The flipped script gets flipped again.
The Flames were pretty much terrible in their home opener, but found a way to win.
Tonight they had what looked like a perfect road game going through 40 minutes before imploding in the third period, giving up 5 goals in a 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh.
Brutal period and a lot of shaking heads.
But also a big step forward in playing the system and looking like a team that could be competitive this year.
Tough one in Pennsylvania.
The Lineup
With a new coach it’s always interesting to see how things flow lineup-wise through a season.
If one game is any indication for Ryan Huska, don’t write things down early in ink.
He made some ingame changes in the win over the Jets, and has made additional alterations for game two on the season.
No change in forwards dressed, but all four lines are different than what started the game against Winnipeg. Elias Lindholm with Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrew Mangiapane (they finished the Jets game together), Nazem Kadri with Adam Ruzicka and Dillon Dube, Mikael Backlund with Blake Coleman and Matthew Coronato, and a fourth line of Yegor Sharangovich between AJ Greer and Walker Duehr.
On the blueline once change as well with Dennis Gilbert coming for Jordan Oesterle and lining up with Chris Tanev. No change to the other two pairings with Noah Hanifin with Rasmus Andersson and Nikita Zadorov with Mackenzie Weegar.
The one thing left the same … Jacob Markstrom in goal with the start.
Line Metrics Coming In
xGF%
Huberdeau – Lindholm – Mangiapane 96.57% (6 minutes)
Coleman – Backlund – Coronato NA
Ruzicka – Kadri – Dube NA
Greer – Sharangovich – Duehr NA
Hanifin – Andersson 14.5%
Zadorov – Weegar 11.7%
Gilbert – Tanev NA
Goals Saved + Avg
Markstrom +0.4
Vladar NA
Trend Tracker:
Not a lot of trends to speak of with just one game.
In fact three of Calgary’s four lines don’t have a single second playing together through 60 minutes, the exception being the top line which was put together with a few minutes left in the second and dominated.
An alarming small sample size stat is the expected goal splits for the the top two defensive pairings, both sitting between 10 and 15%. The Jets ran the show against the Flames but that’s incredibly bad for the top four.
Defensively, and on the penalty kill more specifically, the pairing of Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman really struggled at chance prevention against the Jets. Something to watch? Sharangovich comes with a solid PK resume, but perhaps isn’t a good match with Coleman.
Markstrom’s Start
Simply outstanding to start this one … incredible.
The Flames get into first period penalty trouble and Markstrom comes alive and saves their bacon, particularly against Sidney Crosby who has a hat trick of first period chances himself.
He has less to do in the second period and holds his shut out into the third period.
Then the house caves in.
In the end he gives up four but I wouldn’t fault him for any but the 4th one to Malkin, which was an unscreened shot through his armpit.
Noah Hanifin with 600 Games
Only 26 years old and with 600 games? That’s crazy.
And with his skating ability you just know he has about 1000 more coming as well.
Whoever has Noah Hanifin on his next contract is going to be very happy with the money spent.
Hanifin has a rough third along with his teammates on milestone night though, going -3 despite being 61% in expected goals on the night.
Ruzicka Moving His Feet
A big talented guy with hands.
When he’s moving his feet and engaged he sticks out in the best way possible. The knock on him has always been his prolonged disappearing act.
Very good sign that the line shuffling seems to have delivered Jekyll and not Hyde tonight as Ruzicka looked similar to that stretch last season where he filled the net.
Winning puck battles. Getting pucks deep. Moving his feet on every shift. And making that Kadri line better than they were the other night with different wingers.
The Flames lack that top offensive talent, but they have better depth this year. The depth gets even better if Ruzicka is a contributing top nine forward.
Speaking of Depth … Coronato Scores!
Honestly Matt Coronato was having a tough night.
Turned some pucks over, lost a check or two … bobbles some pucks. Generally looked a lot more nervous than he was on opening night.
Then he gets the puck in the Stamkos zone on the Flames second period powerplay and buries it short side over the shoulder of the Penguins’ goaltender.
Another night where Coronato was in tough defensively though, he finished -4 and was towards the bottom of the list in metrics again.
I’ve said the kid reminds me of Joe Mullen, and nothing about his first NHL goal takes away from that.
Game Flow
Interesting hockey game in that the two teams were very different five on five vs on special teams.
The Flames were great in the first period five on five, but were lucky to escape tied at 0-0 with the chances their hosts had on their three first period powerplays including a 35 second five on three.
The second period was pretty much all Calgary though.
Less chances against, controlled the play and really exposed Pittsburgh’s defense. Probably should have been a three goal period for the Flames; their best of the season to that point.
Then the third happens …
Calgary just not ready to play to start the final period. A turnover by Andrew Mangiapane and it’s 1-1. Thirty seconds later and Weegar pinches in the neutral zone and it’s a two on one … 2-1.
Later in the period the Penguins pretty much put it away when Guentzel scores on a set play off an icing call.
Lots of solid road work given away in 6 minutes of hockey.
Odds and Sods
I was as hard as anyone on the Flames’ goaltenders this year, but I like Jacob Markstrom as a person and really want it not to be a story this year. Specifically that first shot thing. So a sigh of relief to see the first Penguins shot slide into Markstrom (not an easy stop) and get it out of the way. … Not a bad idea to put Matthew Coronato with Mikael Backlund after the Jets game. The Flames as a whole got worked by the Jets five on five, but Coronato’s trio (Kadri and Sharangovich) had the worst of nights. The kid can’t blossom into an offensive contributor if he’s worried about being pinned in his own zone. …
Special Teams
The Flames win the special teams battle in a losing cause.
They kill all three Pittsburgh powerplays and score a powerplay goal (Coronato’s goal) in the second period.
Not a bad start to the season for the work away from five on five.
Standings and Record
It’s early …
But the Flames even their season record at 1-1-0 and move into the middle of the standings in the Western Conference.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 36 Penguins 29
Face Offs: Flames 53% / Penguins 47%
Powerplay: Flames 1-3 / Penguins 0-3
Fancy Stats
The underlying stats perfectly match both the eye test and the scoresheet in this one. The Flames were great through 40 minutes five on five, but them completely imploded in the third period giving the Penguins the victory. Five on five the Flames had 66% of the shot attempts with period splits of 72%/70% and 61% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 50%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 58%, with a 11-8 split.
In all situations the Flames had 62% of the shot attempts, 39% of the expected goals, and 48% of the high danger splits. The all situations expected goal totals came out at 2.61 to 4.12.
Individually the Flames were led by Walker Duehr, posting an xGF% of 84% on the night five on five. Other guys with solid nights included; Nazem Kadri, Adam Ruzicka, Yegor Sharangovich and AJ Greer (solid night for the fourth line). Four guys were under 40% despite the Flames carrying the play five on five; Andrew Mangiapane, Elias Lindholm, Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar.
