacob Markstrom wasn’t ready off the hop?
Another early penalty to the Flames, two times short in the first period and a barrage of opportunities but the big goaltender was cool as a cucumber in turning them away and keeping his team in it.
The Flames found their legs towards the end of the first, and into the second, but the game could have been in a deep hole early.
Then the third starts and the Flames are flat as a pancake taking away his shut out.
His performance in overtime was incredible.
As I said above … he’s back.
Young Guns
Thought Matthew Phillips was better than Radim Zahorna tonight, but neither player had great nights statistically.
Zahorna with a 24.5% xGF% night, Phillips at 37.4%, there were eight guys worse than Phillips though.
Both players played roughly eight minutes and were even on the night.
Phillips with some noticeably good plays that stood out in my mind.
Strings
Not a big fan of the fake strings on juries that Montreal is sporting.
If you want to do strings, have the split and have the strings actually serving a purpose.
Don’t just have this area under the neck seam where a string appears for no reason.
Almost looks like two tape worms trying to escape.
Andersson Game Breaker
He may not have the defensive metrics this season, and yeah he and his partner Noah Hanifin have the toughest assignments.
But that doesn’t take away from how impactful this hockey player is being in a shift to shift basis; his contract is looking Elias Lindholm like as he progresses through it.
The Flames are lacking in elite transition players with Johnny Gaudreau moved on. Too many players that need someone else to do something in order for that player to do what they do best.
Andersson is a catalyst. He creates.
Impactful player on the Flames.
Not bad for a guy who was “a little bit lazy, a little bit fat”.
MASH Unit
Other teams have had it worse.
The Flames were the poster children for perfect health last season.
This season isn’t quite the same thing, and tonight was a walking MASH unit.
With Mackenzie Weegar coming up sick before the game you knew they were down one core player. The word that Elias Lindholm couldn’t play was number two. In the second period Chris Tanev took a puck to the back of the head (looked like it was below the helmet line) and had to leave the game. And then Nazem Kadri took a shoulder to the face and was pulled for concussion protocol.
That’s the team’s top two centers, and two of their best three of four defenders on top of Oliver Kylington still being out.
Huberdeau at Home
Great to see Jonathan Huberdeau score a goal in any instance, but happy for the guy to do it Montreal, his home town, in his first game there in Flames colours.
Clearly things haven’t jumped off the hop to start the season for the player, but he’s going to be an important part of the team for the next several years.
Every little ounce of success should build until we start seeing more of the Jonathan Huberdeau known in Florida over the past several seasons.
Tonight the team’s only official goal, and their only shoot out goal as well.
Seriously Montreal?
I’m always a little surprised when hockey fans boo a non call on a play that was clearly not a penalty.
You expect it in emerging markets, but Montreal?
The Michael Stone play on Kirby Dach in the third period at the Flames blueline was a classic example of a defenseman playing the body on a guy that had the puck. No trip. No slash. No crosscheck. Just a shove to a guy with the puck.
I guess it happens in Calgary too … sigh.
Special Teams
The Flames were simply amazing on the penalty kill … well … I guess Jacob Markstrom was amazing on the penalty kill, as the Flames turned away all seven Montreal chances for a perfect night on the kill.
On the powerplay the Flames get it done once in six chances to give the team the edge on the special teams despite the loss.
But lets be honest … this is a big loss for the Flames without Markstrom. He makes saves on 10 Montreal high danger chances down a man. That’s simply incredible goaltending.
Standings and Record
Not a lot of change with the standings.
The Flames get a point to go 0-1-2 on the trip for two points in three games. The Oilers lose in regulation while the Avalanche win tonight leaving Calgary in the 2nd wild card spot one point back of Edmonton with even games played and one point ahead of Colorado with the Avalanche having three games in hand.
That puts Calgary out in points percentage.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 35 Habs 38
Face Offs: Flames 49% / Habs 51%
Powerplay: Flames 1-6 / Habs 0-7
Fancy Stats
Five on five the Flames were a spirted group missing three of their top six defenseman for most of the night and hanging in there. Shorthanded though they had the game into overtime solely due to their goaltender, who was epic in the first and especially the overtime to earn the team a point and get them to a shoot out. Five on five the Flames had 51% of the shot attempts with period splits of 43%/75% and 42% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 43%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 44%, with a 8-10 split.
In all situations the Flames had 46% of the shot attempts, 32% of the expected goals, and 35% of the high danger splits. The all situations expected goal totals came out at 2.84 to 5.98. Almost six, let that sink in.
Individually the Flames were led by Adam Ruzicka, posting a xGF% of 75% on the night five on five. Nazem Kadri and Michael Stone were the next closest with nights in the high 50s. Brett Ritchie and Radim Zahorna were in the 20s to bring up the rear.
