The Flames sadly flipped their most recent script by doing the opposite in starting well but finishing poorly in a 4-2 afternoon loss at the Saddledome to the New Jersey Devils.
The Flames dominated the first period and had a 1-0 lead after 2o minutes but gave up the next three goals and didn’t have enough to bounce back and find points with a third period push.
The Flames square their homestand at 3-3-0, and now head out on the road for three games in four days starting Monday night.
Need to get on a run soon.
The Lineup
A lifeless effort against the Wild pretty much guaranteed some change in the Flames lineup, but only to the bottom half of the roster.
Walker Duehr comes out again, for Martin Pospisil and returns to a line with Nazem Kadri and Connor Zadry. The top line in tact with Elias Lindholm between Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich. No change to the Mikael Backlund line as he has his usuals Jonathan Huberdeau and Blake Coleman. A new fourth line with Adam Ruzicka between AJ Greer and Dillon Dube.
No change to the top pairings; Mackenzie Weegar with Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin with Chris Tanev. The new third pair has rookie Illya Solovyov trying to anchor a third pair with Dennis Gilbert.
The big news …. Dustin Wolf with his first “real” start on home ice.
Line Metrics Coming In
xGF%
Mangiapane – Lindholm – Sharangovich 42.5%
Huberdeau – Backlund – Coleman 50.4%
Zary – Kadri – Coronato NA
Greer – Ruzicka – Dube 47.1%
Weegar – Andersson 48.2%
Hanifin – Tanev 49.4%
Solovyov – Gilbert 47.6%
Goals Saved + Avg
Markstrom +2.2
Vladar -4.6
Wolf -1.8
Trend Tracker
Interesting to see the Backlund line finally above the breakeven mark.
It took a long long time.
Recently (going back 6-7 games) they’ve been over the 60% mark on four separate occasions, levels that Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman are accustomed to.
Jonathan Huberdeau learning to play better defense?
A trio jut getting used to each other?
Wolf Start
Three goals on 30 shots so no harm done with a 90% save percentage.
Not a lot of luck though.
Two goals on crazy ping pong plays off his own teammates, the second on a pass that was off by Wolf from behind his net.
A bounce or two and the game is likely going to overtime.
Happens.
Sharangovich Scores on Old Team
That’s a pretty nice goal for a player looking to show up his ex teammates.
Yegor corrals a Blake Coleman pass in the neutral zone, loses the puck. regains it, and then walks in alone and scores on the Devil’s goaltender.
Great move.
Great goal.
Solid moment for the ex-Devil.
Coronato Back
Not a bad return to the NHL.
He got a bit of the Bowman bench in the third period, but had some solid offensive shifts with his linemates Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary in the middle third of the game.
Hit a goalpost with a great release in the second period and was really good on the forecheck all night.
Hope he sticks. He has NHL skills.
Game Flow
About as good a first period as we’ve seen from the Flames this season, let along lately. They owned the puck for pretty much the entire period save for a late New Jersey powerplay where they tested Wolf. The Flames strike first for a change, scoring a shorthanded goal for the second straight game, this time Yegor Sharangovich from Blake Coleman (it was the other way around against Carolina).
The second period was pretty much all New Jersey, as the visitors erased a 1-0 deficit scoring the only two goals of the period. The Flames spent way too much time in their own zone, and turned the puck over countless times. They got some bad luck on the go ahead goal with a Blake Coleman clear attempt hitting a Devil, then Mackenzie Weegar, and then into the net.
The Flames were better in the third period, but gave up another crazy bank goal and just couldn’t make up the ground. Probably a game where the right team won overall. The Devils survived the first period and then controlled the game pretty effectively the rest of the way.
Odds and Sods
Find myself trying to appreciate all three Calgary Flames UFAs on a game to game basis. I’ve always been a fan of all three; the two Carolina players in the Dougie Hamilton trade in Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin, plus Chris Tanev. All three have had solid careers in Calgary colours. … How did Jonathan Huberdeau miss that empty net in the first minute of the second period? Talk about a goal on a silver platter. Feel for the guy. … Thought Rasmus Andersson was excellent today. Skating well, moving the puck well, blocking shots. Great game. … Flames without a powerplay tonight as the game was called in a lax fashion with only two minor penalties and one of them on a failed coaches challenge. …
Special Teams
Kind of an odd one with the Flames not getting a single chance with the man advantage.
The Flames take the special teams battle killing both Devil penalties though.
Quiet game from the officials.
Standings and Record
The loss squares the home stand at 3-3-0, which is certainly fine, but not enough for a team under .500 with the mid point of the season fast approaching.
The Flames move back to two games under .500 and now sit three points out of a playoff spot even games played.
Hate to say it but the Oilers are now ahead of the Flames in points percentage.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 25 Devils 30
Face Offs: Flames 46% / Devils 54%
Powerplay: Flames 0-0 / Devils 0-2
Fancy Stats
Very evenly played games, with all the underlying stats five on five pretty much being squared. The Devils though, have the only time on the powerplay to move the scales overall. Five on five the Flames had 53% of the shot attempts with period splits of 69%/53% and 39% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 50%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 50%, with a 8-8 split. That’s about as close as it gets.
In all situations the Flames had 47% of the shot attempts, 46% of the expected goals, and 43% of the high danger splits. The all situations expected goal totals came out at 2.04 to 2.40.
Individually the Flames were led by Yegor Sharangovich posting a xGF% of 78% on the night five on five. Dennis Gilbert was at 61%, and only eight players were above the break even mark. The fourth line had a rough night with all of Adam Ruzicka, Dillon Dube and AJ Greer finishing around 20%.
