Sometimes it’s nice to know you can count on certain things. Death, taxes, gravity, the Flames getting lit up by the Anaheim Ducks and big nights from said club’s big boys.
Sure the Ducks haven’t been playing well. Sure Getzlaf had only one goal and nine points coming into the game. Sure his linemate and buddy had only 12 points on the season. But you just knew things would be as they always are, potentially always will be as the two combined for eight points in leading the Ducks to a 5-3 victory on Tuesday night.
Its comforting to know you can count on certain things; really.
The Flow
The Flames don’t get off to a curse busting pace, spending the game’s first three minutes in their own zone, though the Ducks fail to generate any real scoring chances. Calgary goes ahead when a mixture of the second and fourth lines combine with a Michael Frolik goal off a Kris Russell point shot rebound. Big goal for a team that has to feel an anvil on their backs in this building. Thing get even better when Sam Bennett converts a Backlund rebound to put the Flames up two midway through the period, the last shot Khudobin would face. Calgary gives back the momentum when Bollig and Ramo combine to breath life into the Ducks. Bollig takes a silly hooking penalty, and 8 seconds into the ensuing powerplay Ramo gives up a week one through his legs to Cory Perry. The Ducks used said life to tie things up when Dougie Hamilton let Rakell walk right around him and hoist a backhander into the top mesh past Ramo. Calgary given a two goal lead, but blow it and give the momentum back to their curse holders.
Liked the open of the second period much more by the Flames, save for an inexplicable play by TJ Brodie that had him missing in action when Perry took the puck from the back of the net to the front of Ramo uncontested. The Flames survive the scare and the game stays tied at one. Things turn considerably towards the Ducks five minutes into the frame though, a stretch that would have the Flames under siege and icing the puck for the better part of five minutes but once again they emerge unscathed. The Flames regroup and have a much more solid final 8 minutes in the period and are rewarded when they go ahead on a great play started by Dennis Wideman. Wideman pushes a forecheck into the far corner, strips Stoner and flips the puck deep. Sam Bennett picks it up and makes a no look (or perhaps peripheral look) pass to Frolik who scores his 2nd of the night to put the Flames up 3-2 going to the third. Not exactly breathing room, but it makes the third interesting in curse land.
Yeah right. The Ducks score twice in the first four minutes of the period. First Rackell drives the net and finds a pass from Perry one timing it past Ramo to tie the game early in the third. Then Wideman takes a foolish penalty drilling Getzlaf from behind and the Ducks go ahead for the first time on Cory Perry’s second of the night, his fourth point. The goal was created when two things went horribly wrong for the Flames shorthanded; 1) Jooris blows a tire on a short handed rush 2) both Brodie and Giordano forget they are killing a penalty over committing to said rush. The result is Perry on a breakaway. Stupid hockey really. The Flames get two powerplay chances of their own, but come up empty, and the Ducks add a late empty net goal by Ryan Kesler and the Flames lose 5-3 in Anaheim.
Three Stars
1.Ryan Getzlaf : Five assists to slump bust the Duck captain and put his season back on the map. You’re welcome Ryan!
2.Corry Perry : Scored twice including the game winner to pace the Ducks. Added an assist as well.
3.Michael Frolik : Scores his 100th and 101st goals of his career, including the go ahead goal late in the second that appeared to set up a curse buster.
Big Save
A harmless rush by Perry ends up with Russell, Perry and Russell converging on Ramo with a puck bouncing off the goaltender and into the air seemingly on its way into the net. But it’s Ramo reaching back and swatting the puck away with his blocker to keep the biscuit out.
The Goat
Calgary’s elite defense core. The big three in Brodie, Giordano and Hamilton all made over aggressive, or passive mistakes leading to Duck goals. Last year the Flames were led by their defense core, this year they are being let down.
Mr. Clutch
Sam Bennett. Goal and an amazing no look pass assist on Frolik’s goal and a few other great down low plays that could have led to more. The kid’s aggression is fun to watch on a nightly basis, he never gives up on a play.
Odds and Ends
Hate punching that must win card at the quarter poll but the Flames simply have to win two of three on this road trip, with the next two being more important than tonight’s game in Anaheim. The Ducks may be down, but you have to think they’re a likely candidate for putting it together by the end of the season. But you can’t be behind San Jose and Arizona if you have any intentions of playing past mid April, and that’s a challenge given how well San Jose has been playing. … Hasn’t been a good season for the Flames to date, but don’t be too quick to suggest they have proven that sustainability issue. Their 5on5 corsi is mid pack, their score adjusted is poor, but their high danger scoring chances has gone from 26th last season at 45.7% to 11th this season or a rate of 51.1%. What does that mean? At least to start they were either getting stoned by goaltenders or had terrible finish, at least in comparison to how the Calgary goaltenders were facing in similar scoring chances the other way. What does it mean to me? This isn’t a bottom five team, they will put a string together, sadly that may mean they finish just out of the playoffs and just out of a good draft pick. … Hamilton has certainly been better in the last eight games or so but he has to be better on that Rakell goal in the first period. You can’t leave it all down to a stick check or else in the National Hockey League against National Hockey League players. Big mistake. … I can certainly appreciate the fact that the big player had a slow start to the season, and then got hurt, but they simply have to get Micheal Ferland up the roster to play with some skill. His hands are too good, speed certainly decent and with his size and intimidation factor through hitting he needs better linemates and more ice time. So it was great to see Hartley seeing the same thing and promoting him to play with Gaudreau and Monahan in the second period. They didn’t get a whole lot done, but with Hulder benched for ineffective play (we think) and Raymond clearly not working out why not keep them together against Arizona on Friday. … Sure its bad luck when a guy blows a tire, but you can’t have both defenseman up the ice leaving a forward to make a read killing a penalty. Brodie and Giordano do just that leaving Stajan who doesn’t see Perry behind him. Silly . … Was interesting to see the guys walked out on Calgary’s first powerlay. Brodie, Hamilton, Monahan, Gaudreau and Bennett. The future. Didn’t get it done, but interesting to see the core on the ice like that.
Next Up
The Flame’s three game jaunt through tropical locals in the Pacific continues on Friday when they visit the new look Coyotes in Phoenix. Arizona is a team that have to reel in if they have any aspirations of climbing the pacific latter. Game time 7pm Sportsnet.
Lines:
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Mason Raymond
Sam Bennett – Mikael Backlund- Michael Frolik
Joe Colborne – Matt Stajan – David Jones
David Bollig – Josh Jooris – Micheal Ferland
Mark Giordano – TJ Brodie
Kris Russell – Dougie Hamilton
Derryk Engellend – Dennis Wideman
Kari Ramo
