Didn’t see that finish coming.
The Flames were terrible in the first period, better in the second, and then better again in the third, turning what looked like a safe Penguin lead in the third period into a come from behind 4-3 regulation time victory.
The Flames come back was led by a spirited end to end rush by Nazem Kadri, and a two goal night from Yegor Sharangovich, as the Flames push their win streak to five games and keep pace with the streaking Nashville Predators.
Ceremony games are hard, as the host team oftens starts skating in sand.
You don’t usually get the happy ending!
The Lineup
Roster changes again with a trade and a healthy body returning.
With Chris Tanev now a Dallas Star, Dennis Gilbert is added to the blueline. Up front Walker Duehr comes out for a recovering Andrei Kuzmenko.
Up front its Yegor Sharangovich with Jonathan Huberdeau Dryden Hunt. Nazem Kadri with Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil, Mikael Backlund with Andrew Mangiapane and Blake Coleman, and finally Kevin Rooney between Jakob Pelletier and Andrei Kuzmenko.
On the blueline it’s all kinds of change; Noah Hanifin with Mackenzie Weegar, Oliver Kylington with Rasmus Andersson and a third pairing of Dennis Gilbert lining up with Brayden Pachal.
Jacob Markstrom starts amid some controversey.
Line Metrics Coming In
xGF%
Huberdeau – Sharangovich – Hunt 40.7%
Mangiapane – Backlund – Coleman 57.2%
Zary – Kadri – Pospisil 55.3%
Pelletier – Rooney – Kuzmenko NA
Hanifin – Weegar 52.5%
Kylington – Andersson 60.3%
Gilbert – Pachal NA
Goals Saved + Avg
Markstrom +18.7
Vladar -5.7
Wolf -8.8
Trend Tracker
Interesting time with one goalie being honoured and the current goalie being watched closely.
I guess that’s the 2023-24 season in Calgary.
But with it being Kiprusoff night a look at the Flames all time leaders in goaltending.
Games:
- Kiprusoff
- Vernon
- Lemelin
- Markstrom
- Kidd
Wins:
- Kiprusoff
- Vernon
- Lemelin
- Markstrom
- Kidd
Save Percentage (100 + games)
- Kiprusoff
- Ramo
- Brathwaite
- Markstrom
- Rittich
Goals Against Average (100 + games)
- Kiprsuoff
- Turek
- Brathwaite
- Markstrom
- Ramo
Jacob Markstrom’s Start
Not the best of starts as he gives up a short side goal for the first goal of the game.
No chance on the other first period goal with a flukey pass setting up a baseball swing goal over his shoulder.
Third period he’s beat on a tip … once again no chance.
He’d like the first one back but overall he was on par with an expected goals against of 3.01 and giving up the three goals.
Kiprusoff Night
The Flames did an excellent job of the Kiprusoff retirement ceremony.
Great guest list.
Great Cruikshank / Maher video tribute.
Jamie McLennan was excellent with his speech.
Kiprusoff did well for almost 6 minutes in getting his thoughts out.
I wish they could raise the banner to it’s actual spot, but I get that it’s more a case of where the existing banners are than an over sight.
Weather played a role in making people late, but the place was loud and proud by the middle of the ceremony.
Great job.
The Loss of Chris Tanev
Has to be the best free agent signing in Flames history, at least until Jacob Markstrom is dealt.
When he arrived it was one of those days at Calgarypuck, a lot of angry fans stating age, injuries, term, play driving stats and dollars as to why the contract was a huge mistake.
I thought it was a year too long and maybe a million too much but it made sense for the make up of the team.
Instead he’s full value for all four seasons and leaves returning two 2nd round picks in value.
The Flames should have cap space for the next few years, I hope he comes back.
Game Flow
It’s usually the case. A team hosts a pre game ceremony, gets knocked completely off their pre game setup and lay an egg to start the game. Exactly what we saw tonight, as the Flames were terrible in the first period. They looked like they were going to get away with it, but the Penguins scored two late goals to lead 2-0 after the first. Flames chasing the game.
