This team …
You’re pissed at them after 20. You’re annoyed with them after 40. You are high fiving after 60, not because they dominated the Sharks but because they found a way to come from behind yet again; this time in a 3-2 victory in San Jose.
Walk out that effort in the first 30 minutes again and the season is toast. Dustin Wolf was brilliant in the first half of the game to give his team a chance.
They took it.
Adam Klapka, Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato with the goals as the Flames keep their season ticking along.
Nothing easy with this group.
The Lineup
Ryan Huska mixed up three of his four lines midway through the loss to Vegas on Saturday night. The team came back and earned a point so he’s carrying most of those changes into tonight’s game.
A top line we saw previously this season with Nazem Kadri between Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Pospisil, Matt Coronato returning to a line with Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman, and then the Philly guys; Forgan Frost and Joel Farabee with Yegor Sharangovich. And finally a fourth line of Kevin Rooney with Adam Klapka and Ryan Lomberg.
On the blueline no change; Joel Hanley with Mackenzie Weegar, Kevin Bahl with Rasmus Andersson, and Jake Bean with Brayden Pachal.
Wolf starts again for the third game in a row.
Stats Dive
A quick look at the blueline with the website coming apart at the seems over the anticipation of Zayne Parekh making his debut with the Flames.
Offensive play driving:
Hands up … anyone a little surprised to see Jake Bean near the top?
Rasmus Andersson drives play, we all see that.
Potentially Bean ups his numbers from being very active on the pinch.
Pretty tight at the top. Drop off into Hanley and Pachal.
| Player | xGF60 |
| Rasmus Andersson | 2.50 |
| Jake Bean | 2.47 |
| Kevin Bahl | 2.40 |
| MacKenzie Weegar | 2.36 |
| Brayden Pachal | 2.29 |
| Joel Hanley | 2.23 |
| Daniil Miromanov | 2.10 |
Prevention:
On the defensive side of the puck, no one has been better than Joel Hanley as he sports a 2.20 expected against per 60. And a bit of a gap before other players.
His pairing mate Mackenzie Weegar is 2nd.
There’s Jake Bean again … awful with the puck, mistake prone, but with decent numbers both way.
The Rasmus Andersson / Kevin Bahl pairing gets the toughest matchups but Andersson is well behind the rest of the defensemen in prevention numbers.
| Player | xGA60 |
| Joel Hanley | 2.20 |
| MacKenzie Weegar | 2.27 |
| Jake Bean | 2.36 |
| Daniil Miromanov | 2.47 |
| Kevin Bahl | 2.50 |
| Brayden Pachal | 2.51 |
| Rasmus Andersson | 2.64 |
Wolf’s Start
This game could and should have been over after 20 minutes.
Nineteen Shark shots on goal which included 8 high danger chances. The Flames gave up 6 in the first period against Vegas. NHL teams give up on average 12 per hockey game.
No rest for the wicked. The Flames with better territorial play but four more San Jose high danger chances with the help of two powerplays. A one goal game that could easily be three or four nothing if not for the goaltender?
The Flames the better team in the third, but still give the Sharks two more high danger chances.
Wolf gives up two goals on 2.93 expected goals in all situations.
Saved their bacon in the first 30 minutes.
Odds and Sods
Quite the shock to hear about Greg Millen late this afternoon. Just tragic. Such a sudden loss to the Flames family. I thought it was very well handled by Sportsnet that they picked up the Shark’s coverage and let all of Millen’s friends collect themselves with a night off. Hard to spend three hours being upbeat on a telecast when you’re dealing with shock. These guys travel together. Hang out together. Huge loss of a guy they all clearly liked given the ribbing we saw on telecasts. RIP Mr. Millen. … Flames had a rough start, much like their game against Vegas. Dustin Wolf bailed them out with two key saves in the first handful of minutes or they could have been chasing the game early. … Nothing to get excited about at this point, but I have noticed a little more confidence in Sharangovich’s play of late. I think that’s what it is; a lack of confidence. I’ll be curious how or if he bounces back next year. … The Flames by the way, never got better in the first period. Giving up 19 first period shots to the Sharks in the first period is puzzling? Be ready. Sharks lead 1-0 on a late goal with Bahl and Andersson not sorting out the net front presence. … Don’t mind the Sharks TV crew at all; much less annoying and homery than you usually see. The only major issue? Who the hell is WEEEEgar? … The Flames were better in the second period, for sure. But they shot themselves in the foot by taking the period’s only two penalties, snuffing out any momentum they were generating. A late push came close but Calgary down 1-0 through 40. … Matt Coronato sure wins his share of puck battles. Really shows what that level of determination can add to an already talented hockey player. … That Pospisil injury in the third period looked bad, and his reaction leaving the ice looked even worse. Seemed like he was hinting at a separated shoulder. That would mean the season. He was having a tough game leading up to the injury; a lot of plays dying on his stick. Never question his effort though, as he finishes every check. … Ironically the Flames tie it right after the injury with Adam Klapka moving into Pospisil’s spot and converting a rebound for his 4th of the season. … Can’t believe there were no Calgary disallowed goals tonight! Good sign! … Thought the Flames would head for a line change at the 1:00 minute mark of that third period powerplay, their first of the game. Instead the top unit transitions back in setting up Morgan Frost’s go ahead goal … Pospisil back on the bench for the last two minutes but doesn’t take his place on the Kadri line. Doing the Tkachuk thing from the Four Nation and just watching or is he ok? If not it will be interesting to see the replacement. Dryden Hunt or Aydar Suniev?
Fancy Stats
Shaky. The Flames were terrible in the first 20. Spotty in the middle 20, and even while out playing the Sharks in the third they were a little leaky. Put way too much pressure on their goaltender but found a way in the end. The Flames, five on five, had 57% (44%/66%/72%) of the shot attempts, 45% of the high danger chances, and 53% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 55% of the shot attempts, 41% of the high danger chances and 55% of the expected goals.
Individually, the Flames were led by Jake Bean (trying to hold off Parekh?) with 91% in xGF% on the night. Brayden Pachal and Yegor Sharangovich were in the 80s. Three players under 20%; Ryan Lomberg, Joel Hanley, and Mackenzie Weegar.
