Its a tough discussion as to who is in fact a team’s best hockey player. A goaltender stops pucks, a shut down defender boxes out the opposition, a powerforward plays a 200 foot game and chips in, an offensive wizard lights the lamp or contributes by setting up his teammates.
The Flames have some skill. The start of the season would suggest otherwise, but they do. Tonight though they were lead by what I would call their best hockey player as TJ Brodie in game number three scored once, added an assist, had another goal waived off, but rocked it on the details as the Flames won a scary Halloween game in Edmonton 5-4 with a late goal in a wild one.
The Flow
The Flames had good jump to start and hit the sheet first when Brandon Bollig of all people deftly tipped a point shot in to put the Flames up early. It was the first in a wild period that had the Flames out shoot the Oilers 12-8 and out score them 3-1 when Michael Frolik scored his first two goals as a Flame sandwiching an Oiler tally to make things interesting. Unlike recent games in New York, Ottawa and against Montreal the Flames turned a strong start into actual scoreboard instead of just scoring chances.
The Oilers got off the mat in the second and carried the play somewhat in the first ten minutes of the period and were rewarded when Davidson stepped into one midway through the stanza, a shot that Ramo had little chance on. Calgary found their legs again however and had great chances throughout the rest of the period including a great Frolik chance for the hat trick goal (Stephen King foreshadowing insertion), but were denied until TJ Brodie rifled one top corner on Talbot to put the Flames back up by two heading to the final period. A late powerplay for the Oilers doesn’t hurt the Flames but carries into the third.
… and bit them on the collective ass as Purcell scores an early one to make the third period more interesting than many would have hoped. It gets down right tight when a Jiri Hudler Hail Mary pass from behind the Oiler net leads to an Oiler 3 on 2 and a Draisaitl goal ties things up. Calgary gets a late powerplay but fritters it away pushing the game to what looked like an exhilarating 3 on 3 overtime period with some insane offensive talent when Matt Stajan beats out an icing call giving the stage to Frolik who hammers home a hat trick goal from an impossible angle. Flames win and push that giant ape off their backs … for one night at least.
Three Stars
1.TJ Brodie : Hey I love a hat trick as much as the next guy, but Brodie was electric tonight. Two points including a goal, but it was the detail stuff that impressed me. Great game, by a great player.
2.Michael Frolik : His first three goals as a Flames. Exciting but also concerning as that is exactly the city and the way Mason Raymond started in Calgary. But why drag that into this right? Big game for a solid player.
3.Taylor Hall : Three point night including an amazing saucer pass to Draisaitl for the tying goal in what looked like a momentum seizing moment.
Big Save
The Flames looked to have answered back after the Oilers had tied the game in the third when Josh Jooris was set to deposit the puck in an empty net off a carom that left Talbot out of position when Gryba macheted the puck out of harms way to keep the game deadlocked.
The Goat
Going with Jiri Hudler. His line (Monahan/Colborne) were all saddled with -2 plus minus stats on the night but it was his ill-advised back pass from behind the net that set the Oilers away on a 3 0n 2 evaporating the Flames one goal lead in the third and giving the Oilers a pile of mojo to finish things off. They survived it but you have to protect the defensive side of the puck better than that up a goal in the third.
Mr. Clutch
We’ve all been dumping on Kris Russell and his start to the season, but tonight he had a great bounce back night going +2 and returning to the type of game we grew accustomed to seeing last season.
Odds and Ends
A little more TJ Brodie gushing; loved that shorthanded play in the first when he lead the attack up the ice on a partial two on one, took a shot, then went behind the net and out the other side and caught the Oilers puck carrier from behind keeping the PK part of his shift under control. When a player can do that sort of thing with his feet he dominates. The Flames really missed him. … I’m a Canadian and I’ll be cheering like hell when McDavid is wearing a jersey with out country’s flag on it in the future, but tonight I’m glad he was -2 and had his point streak snapped on Hockey Night in Canada. Boom! … Another rough one for Cam Talbot after a great start in Edmonton colours. He’s now had save percentage games in the mid .800s in four of his last five starts after keeping the Oilers afloat in his first few starts. His season stat now sits at .897 with the NHL average at .916 last season. Clearly the Flames have goaltending woes as well, but the Oiler acquisition seems to be coming back to Earth. … That was the Flames first win in regulation time this season, something I certainly didn’t think we’d be waiting to see up to an hour before November. Can they string some games together now though? That’s the key to righting this mess and at least making it interesting. Losses to Colorado and Philly this week will certainly flatten out their chances again. … So does Ramo get the net again on Tuesday? He won, which is great, but his save percentage tonight was .826 which is awful. Now having said that I don’t know if I’d blame him for any of the four goals he gave up. But the Flames do need more impact saves to get going in this season.
Next Up
The Flames continue their mini two game trip when they take on the Colorado Avalanche (Corsi giants) in Denver on Tuesday night, game time 7pm, Sportsnet.
Lines:
Joe Colborne – Sean Monahan – Jiri Hudler
Johnny Gaudreau – Sam Bennett – Michael Frolik
Mason Raymond – Mikael Backlund – David Jones
Brandon Bollig – Matt Stajan – Josh Jooris
Mark Giordano – TJ Brodie
Kris Russell – Dennis Wideman
Derryk Engellend – Dougie Hamilton
Kari Ramo
