The Flames never make it easy on the opposition.
Tonight a gutsy effort but zero finish as they go down to the Tampa Bay Lightning by a 3-0 score on Thursday night.
The Bolts scored a fluke goal in the first, added an insurance goal and an empty net goal in the third, but spent most of the night on their heels with the hard working Flames coming after them.
When the Flames faltered Dustin Wolf was rock solid giving his team a chance.
Two tough games out of the way, and a 1-1-0 record so far on the road trip.
Calgary burns their game in hand on Vancouver, and remains a point out of a playoff spot.
The Lineup
Have the Flames found their best lineup of the season?
Kevin Bahl back in the fold fixes the top four. Illya Solovyov making a statement in Washington as a third pairing guy was a boost. Matt Coronato ascending to the top line, Connor Zary bumping Martin Pospisil down to the fourth line, and just like that the Flames have four lines that can compete to one degree or another.
No change in the skaters for tonight’s game …
On the blueline it’s Kevin Bahl with Rasmus Andersson, Joel Hanley with Mackenzie Weegar and a third pairing of Illya Solovyov with Brayden Pachal.
Forward lines are same as the win over the Sharks and Capitals; Matt Coronato up on the top line playing with Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau, a third line with Mikael Backlund between Connor Zary and Blake Coleman. The Philly guys; Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee with Yegor Sharangovich, and then a fourth line with Martin Pospisil with Kevin Rooney and Adam Lomberg.
Pre Game Stats Dive
The Flames powerplay has been better of late, way better.
But where do they sit in overall special teams with a boost on the man advantage?
In a word, ok two words … not good.
The powerplay has improved and now ranks 15th in the league. A top half powerplay is a pretty good spot with how brutal the season started up a man.
The penalty kill though is ranked 28th, staying in the bottom of the league where it’s been all year.
Combined (the 100 rule), the Flames have a PP+PK mark of 87%, well below the magical break even line of 100%, and ranked 25th overall.
The Jets are number one with 111.3%.
The Islanders are last place with 81.6%.
| Team | PK% | PP% | Comb |
| Winnipeg Jets | 79.6 | 31.7 | 111.3 |
| New Jersey Devils | 83.4 | 27.5 | 110.9 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 81.8 | 25.6 | 107.4 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 80.3 | 27 | 107.3 |
| Washington Capitals | 82.1 | 24.4 | 106.5 |
Wrangler’s Beat
As in beat to a pulp.
The call ups and coaching change has finally caught up with them as the Wranglers have lost every game in February (all 8), while getting out scored by an eye popping margin of 29-11.
Ouch!
To be fair they’ve been on the road a lot, with only two February home games against six on the road.
A team that sat first in the AHL pretty much all the way through Christmas, is now 11th overall, and fourth in their conference.
The offence has completely dried up, with only Dryden Hunt a point per game on the season with the remaining offensive guys all struggling (Honzek one point in six games, Stromgren one point in seven, Kerins the best of the bunch with five points in eight).
Wolf’s Start
Did all he could.
The Flames did a great job of limiting shots against, but when they gave something up it was a ten beller … pretty much all night.
Gives up a fluke goal in the first period, and then a point blank goal in the third but otherwise he was every bit as good as the guy at the other end.
The Lightning with 2.42 in expected goals in all situations and Wolf gives up two. Question for me; was the 2.42 including a 1.0 for Hagel’s empty netter? You would think so, but then 1.42 doesn’t seem right with that play off the books.
Odds and Sods
Another solid road start for the Flames, something they used effectively in Washington for a key victory. Tonight one blemish in the first 7 minutes; a Hagel breakaway, but other than that all Calgary with three of the four lines getting involved (not so much for the Frost line). … Overall Calgary with a little more of the play, but they broke down with blue chip chances against (can’t believe Eric Francis called it low event hockey in the first intermission). Ironically, the only goal a complete fluke off the skate. … Not sure we are going to see another demotion from Ilya Solovyov. In a third pairing slotting he looks arrived and here to stay in my opinion, and I’m not anti Jake Bean like some. In the right position and making a lot of heads up plays all over the ice. And I wouldn’t cap him as a third pairing defenseman. … Speaking of slotting, what a difference on this hockey team with Kevin Bahl in the lineup. … Second period a lot like the first, minus the fluke goal. Calgary with some good zone time, but when they bent they really bent relying a lot on their goaltender to save the day. … Speaking of their goaltender, Dustin Wolf looks a lot like January Dustin Wolf again. They should keep an eye on that going forward, as he was a different guy fatigued before the break. … Greg Millen is a good guy, but man please clue into the fact that lines don’t look the same after a powerplay. First he thinks Blake Coleman was demoted to the fourth line with the bench mixing things up due to Morgan Frost losing a skate. Then he thinks another new line emerged with 12 second left in the second after a powerplay. Dude. … Third period has the Bolts score the insurance goal and with the challenged offensively Flames that’s pretty much it. Empty net goal cinches it.
Fancy Stats
The Flames played a solid road game for the most part. They were consistent shift to shift, they didn’t give up a lot of shots, but needed Wolf when they did break down. The Flames, five on five, had 60% (48%/69%/64%) of the shot attempts, 60% of the high danger chances, and 69% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 58% of the shot attempts, 59% of the high danger chances and 54% of the expected goals.
Individually, the Flames were led by Brayden Pachal with an xGF% of 86% on the night. His defense partner, Ilya Solovyov was next up at 80%, putting together his second great third pairing game. Lots of players in the 70s and 60s. Only one guy under water on the night; Mackenzie Weegar with 48%.
