In the end the Flames played a solid game and were well deserved in a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
But not without a great opening 20 from Dustin Wolf as the Flames gave up way too much and could have found themselves in trouble without their goaltender.
Blake Coleman scores twice for the Flames, giving him 15 on the season in the win.
The St. Louis Blues win again, of course, but the Wild lost in overtime last night so the Flames move a point closer in the last 24 hours.
Live another day.
The Lineup
Not a single change to the linup after the loss in Utah. No change to the goaltender. No change to the 18 skaters dressed. And no change to any of the lines or pairings.
Nazem Kadri with Martin Pospisil and Joel Farabee (moving up from Backlund’s line), Morgan Frost with Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato, Mikael Backlund with Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman. And finally a fourth line of Kevin Rooney with Adam Klapka and Ryan Lomberg.
On the blueline Joel Hanley with Mackenzie Weegar, Kevin Bahl with Rasmus Andersson, and Jake Bean with Brayden Pachal.
Back to Dustin Wolf, which is ironically somewhat controversial given Dan Vladar’s recent play.
Stats Dive
Four games into the team’s last segment on the season with a 1-2-1 record, three out of a possible eight points and not enough to give them any wiggle room for a playoff spot.
But ironically, this is their best segment of the season (sample size acknowledged).
After taking on water the 6th segment and recovering somewhat in the 7th, segment eight has some really encouraging underlying numbers.
The team has their highest shot metrics (close), highest shot split, highest high danger share, but a terrible PDO and goal split has them tumbling down the standings (well that and a St. Louis Blues team that refuses to lose).
Shooting percentage and save percentage at a season long low.
This segment has them with an expected goals total of 3.0 five on five, their highest point this season.
Lots of good signs, but they need the results. And they need them now.
Wolf’s Start
No change on the Duck’s first period goal. Odd man rush that goes all the way through the crease to a streaking Zellweger.
Calgary was loosey goosey in the first. All kinds of zone time, but when they broke down they really gave up the house. Too many high danger chances against.
No damage in the second, but the Flames were much better defensively. Only one Duck high danger chance in period two compared to the six in period one.
Guessing something was said.
Solid third period again without giving up too much. On the night Anaheim finishes with 2.06 in all situations expected goals, with Wolf giving up only one.
Odds and Sods
So many games in a row with the opposition maybe not starting better than Calgary, but certainly scoring before the good guys. But not tonight. Nazem Kadri with a goal just 16 seconds into this one as the Ducks get caught on a brutal pinch. … Ducks take control for a few minutes from there before the Flames settle down and start driving. … The Ducks tie it after being under all sorts of pressure (Owen Zellweger), but Calgary uphased, go right back to dominating the period. … Morgan Frost is a mystery to me. Nobody (maybe Huberdeau) better with the puck and yet no production. When you dig in he’s not creating expected goals either. Seems like so much there. His ex-Philly buddy Joel Farabee is creating, but isn’t getting created. Have a feeling that trade looks pretty good next season. … St. Louis wins again, what a shocker right? Such a huge variable in this wild card chase, would have been a different story without one team running the table. … So clear how much disgust Mason Mactavish had for Martin Pospisil on a second period shift. You can’t teach that. So valuable. … Dumb penalty from Brayden Pachal again. I know he likes and needs to play on the edge but be smarter in games your team needs to have. … It sure looks like Joel Farabee is a good foil for Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund. Matt Coronato worked as well. So did Andrew Mangiapane. Yegor Sharangovich and Jonathan Huberdeau did not. Keep them together. Lots of dominant shifts tonight. … Man I hate “ref you suck” chants. Makes the fanbase (any fanbase) look dim. Pachal broke a stick on a cross check. Coleman leveraged a defenseman and took himself down. Learn the game. … Calgary, after all those chances in the first period, jump out by two in the second on a Coleman shorty and another fourth line goal; this time to Kevin Rooney. … So intrigued by that Darren Haynes tweet yesterday comparing Suniev’s college production to Matt Coronato at the same age. Happy if the Flames get a 2nd Matt Coronato out of the third round pick and the Tyler Toffoli trade. … Man I love me some Hakan Loob. Always wished his number wasn’t available when Jarome Iginla came around. Not sure he played enough games, but sure wish he stayed and played more. Great hockey player. … Flames put it away with another Blake Coleman goal, this time on the powerplay. Fitting as that third line had a night. … I’ll say it again; I might be wrong on Klapka. His confidence continues to grow. He’s starting to look like a fulltime NHLer.
Fancy Stats
Give the Flames credit. They lacked a lot on the detail side in the first 20 minutes despite pushing the play and generating a lot of shot volume. The last 2/3 of the game they got back to defence first and as a result pulled away from the Ducks. The Flames, five on five, had 61% (63%/56%/65%) of the shot attempts, 53% of the high danger chances, and 60% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 61% of the shot attempts, 55% of the high danger chances and 62% of the expected goals.
Individually, the Flames were led by the two goal man Blake Coleman with 71% in xGF% on the night. He was joined by his linemates Joel Farabee and Mikael Backlund as well as Mackenzie Weegar in the 70s club. Joel Hanley, Jonathan Huberdeau, Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato in the 60s. Only three players under water; the top line of Nazem Kadri, Martin Pospisil and Yegor Sharangovich all in the 40s.
