Two years ago the Flames clinched a playoff spot against the L.A. Kings on Saddledome ice, ending a 5 year drought of missed playoff seasons. The result was somewhat of a surprise, as they ousted a team that seemed so much deeper, and more experienced then an upstart Calgary team that was supposed to be at the precipice of a rebuild.
Two years later and the two teams met up again on the same ice with the same stakes, but it’s amazing how much has changed in 24 calendar months. The Kings are somewhat of a let down, but its the Flames that have changed the most in that time frame, their youth more experienced, and their supplementary players more impactful.
And that wasn’t all that changed, as this time it’s the battle tested warriors with a firm “Not Yet!” delivered to the upstart young squad that was perhaps too focused on retribution and score settling and not ready for the game in hand in a 4-1 set back to the Kings on Wednesday night.
The Flames have 5 more kicks at the cat to get it done.
The Flow
The first period in a word, was a circus. The pre game warm up featured a conversation at center ice with Kyle Clifford jawing at Matthew Tkachuk before Flame’s vets Derryk Engelland, Troy Brouwer and Micheal Ferland showed up to provide support. That notion spilled into the game with Jake Muzzin goating Tkachuk into an early penalty by getting the rookie to drop the gloves. The Flames kill it off and then go ahead when Dougie Hamilton jumped on a loose puck in front of Ben Bishop and slid it through the goaltenders pads. The game then started to lose it’s speed, with the Kings pushing a plodding pace and keeping the Flames from generating speed through the neutral zone. The Kings tie it when Kopitar muscles the puck to the point, where Forbort’s point shot is tipped by Trevor Lewis, game tied 1-1 after one.
More plodding in the second, as the teams chip it in, chip it out, chip it in, out, in and out through most of the period. The best chances come on numerous powerplay opportunities, but even then zone time shouldn’t be confused with actual scoring chances, it was a pretty perimeter played hockey game. The Kings, playing classic Jacques Demers St. Louis Blues circa 1985 hockey are waiting for that one bounce and they got it late in the period when Jarome Iginla put the puck on net, the puck bouncing off a Flame’s Mark Giordano and in with less than a minute to play in the second. The Kings have that all important lead heading to the third at 2-1.
The Flames tried hard to generate something and get things tied up to start the third; they certainly had the zone time, but just couldn’t find that wide open chance to let the skill players do their thing. You kind of had that feeling that it would take an ugly one to tie it up and it had to happen before an ugly one the other way put things away. The Kings got just such a goal when two Flames take the same player in the Calgary zone creating a quick two on one below the blueline and an easy one timer by Kopitar to make it 3-1. The Flames get a quick powerlay and a chance to get back into it, but they fail to generate that key chance once again. The Kings put it away when Jarome Iginla finds Jeff Carter in tight to complete his Gordie Howe hat trick and the game is done at 4-1 L.A., the clinch would have to wait another day.
Possession Stats
1st Period – The underlying stats pretty much match what was seen on the ice as the shot attempts were dead even at eight apiece in the first period, scoring chances at 5-3 for the Kings.
2nd Period – The second was more of the same, shot attempts 7-7, and scoring chances 2-2, yeah it was that plodding.
3rd Period – The Flames score effected themselves to a 25-15 shot attempt margin in the third, but the scoring chances were much more tranquil at 12-6 Calgary. On the game five on five attempts were 40-30 Calgary, and scoring chances 17-13 Flames.
Players – The King’s rope a dope style pushed most of the Flames into positive numbers on the night with Mikael Backlund leading the way at 73%. His winger Michael Frolik was next with Derryk Engelland, Sam Bennett and Dougie Hamilton rounding out the top five all between 65 and 70%. Only four players were under water Michael Stone at 37%, as well as Sean Monahan, Micheal Ferland and Johnny Gaudreau as the Flames top line got owned tonight.
Three Stars
1. Jarome Iginla: He didn’t exactly make my night tonight, but it was a great way to potentially say goodbye to a Flame’s warrior as he posts the goal, the assist and the fight in a Gordie Howe Hat Trick Saddledome Finale. Perfect except the final score.
