Calgary just doesn’t win in Vegas I guess.
Sure it doesn’t have the tenure of the streak in Anaheim, but it does take on a more sinister feel when you’ve literally never won in a city.
This time the Flames were even money through two periods playing a decent road game but trailing 2-0 before the flood gates opened in the third period and the Vegas Golden Knights (that still sounds silly to me) skated away with an easy win.
For the Flames that’s four straight losses (picked up a point in the first one), and they say good teams don’t drop more than two in a row in a season if they want to be consistent and finish where they want to in the standings. Well the Flames just aren’t a good hockey team right now; they can’t defend well, and they certainly can’t score making winning hockey games a bit of a challenge.
Line Up changes
A few changes from yesterday’s loss in Arizona, with Bill Peters wanting some change after dropping a 3-0 game to the Coyotes.
In net Cam Talbot takes the nets after David Rittich lost yesterday. Talbot was great against the Stars in a 3-1 loss last week (empty net goal), and the Flames are certainly trying to lean on Rittich less.
Up front Sam Bennett couldn’t go due to an upper body injury, he’s replaced by recall Dillon Dube. Dube lined up with Derek Ryan and Milan Lucic. That left a fourth line of Michael Frolik, Mark Jankowski and Tobias Rieder. Andrew Mangipane returned to the second line with Michael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk.
No change to the six defenseman, though Rasmus Andersson returned to the top pairing, and Noah Hanifin and Travis Hamonic were reunited.
Offence Running Dry
One goal against Dallas, shut out in Arizona and then a rough one again tonight.
The Flames just can’t seem to finish on their ten bell chances. Tonight another 30+ shot but nothing offensively as they continue to struggle mightily.
As pointed out by Kent Wilson today, the Flames are ranked last place when it comes to conversion rate on high danger chances with a shooting percentage around 12.4%. The average NHL team (team 15/16) has a 17.1% high danger shooting percentage, and given the fact that has had 166 high danger shot attempts this year, Calgary is putting themselves down by eight goals this season.
Calgary is ranked 14th in high danger chances to date this season. The team’s overall split in high danger goals is a miserable 15-26.
Bad luck? A team full of poor finishers? Last year they finished 2nd in goals scored, so you’d think they would have the horses to not be dead last in lighting the lamp when they should.
Talbot Tally
Not a bad start for Cam Talbot again, though I didn’t love either of the second or third goal; both short side off the rush by Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty.
Bottom line the guy isn’t getting a lot of run support. Both the Dallas game and tonight he deserved a point based on his play, but with the team not firing on all cylinders offensively it’s tough to have success in net.
The Flames did give up the lion’s share of the high danger chances forcing Talbot to be quite good to keep the game close through two periods, before the flood gates opened up in the third.
His final numbers will be bad, but his game through 50 minutes was good enough to get his team a point.
Injured Defenseman
Travis Hamonic left the game midway through the second period and didn’t return.
So when Reeves stepped into Oliver Kylington in the third period the Flames were down to just four defenseman when concussion protocol forced him off the ice.
With TJ Brodie out, and Juuso Valimaki still recovering from knee surgery, the Flames vaunted depth on the blueline is getting tested to the Nth degree.
Hopefully Hamonic and Brodie are back soon.
Kylington returned for the final couple of shifts in the third.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 34 Knights 37
Face Offs – Vegas 59%
Special Teams – Flames 0/2 Knights 1/3
Player Stats:
Points – Once again, not tough to figure out as the team failed to score a goal for the second time in two starts this weekend. Have to feel for those people that booked flights to watch this two game trip.
Plus/Minus – Get this one, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan were both -5 in this game. Is that rock bottom?
Shots – Mikael Backlund and Mark Giordano both finished with four shots on goal
Fancy Stats
The Flames finished on top when it comes to five on five shot attempts, and believe it or not it wasn’t due to score effects with the team’s tough period coming in the third when they were already down 2-0. The Flames finished with 50.4% of the shot attempts with period splits of 63%/51% and 37%. Scoring chances five on five were 14-9 for Vegas, and the Flames had a five on five xGF% of only 35.63%; reason why this stat should be replacing shot attempts as a better measure for players and teams.
In all situations the Flames had 47% of the shot attempts, 38% of the high danger chances and a xGF% of only 37%, much of that boosted due to a terrible third period.
Individually, the Flames were led by Rasmus Andersson with 64.6% on the night. Mark Jankowski and Elias Lindholm were also in the 60s. Oliver Kylington and Andrew Mangiapane were both under 40% to bring up the rear. Only Lindholm and Andersson had + xGF% on the night.
