If you play with fire, you sometimes get burned.
A great play on words for a franchise named after fire, but true nonetheless. The Flames have been toying with teams of late and they finally paid a penalty; dropping a 4-3 overtime decision to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
The Flames had stretches of game where they dominated, but also stretches where they appeared to fall asleep.
A five game win streak comes to an end, but a point streak is continued and hopefully a lesson learned.
Lineup Changes
More forced line up changes for Bill Peters, as Travis Hamonic remains away from the team with family matters, forcing the promotion of Rasmus Andersson, and the dressing of Dalton Prout on the third pairing.
Up front James Neal was sick for the second straight day meaning Austin Czarnik comes in on the third line to replace the frustrated sniper. First, second and fourth lines remain the same.
David Rittich returns to the nets for the Flames after they sail to victory against Arizona with Mike Smith in the cage.
Predicting Loss
I’m not a prediction guy for the most part.
I watch the games, hope for the best and then try and provide the best summary of what went on in a brief and often unproved game report.
Tonight though … bad feeling. The Flames have played better of late, but still haven’t rolled out that 60 minute best-they-can-play effort that we saw for a decent stretch before Christmas. It hasn’t mattered, which to me added to the feeling that the Sabres, who lost a game in Edmonton big though they had numbers that suggested they deserved better, were due and so were the Flames.
So sadly I guess I was right, but the silver lining could be a lesson learned in a night where a point was still earned. That sounds poetic doesn’t it?
Jankowski Draft
When you’ve had a hockey site as long as I have you remember debates and arguments over the years.
One that comes to mind was the 2012 draft, and the number of fans that fretted about the dynamic careers of Zemgus Girgensons and Codi Ceci. Girgensons was taken by Buffalo with the Calgary pick, and Ceci was the next player taken in order and a player that many Calgary fans wanted.
The Flames of course, took center Mark Jankowski.
The years pass and Jankowski is still in school, meanwhile Girgensons puts up a solid rookie season with 22, points and follows it up with a 15 goal season. He’s never been close since. Ceci is a player for sure, but also the poster boy for getting fire drilled in his own zone through his career; nobody gives up more.
Tonight you have Jankowski coming on, shredding the Sabres shorthanded in the first, and putting up 17 goals last year.
Patience young grasshoppers. Mark Jankowski is on a 34 point pace this season.
Second Line Solved
Had a good discussion today about Sam Bennett and Micheal Frolik and the fit in the roster.
The results?
The 3M line is more apt to put up points than the Bennett version, but Bennett is more productive further down the roster … and especially more effective with James Neal. The point? Leave the lines alone right now!
Min Pts Pts/60 All 636 26 2.45 Frolik 167 10 3.59 Bennett 195 7 2.15 Neither 274 9 1.97 Individual production five on five for both players. With Tkachuk Bennett 2.18 points/60 Frolik 3.95 points/60 Without Tkachuk Bennett 1.26 points/60 Frolik 0.72 points/6
This just reinforces the previous look of Calgary lines and goals expected; put Bennett on the third line with James Neal and leave Frolik on the second line with his original 3M linemates.
Teaching Patience
I think Bill Peters biggest teaching moment in the last third of the season is going to be around patience, and letting the game come to you.
Too often tonight you could see the Flames pushing the play, trying to force things, almost if they were annoyed or bothered by the fact they were tied in a game that they felt they should be winning. You’re not always going to get the bounces, games aren’t going to always go your way based on skill, but better to not turn the puck over by trying to rectify things in the moment.
The third period was a good example that chances are going to happen, opportunities to finish and change the outcome, but don’t try to turn every single individual play into a game changing moment.
Reverse Goalie Controversy
I’m not one to stir the fire, but David Rittich gave up two third period goals on two shots, and then one overtime goal on one shot.
That’s three straight goals on only three shots to conclude the game in 23 minutes of action. Calgary was carrying the play and Rittich was unfortunate on a bounce, screened on a goal, and then beaten short side on a goal he’d like to have back.
The reason I bring this up is the back to back nature of this weekend and the slotting question that has to be in the minds of the Calgary coaching staff.
Do you play Smith against Detroit on Friday and Rittich on Saturday in Edmonton, or do you flip them? A good outing by Rittich tonight has me liking the former, but is that still the case?
Standings Implications
With Vegas losing last night and the Sharks losing to Arizona tonight, the single point doesn’t sting quite as bad for Calgary in the broad view of things. The Flames have a two point lead on the Sharks with a game in hand for both the conference and the division. The Jets are three points back with two games in hand and Nashville and Vegas are both five points back with even games and Calgary having a game respectively.
Counting Stats
The Flames actually lost the battle of the dot to the Sabres, with Buffalo winning 58% of the faceoffs on the night.
The Flames went 2/3 on the powerplay, while the Sabres went 0/2, giving the Flames the clear special teams win on the night.
Odd night for the Flame’s best players as Mark Giordano and Matthew Tkachuk were both -3 on the night. Calgary didn’t have a single plus player as it turned out.
Elias Lindholm and Johnny Gaudreau led the way with two points apiece.
Fancy Stats
The Flames had 58% of the shot attempts five on five on the night with period splits of 36% / 60% and 88%. Scoring chances were 54% Flames with a 20-17 breakdown, and high danger chances were 83% Buffalo with a crazy low count of 5-1.
In all situations Calgary had 56% of the shot attempts, 47% of the scoring chances, and 58% of the high danger chances.
Individually, the Flames were led in shot attempt splits by a benched player as Austin Czarnik was the man with 77% with only 8 minutes of ice time. Mark Jankowski and Sam Bennett were next with 75% and 65% respectively. Noah Hanifin and Garnet Hathaway were the only players under the 50% mark.
