The disgrace of last place. The humility of futility.
Ten days ago the Flames listlessly fell to the San Jose Sharks, wrapping up a disgraceful road trip and falling into a tie for last place in the 30 team National Hockey League.
Heading into Tuesday’s night tilt against those very same Sharks, the Flames now find themselves in sole position of the cellar. A modern day Fortunado in the cask of Austen Matthews; buried alive and awaiting their fate in the cool catacombs of the NHL.
But wait a tick….
Are these the same Flames that are undefeated in December? Winners of six straight in the Saddledome, including two incredible comebacks in as many games? How did they possibly drop in the standings?
The rarity of parity that marks this season combined with a glut of coaches who refuse to lose for Matthews, means the league is as conjested as Jarome Iginla’s sinuses before he takes his Nyquil. Throw in a spaced out schedule and the Flames haven’t been able to escape the humiliating position of dead last, usually reserved for the Edmonton Oilers.
But just because the Flames haven’t escaped the basement doesn’t mean they’re not gaining ground. In fact they entered Tuesday’s game just six back of the Sharks for 2nd place in the tightly compacted Pacific division. Crazy to think that while the Flames currently holding down top spot in the NHL’s lottery pick system, the team and its fans still have aspirations of playoffs and even home ice advantage in the opening round.
The reality is the Flames would be wise to focus less on the standings and more on their recent play, which impresses more with each passing game.
Because one thing is clear. These current Calgary Flames are not playing like a last place team.
In fact, the Flames looked more like a first place team Tuesday night. As they delivered their most dominating performance of the season in an impressive 4-2 victory over San Jose.
On The Line
For the Flames a chance to further squeeze a pathetic Pacific division, the difference between second and seventh becoming four points with a regulation win. The Sharks would like to separate themselves from the pack and begin chasing down division leading Los Angeles.
The Flow
The first period was a game of tit-for-tat. Calgary Flames opened with a tit just a buck thirty into the game. Jiri Hudler perfectly orchestrated a 3-on-2, finding Marcus Granlund who wired the puck over the shoulder of Martin Jones. But the Sharks would respond with a tat. The fourth line causing havoc for the Flames before Chris Tierney swiped a loose puck into the yawning cage. Calgary would soon enjoy a powerplay off a Dainius Zubrus hooking penalty, and made short work. Some good team movement left Sean Monahan alone infront and he tipped in a nice feed from Giordano through the wickets of a lateral Jones. Badda-bing. But on a powerplay of their own, the Sharks would tie it back up with a tip from Joe Thornton infront of a bothered Karri Ramo. Badda-boom. Hartley would challenge the goal, asserting Ramo’s ability to make the glove save was impeded by the burly centreman. But the correct call was made, as Thornton remained outside the blue and made a play for the puck . In a goal-starved league, a goal like that must count. Despite Hartley’s protestations the score would hold 2-2 headed into the second.
The second had to be one of the strongest periods in recent Flames memory. It began with a myriad of glorious Flames chances from the slot. First Hamilton. Then Bennett. Finally Backlund. Jones was equal to the task, but a rebound on the Backlund chance bounced around until a motivated Frolik batted the puck in to register his 250th career point. Then a weird one. Gaudreau put on an absolute clinic, disecting the Sharks at both ends of the ice before sliding the puck to Monahan for a wide open net and his second of the night, chasing Martin Jones from the net. But not so fast. This time a Sharks challenge would claim the Flames initially entered the zone offside and the review would confirm, negating a beautiful goal. But the Flames would not be denied their 4-2 lead. The shift of the season would follow soon after as the Flames would enter the zone at the 8 minute mark and would not relent until Backlund finally put the Sharks out of their misery with a snapper over Stalock’s shoulders. 12 passes, five shots, one goal, in over 58 seconds of sustained pressure. Wow. The Flames would keep the pressure on the rest of the way, and were somewhat unlucky the scored remained only 4-2 at period’s end.
