What pray tell is wrong with the Calgary Flames?
Through six games on the schedule the team has certainly met their share of inconsistency. A spotty powerplay to start the season, some slow starts for sure. But through it all a team that tended to carry the play and make the opposition work to get out of their zone.
But in back to back games on this mini Eastern road trip the Flames have literally been standing around watching two non playoff teams from last year bring the game to them. Wildly out shot, massively outplayed, relying heaving on their goaltender David Rittich; it’s been down right ugly.
Tonight it almost felt as if the Flames expected that first period goal to hold up. That David Rittich would bring the game home if they just put in the time and walked away with a narrow victory.
It didn’t happen, as a bit of a late rally brought the Flames close but they went down to a 3-2 loss on Tuesday night.
Rittich Back to Back
Have to hand it to Bill Peters thus far this season, his lineup decisions are anything but old school.
There are a few unwritten rules in the NHL, one governing backups and the general thought that they play their one game and; win or lose, vacate the net for the next game. David Rittich was all world in Manhattan and with that Peters broke the code and started him again tonight in Montreal.
There may however, be some additional method in his madness. Mike Smith had an odd start to his season; from going to China, missing a practice in China, travelling home and then getting off to a slow start with some obscure travel. Peters mentioned getting him some practice time and that he was still the starter going forward.
It wouldn’t be a bad problem to get them both hot early in the season.
Rough Night For Noah Hanifin
I know the Calgary Stampeders have often had a heap of trouble winning in Montreal with quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell suggesting some late nights have been the culprit.
Have to wonder if the Flames went out last night and perhaps if they were lead by new Flame Noah Hanifin who easily had his worst game in Flames colours.
Three giveaways that basically caused breakaways, a late second period penalty that let the Canadiens go ahead for good.
He had a decent third period bringing his numbers up somewhat, but that doesn’t take away from what was a terrible night.
Things to Watch 1: Feet Moving
One of the biggest things I was watching to see tonight was a return to the collective being on their toes. Needless to say I didn’t see a lot of it.
Hockey is a sport that requires a player to be on his toes, and when the entire team goes through the motions for back to back games you have to wonder what’s happening. Are they tired? Problem in the dressing room? It’s really hard to say.
Bill Peters isn’t shy to mix things up. To promote players up the roster when they’re playing well, or down the lineup when they’re not. But what do you do when no one’s going? That’s pretty much what Peters faced to tonight.
Things to Watch 2: Fourth Line
The Jankowski/Dube/Hathaway line did a lot to get the Flames the win in Manhattan on Sunday night, so I was interested to see if they could follow that energy up again.
In a word, no.
The line had a rough night in terms of getting hemmed in their own zone, all posting possession numbers near the 30% mark. I thought Mark Jankowski had his moments, a wrister that could have caught Carey Price flat footed, and a great backcheck to break up a play, but it looks like it’s back to the drawing board for the fourth line again.
Likely good news for Austin Czarnik.
Giordano on the Powerplay
An off the front foot wrister through traffic five on five is always a good player.
An off the front foot wrister through traffic on a powerplay just isn’t a modern way to run a team’s man advantage.
The question I have is who’s brain child is this stunted look? Is Geoff Ward getting Mark Giordano to run the powerplay from the top of the umbrella until he gets a chance to uncork the wrister? Or is Giordano seeing this as the opportunity at hand and just over shooting.
Between those and a onetime rebound he let uncork from the boards on his off side he just isn’t testing a goaltender like Price. They have the guns now they need to move the puck around more and look for a higher quality chance.
Fancy Stats
Between the combination of score effects and the Habs doing a lot of their damage on the powerplay, the Flames managed to catchup in terms of shot attempts, tying the game at 50% by the end of the night on splits of 52%/44% and 55%. In terms of scoring chances five on five it wasn’t close however as the Canadiens had the edge 19-15 in chances and 10-9 in high danger chances.
In all situations Montreal had 54% of the shot attempts, 56% of the scoring chances and 54% of the high danger chances.
If you want to find a silver lining, the Flames only gave up 14 high danger chances in the game, down considerably from that debacle in New York.
Individually, TJ Brodie had a big bounce back game for his game #500 posting a 74% CF% rating on the night. He was joined by Michael Frolik over the 70% mark, and Mikael Backlund, Elias Lindholm over 60%. Rasmus Andersson got buried on the night having only 31% of the shot attempts when he was on the ice, with his struggling partner Hanifin not far away at 36%. As I said earlier the fourth line struggled with Hathaway 33%, and Jankowski both having tough nights as well.
Special Teams
Teams don’t win many games going down two in the special teams battle, and the Flames did just that tonight going 0/5 on the powerplay and letting the Habs go 2/5 on their chances.
It’s been a trend of late pushing the team down the special team standings.
Tonight’s failures on the man advantage moves the team to 22nd in the league with the powerplay. Giving up two more powerplay goals moves the penalty killing unit to 20th spot. Bottom third in both special teams while being a tire fire when it comes to scoring chances surrendered is not a successful playoff recipe.
