You hate to head into a five day break on a roll, the players, the coaching staff, management … they’d all love to just keep on chugging with the team playing well. What’s the point in taking a break from success?
On the other hand, the mental side of the game in a long season suggests taking a five day break with a seven game win streak to keep you feeling satisfied is exactly what the doctor ordered.
With the Flames beating the Canes 4-1 on Sunday afternoon they get just that; a five day break to feel good about what they’ve accomplished and who they are for the second half of the season.
Sure beats a skid into the break and the demons appearing in one’s thoughts every few minutes.
The Sam Bennett Experiment
It was an interesting opportunity to see what the top line could do with Sam Bennett and what the third line would do without Sam Bennett on Sunday afternoon.
The answer, I suppose, wasn’t all that clear.
Johnny Gaudreau picked up two assists, but neither had anything to do with having Bennett as his center, but the third line was certainly less noticeable without Jankowski and Bennett as the engine.
Giordano Hit
Such a tough call.
A decade ago it would fall into the category of “sh*t happens”, but in today’s game any result to the head is going to get a reaction and a look from the league.
The player, Aho, put himself in a bad situation with a toe drag through the slot with his head down. It looked to me that Giordano targeted the chest but Aho’s head hit Giordano’s shoulder as a result of the impact sending the Hurricane player to the ice.
Unintentional for sure, but that may not matter … I’d guess he gets a game, maybe two.
The Impending Giordano Absence
Assuming the captain misses a game or two when the team comes back, it will be interesting to see how the Flames manage the absence.
I don’t believe they are allowed to recall Tyler Wotherspoon as they have seven defensemen on their roster. If that’s the case Matt Bartkowski will draw in, likely bumping Brett Kulak up the roster. Do you send Kulak to the first pairing to keep the second pairing together? Or do you move him to the second pairing with Travis Hamonic, and move TJ Brodie up to play with Dougie Hamilton?
The best guess is Brodie to the top pairing which will make for an interesting look at a long time suggestion for pairings. A Hamonic / Giordano pairing would be very effective as Hamonic would likely have an easier time playing second fiddle to the stable veteran. But does Brodie give Hamilton head aches?
The Uppity Offensive Defenseman
Dougie Hamilton has tremendous instincts … at even strength.
With his spot on the second powerplay, or when he fills in on the top unit I keep expecting him to take over, take the job and to never look back. But for whatever reason it never seems to happen for him with the man advantage.
Five on five or four on four, or even in Minnesota at three on three, it’s a different game though, as Hamilton consistently jumps up into the seams and gets the puck on his stick in times to make a difference.
Last week he jumped up to pot the winner against Anaheim, then again to get the winner in Minnesota in overtime. Tonight he jumped up five on five to score the team’s second goal (the game winner naturally), and then again four on four when he completed a pretty passing play with Gaudreau and Tkachuk.
In all these situations he showed he knows where to go and when; you can’t teach that.
Matthew Tkachuk Going to Another Level
Matthew Tkachuk has been a different player since his second suspension of the season, a silly infraction poking a Leaf from the bench in Toronto on November 28th.
He’s played 16 games since they tallying nine times and adding five assists for 14 points. On this road trip the winger has three goals and two assists and is becoming a much more consistent go to player.
One of my “things” that were key to the 2017-18 season was the ability of Tkachuk to avoid the sophomore jinx and still be a productive top six winger; he’s well on his way to blowing that hurdle away. He’s a core player now and a huge building block for the Flames.
Another Solid Hamonic Game
You don’t always notice the guy on the scoreboard, but he’s put together many a good game in the last two months of this season.
Tonight he played almost 26 minutes trailing only TJ Brodie, and was a force in his own zone keeping the Hurricanes wide, bottling up attackers on the wall and getting the puck out of trouble. Noticeable to me in his shut down roll for the Flames.
Standings Look
The Flames, with seven straight wins are now nine games over .500 with 54 points in 45 games. That puts them on a 98.4 point pace, which is about five points north of the expected playoff line, and getting closer to that divisional playoff spot projection that they envisioned when the season started.
Heading into the break they are now 2nd in the Pacific and get to watch from the sidelines as the Sharks and Kings get to make up some of their games in hand. The Kings are a point back with two games in hand, while the Sharks are four points back with four games in hand.
Calgary’s situation in the wild card race has improved as well as they lead Minnesota by three points with the Wild having played the same amount of games. The Stars are three points back with a game in hand, while the Hawks are four points back with even games.
The Flames goal differential is now a +6 and ahead of both the Wild and Sharks.
Fancy Stats
The game was locked in at 50% for each club five on five with the Canes having a solid second period edge, and the Flames going against the score effects flow and gaining ground in the third period. Splits from a Calgary perspective were 51% / 43% / 64%.
Scoring chances finished 10-9 for the Flames five on five but 13-16 in all situations, once again the Flames had the edge in the third period.
Individually Micheal Ferland was at the bottom of the heap at 35%, he was joined at the bottom by TJ Brodie, Sam Bennett and Michael Stone. At the top was Dougie Hamilton with 59%, as well as Troy Brouwer and and Mark Giordano at 56%. Other guys with good games included; Kulak, Lazar, and Hathaway.