The third was another well played frame by the Flames. Another lengthy shift in the San Jose end would this time result in a heavy hit and a partial break for Joe Thorton, who rang his slapshot off the post. Fortunately that would be as close as the Sharks would come on this night. A couple late penalties sunk any chance the Sharks had to stage a late comeback as the Flames would hold on to preserve the 4-2 victory. A well deserved and rare regulation win for the Flames, well timed against a divisional foe they’re trying to chase down.
Three Stars
- Mikael Backlund: He’s had a disappointing start to the season after re-signing with the Flames in the offseason, but was stellar tonight. Two points, including the eventual goal on one of the best’s shifts in Flames’ memory. 58% in the dot as well.
- Sean Monahan: Unlucky not to have the hattrick tonight. One goal expertly redirected. A similar redirect robbed by the stick of Stalock, and a late offside review limits him to one.
- Mark Giordano: Two assists, three blocked shots, and two takeaways in over 28 minutes of icetime. Looking more like his old self.
Big Save
Not exactly the flashiest save, but certainly timely. 3-2 in the second and Thornton would find Joe Pavelski alone in the slot. Ramo would manage to get his glove on the puck once, as it bobbled behind him, again, to push it off the post, and a third time to cover the puck as Hamilton shoveled it under him away from the line and Pavelski. In a period where the Flames dominated, a goal like that would have been a back breaker.
Big Hit
The Flames midst another dominating shift in the third exhausted the patience of Brett Burns, who stood his ground and dropped a surprised Michael Frolik to the ice.
The Goat
The NHL review challenge system. The right call was made on Thornton’s goal. It just irks me that Hartley would even attempt a challenge there. Slows the game down and does nothing to satisfy his rage.
My bigger beef is with the Flames disallowed goal. As soon as the challenge system was implemented I wasn’t a fan of the offside review. Simply because plays like we witnessed tonight, where the play is offside by inches and has no bearing on the eventual goal (seeing as everyone recovered into position, and the goal was independent of the zone entry).
The review needs to exist in some form, to prevent a repeat of Matt Duchene’s goal against the Predators where he walked in on a breakaway 15 feet offside, but I don’t like it being used as a technicality to negate a goal where no advantage is gained on the zone entry.
Mr. Clutch
For the second straight game I give it to Jiri Hudler. Just a great pass on the opening goal, and hard work to draw the penalty at the end to seal the victory.
Gaudreau, Ramo, Bennett, Ferland. Really a lot of Flames today worthy of star or clutch status. Great games all around.
Odds and Ends
- The Flames have invested a lot of time in practising the powerplay as of late, and tonight it showed huge divedends. They may have finished only 1 for 7, but it was their first PP goal in 9 games! The powerplay was impressive all evening, with good movement and sustained pressure, ensuring momentum wasn’t lost when a Shark was in the box.
- Calgary is playing some fantastically exciting hockey as of late. November had Flames’ fans lamenting of a season lost and looking ahead to the entry draft in June. Now the Saddledome is rocking as the Flames have tallied 13 goals in their first three game winning streak of the season. The win also continues their home-winning streak, which now sits at 7.
- Karri Ramo made his 14th start in 15 games for the Flames. Whoever put money on Ramo winning the top spot out of the three-headed goalie monster that started the season, I think it’s safe to collect your winnings. Another solid game from him tonight.
- Martin Jones, returning to his old Hitmen home, did not have the best of nights in front of friends and family. Hard to blame him on any of the goals though. Funny enough, his stats improved on the bench as the video review waved off the fourth goal under his watch. Alex Stalock was sharp in relief.
Next Up
Game four of this current five game homestand welcomes the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday December 10, 7 pm puckdrop.
Lines (To Start):
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – David Jones
Sam Bennett – Marcus Granlund – Jiri Hudler
Mason Raymond – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik
Michael Ferland – Matt Stajan – Joe Colborne
Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Dennis Wideman – Dougie Hamilton
Ladislav Smid – Deryk Engelland
Karri Ramo