2. Anze Kopitar : Goal and an assist as well, his assist was key as it took some momentum away, a great play along the wall by the King’s captain.
3. Marian Gaborik : Still can’t believe a guy named Marian gets to wear Iginla’s number but I guess if Iggie is ok with it I should be as well. Two assists for the former Wild.
Big Save
Brian Elliott was huge on a late King powerplay in the second period as he moved laterally and got his right pad on a Jeff Carter offering to keep the game knotted at 1-1.
The Goat
Calgary discipline and maturity. They got played badly. I thought coming in that the Tkachuk issue would be a great distraction for a big game, and keep the team loose. Instead the team seemed to be so wrapped up in the Kings coming after the rookie that they didn’t play their game. Add in a pile of silly stick penalties that killed momentum (some odd calls too for sure) and you get a Calgary team handing a game to their counterparts.
Mr. Clutch
I like Drew Doughty. Sure he can be a bit of a cheap player, but like Tkachuk he’s all skill and balls and you love guys like that on your team. With all the fuss the guy just casually logged 26 minutes in a winning effort and didn’t take any stupid penalties. Great veteran effort.
Odds and Ends
The Flames stay with the exact lineup they iced on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche, which is certainly expected. It will be interesting to see what they do with the lineup down the stretch. Do you rest Brian Elliott somewhat regardless of your placing in the West and the changes that could bring to your first round opponent? Do you moves of the horses out of the lineup to get them rested for the playoffs? What about Rasmus Andersson? Was he kept around merely because they didn’t want to burn a non-emergency recall for nothing? Do they just want him to soak it in for the rest of the season in preparation for next year? Or will he play? … With the Heat putting pressure on a playoff spot it’s less likely the Flames will get a large taxi squad to start the playoffs, would have been interesting if a bump or a bruise resulted in a Mark Jankowski sighting, and yes I’m clearly pushing it, but his 26 goal and climbing season has me more and more curious. … So the Tkachuk thing tonight. First period I hated the call when Muzzin goated him into a penalty, so I was pretty impressed when they sent Andy Andreoff off for the same thing later in the period. He finally fights Brayden McNabb in the first and holds his own, though he falls late in the fight with McNabb on top of him. In the second he manages to drill Doughty twice down low, and then almost takes him apart with a center ice hit that Doughty just ducks. No matter how you look at it, the kid will never shy away from this kind of game, he clearly not only loves it, he probably can’t wait to play another one. The Flames will just need to learn how to handle this type of game going forward, as they were very distracted. … The Kings are still 10 points back. Ten. The Flames will clinch a playoff spot of that I have no doubt. I say that because insanity can creep into a fan base after a win, so I’m trying to help you out. Of concern though is the seeding unless you want a Blackhawks match up in the first round. Personally I’m torn. On one hand I’d rather have the Pacific Trio as they are easier touches in the first round and present winnable but far from guaranteed series. Yet on the other hand I go back to my expectations for the season, which was a bubble team, so playing anyone is a great result for me for the season. Either way I just bought tickets for the Flames in Anaheim on Tuesday and that game had better not be needed to clinch a playoff spot. To me it’s a Calgary game in another arena and a chance to witness the end of the curse, I don’t need the added stress of games running out and a spot not secured. … I have to admit going into the playoffs I’m worried about the Monahan line. I didn’t like how they were non existent two years ago against Vancouver save for one game where they padded their stats, and then missing in action against the Ducks. I think Monahan was hurt that year, so there’s that, but the trio got pasted tonight by the Kings which did little to settle my nerves.
Next Up
Next up on the California “Closing” to the Flames season is a home date on Friday night against the Sharks, game time 7pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Gaudreau – Monahan – Ferland
Versteeg – Stajan – Brouwer
Bouma – Bennett – Chiasson
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Stone
Bartkowski – Engelland
Elliott
