With three games in four nights one had to wonder if this was a game that would get away from them.
It did.
The Flames were badly out played in the first half of the game, but somehow led after 20 before giving up two quick second period goals on the way to a 3-1 defeat in Vancouver on Tuesday night.
If you’re an optimist you see it as the loss breaking up a four game points streak. If you’re a pessimist the Flames how now lost four of their last six.
Next up the Predators are in town on Friday night.
The Lineup
Zero change to the 23 man roster after last night’s win. Only one change within the starting 20 and that’s a swap of goaltenders from Dustin Wolf to Dan Vladar with games on back to back nights.
So it’s Nazem Kadri with Connor Zary and Yegor Sharangovich, Martin Pospisil back at center with Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrei Kuzmenko, a third line of Mikael Backlund with Blake Coleman and Matt Coronato, and a fourth line of Kevin Rooney with Justin Kirkland and Ryan Lomberg. Klapka sits.
One the blueline we see Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl. Mackenzie Weegar with Daniil Miromanov. And a third pairing of Brayden Pachal with Tyson Barrie.
Dustin Wolf gets the start in goal.
Pre Game Stats
Is goaltending the story for the first quarter Calgary Flames? If not goaltending it’s coaching, but for now lets keep with the former.
Lots of talk about Dan Vladar’s value today with two extremes floated; 1) It’s similar to Askarov 2) He wouldn’t get claimed on waivers.
For me neither is true, but it’s certainly not far fetched to suggest the Flams suddenly have three very good goaltenders in their 20s and a decision to make by the trade deadline.
For the NHL pair of Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf the facts support they are both NHL goaltenders. Both stoppers have positive goals saved above average; Dustin Wolf 14th with +2.6 and Dan Vladar 16th with +1.6.
Simple goals against average has Vladar at 9th and Wolf at 21st.
Dustin Wolf has met more rubber, so his save percentage is ranked 10th and Vladar at 14th.
Wrangler’s Beat
It’s early in the season of course, but several Wranglers are off to starts that suggest a future in the NHL.
Using NHLe (model that calculates expected NHL points based on the performance in another league) suggests a point per game player in the AHL would be a 40 point player in the NHL.
Last year in the NHL only 139 players had 40 or more points. In a league of 32 teams that’s 6.2 players per team, or the upper third of a roster. Another way to look at it? Mikael Backlund is a 40 point player.
Right now (yes I get that’s it’s early), Rory Kerrins and Jakob Pelletier are both on point per game paces (Walker Duehr just behind).
Of the three which do you see more likely to be a 40 point NHL player? Which the least?
It will be interesting to see where it goes.
Vladar’s Start
Quite the opposite first period in Vancouver for Dan Vladar compared to the season opener.
The team was undisciplined so it certainly wasn’t his fault, but on that night four first period goals against. Tonight zilch on 13 shots.
He keeps playing well through the second and third giving up three goals.
In the end he breaks it even letting in three goals against 2.91 in expected, all situation, Vancouver Canuck goals.
Goaltending once again does their part.
Odds and Sods
The Flames escape the first period with a 1-0 lead, but clearly they were not the best team on the ice in the opening 20 minutes. Dan Vladar was the difference maker in keeping his side ahead. … Interesting comment from Kelly Hrudey about Grant Fuhr’s thoughts on Dustin Wolf. Paraphrasing, but Fuhr thinks Wolf will be a star in the National Hockey League. Great praise form a great guy. … Usually when a team starts a period on the powerplay they lay a big flat egg. Not tonight as Vancouver connects quickly and then uses it as a springboard to dominate the first 10 minutes of the second period. Calgary very fortunate to escape the second down only one goal. … Martin Pospisil is clearly squeezing the stick tightly. He keeps losing control of the puck on routine plays, and was clearly pissed at himself for shooting high and wide on that second period breakaway. … Calgary with a good push at the beginning of the third period, but come up empty. The Canucks double their lead and Calgary keeps coming but can’t get it closer. … Can’t believe they sent Kuzmenko off with the only roughing minor in that squirmish in front of the player benches. Both players clearly jousting and you send the team down two goals off only? Nuts. … Very little doubt that Huska is all in on Matt Coronato. Powerplay time throughout the night again, and then on the first group over the boards with the goalie pulled late….
Fancy Stats
Just not the Flames night. They were behind the play save for pockets in the game pretty much from the first puck drop; something that was very much represented in the underlying numbers. The Flames, five on five, had 46% (38%/30%/75%) of the shot attempts, 40% of the high danger chances, and 38% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 51% of the shot attempts, 53% of the high danger chances and 45% of the expected goals.
Individually, the Flames were led by Kevin Rooney with an xGF% of 88.2%. Solid game for the fourth line as he was joined by Ryan Lomberg and Justin Kirkland, both in the 70s. The fourth line has been getting filled in for some time, so that’s a positive. Only three other players had positive nights; Mackenzie Weegar, Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman. The third pairing had a really rough night with Tyson Barrie and Brayden Pachal both around 15%.