Certainly a better second period from a Flames standpoint. They certainly didn’t dominate, but they were in the game. They cut the lead in half when Yegor Sharangovich jumped on a loose puck, looked pass and then shoveled through Tristan Jary’s pads to make it 2-1. Both teams had a few more chance each, but the score remained 2-1 Pittsburgh through 40 minutes.
Kind of felt like the Penguins put things away with their goal early in the third period, a tipped shot by Carter that Markstrom had no chance on. With just 10 shots through two periods, a two goal deficit is a big obstacle when you’re not getting many pucks to the net. But don’t tell Nazem Kadri that! A great individual play results in a 3-2 goal. Soon after Mangiapane finds Coleman in the slot and it’s tied. Then a turnover from Letang in the last minute and Sharangovich puts it away in regulation time. Incredible.
Odds and Sods
Ordinarily I’d be a little bit miffed at Kuzmenko on the fourth line but with Jakob Pelletier on that line he has a fighting chance! … Glad Gilbert got the look in Tanev’s absence and not Desimone. I know some will say full tank mode etc, but Gilbert’s the better player and has a better chance of being part of this next year. … The Flames had lots to deal with tonight with the aforementioned pre game ceremony but also the loss of Chris Tanev. Oliver Kylington was elevated up the roster and seemed to struggle a bit with more difficult deployment (more minutes and stiffer competition) in the early going. By the end of the game though he looked very much the part of a top four defenseman. . … Pretty amazing season for Yegor Sharangovich. Tonight he scores his 22nd and 23rd of the season and has a decent chance at 30 before the final puck is dropped. Tyler Toffoli is at 26. Solid trade for Craig Conroy. … Elliot Friedman suggested between periods that Markstrom’s comments were due to the fact that he was asked about going to Jersey, assumed he’d be traded, and was disappointed that he wasn’t. If that’s the case, he really doesn’t have much to complain about. Trades are complicated. It would have been worse in my mind if they took the trade down to the 11th hour before approaching the player. Getting his ok because it looked possible was the classier thing to do. … Connor Zary got dinged up twice tonight. Once late in the first, but he came back for the second and third. And then again in the third where we didn’t see him again. … Dryden Hunt didn’t last long on the Huberdeau line tonight as Andrei Kuzmenko was back up there before the end of the first period.
Special Teams
Letter of the law this one is all tied up.
Actual fact you give it to Pittsburgh because their powerplay goal was actually a goal from a powerplay (Calgary’s by Kadri on his own).
Both teams go 1/5 on the night.
The Penguins generating 0.76 in expected goals in five minutes, the Flames 0.37 in 4:44.
Standings and Record
The Flames win their 5th straight in dramatic fashion to keep pace with the streaking Nashville Predators.
The Preds moved by the Kings by two points but have played three more games.
Calgary is five points behind LA with the Kings having a game in hand, and seven points behind the Predators with two games in hand themselves.
Unlikely … but still interesting.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 20 Penguins 30
Face Offs: Flames 39% / Penguins 61%
Powerplay: Flames 1-5 / Penguins 1-5
Fancy Stats
The Flames were simply ugly to start the game, but better in the last 40 minutes which was reflected on the scoreboard, but also in the play driving stats. Five on five the Flames had 52% of the shot attempts with period splits of 42%/51% and 62% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 50%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 46%, with a 6-7 split.
In all situations the Flames had 50% of the shot attempts, 53% of the expected goals, and 47% of the high danger splits. The all situations expected goal totals came out at 3.35 to 3.01.
Individually the Flames were led by Rasmus Andersson posting a xGF% of 67% five on five. He was joined in the 60s by Andrew Mangiapane, Mikael Backlund, Oliver Kylington and Blake Coleman. Jakob Pelletier with a tough night at only 19%, his fourth line mates weren’t that far ahead.
