Much like game one on this now nine game win streak, a 1-0 overtime victory over the Vancouver Canucks, the Flames had to be patient in putting away the Seattle Kraken by a 2-1 score tonight.
Mark Giordano’s return resulted in a great tribute to start, and then a very methodic hockey game where the Flames lacked the finish to cash in on their chances and run the score like we’ve seen in most of the other wins in the streak.
The Kraken were tied 1-1 through two periods until Elias Lindholm extended his goal scoring streak to seven games with the third period game winner, and the game stayed that way through Seattle’s pulled goaltender and some tense moments to finish.
The Flames go for win number 10 on Monday afternoon against the Winnipeg Jets.
The Lineup
No change to the lineup whatsoever, something we are getting used to, and likely should get used to … knock on wood … if the team stays healthy.
What will be interesting is seeing Tyler Toffoli and his usage after two practice days. Darryl Sutter kept his ice time at bay given the fact that he came in playing 4 in 6 for Montreal before having play back to back with the Flames. His 12 minutes of ice time will likely normalize closer to 18-19, and he could see some time on the powerplay.
Up front it’s Elias Lindholm with Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau, Mikael Backlund with Blake Coleman and Andrew Mangiapane, Sean Monahan with Dillon Dube and Tyler Toffoli, and Adam Ruzicka with Milan Lucic and Trevor Lewis.
No change on the blueline as well, Noah Hanifin with Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington with Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov with Erik Gudbranson.
Jacob Markstrom gets the start in goal.
Line Metrics
xGF%
Gaudreau – Lindholm – Tkachuk 63.2%
Mangiapane – Backlund – Coleman 63.5%
Dube – Monahan – Toffoli 52.0%
Lucic – Ruzicka- Lewis 48.1%
Hanifin – Andersson 58.5%
Kylington – Tanev 59.0%
Zadorov – Gudbranson 58.7%
Goals Saved + Avg
Markstrom +11.7
Who They Playing?
Seattle is 17th in CF%, so middle of the pack and competitive. Their five on five offence struggles with a 24th ranked CF60, but the third best CA60, so they know how to prevent a fire drill in their own zone.
Their expected goal splits is a little worse, at 21st, with a 29th ranked xGF60, to go with the 2nd best xGA60. They just don’t generate enough quality scoring chances to score enough goals to win their share of games.
The Kraken have the 27th ranked powerplay, and the 26th ranked penalty kill suggesting the Flames may have a feast if the game is powerplay laden.
Five on five the Flames match up well, the Kraken don’t score a lot of goals. Calgary scores three and they likely have win number nine.
Mikael Backlund Top 5 Games Played
It’s always interesting being an old dude and a hockey fan.
Players from the era when you were a kid have a nostalgic place in your heart and also an assumed place in the team record book.
Names like Lanny McDonald, Al MacInnis and Theo Fleury should always be top five; they won a cup, they captured the city, they will always be at the top of the leaderboard.
But time goes on … the Flames draft and develop players. They suit up and stick with the team, and slowly you see modern players right in the mix with the old legends.
In recent seasons we’ve seen it with Jarome Iginla and Mark Giordano, and tonight the top five in games played welcomed Mikael Backlund, a good guy and a good hockey player that has spent the last 14 years of his life as a Calgary Flame.
A player the Flames snagged with the 24th overall pick in the 2007 draft because he slid with a knee injury. He joined the Flames for a single game after the world junior tournament and has been a staple since the beginning of the 2010-11 season.
My son and I met Backlund at a NHLPA camp in Calgary when my son was 10, Backlund was his favourite player. He didn’t disappoint. Great, humble, honest person and hockey player. He’s been a great ambassador for the Calgary Flames.
Ruzicka Gets A Place
Another game where you just notice Adam Ruzicka and his touches.
Milan Lucic is a play driver. For a guy that doesn’t have a lot of off the blocks foot speed, he does have a great high gear and is smart enough to keep plays alive.
Now you have a guy in Ruzicka that is a great blend of size and hands that can keep some of those plays alive.
Great story this week around the Slovakian bronze medal, Ruzicka’s help in the team qualifying, and the fact that the Flames have obviously instructed him to find a place as he’s moved into a condo.
Calgary PK
Don’t remember many seasons where I’ve been more relaxed when the Flames take a penalty.
Of late it just seems like a two minute pause in the fun in watching the Flames go to work on the attack, and not a period of time where you’re gripping your seat in fear of the other team scoring.
Great personnel coupled with clearly great coaching has the Flames aggressive and after the puck carrier, robbing the opposition powerplay from getting set and finding scoring opportunities.
Lets face it though, penalty killing is also goaltending, and when the Flames do give up a chance Jacob Markstrom is more than ready to make the big save and keep the the other team baffled.
Bad Blood?
So I like Mark Giordano. He’s a good human and was a great Calgary Flame and captain.
Matthew Tkachuk with Mark Giordano gone has been a different player. First of all if he was told to clean up his act as we’ve been told from reports last season he has, so maybe he listened to Giordano and there really isn’t a story here.
But that play at the end of the game was interesting.
Giordano is a competitor so it could be as simple as telling the Flames he’s moved on and their are no free rides.
But the cross check on Tkachuk when he was down seemed to have a lot of anger in it. Kelly Hrudey felt the same in the post game show on Hockey Night in Canada.
Might be something there.
Lindholm Keeps Rolling
Elias Lindholm with the game winner, extending his goal streak to seven games.
The Flame’s record is eight held by Gary Roberts and Kent Nilsson, so it will be interesting to see if he can equal that mark when the Flames take on the Jets on Monday afternoon.
As I’ve said through the streak, Lindholm has been part of one of the league’s best if not the league’s best line this season, but took a pretty firm back seat in January when Tkachuk and Gaudreau were running over teams.
Great to seem ignite in February.
Special Teams
The game was a five on five contest pretty much through and through with only one blemish, a second period Kraken powerplay that resulted in one shot on goal and not a whole lot else.
So a quiet night, but the Flames get the edge with the only penalty kill, and no chances themselves on the powerplay.
Standings and Record
With the win the Flames move four points up on the Vegas Knights with two games in hand, working out a .667 win percentage compared to the Knight’s .600.
Still tight on the gap over the first team out of the playoffs as the Ducks are seven points back, though the Flames have four games in hand. Dallas is a point behind Anaheim and has even games with Calgary.
The Flames are still third in the West with their win percentage and are gaining on the Minnesota Wild and their .685 record.
The Flames are 9th overall league wide but in striking distance of three teams. That equates to the 24th overall pick for Montreal.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 37 Kraken 23
Face Offs: Flames 57% / Kraken 43%
Powerplay: Flames 0-0 / Kraken 0-1
Fancy Stats
Seattle plays a rope a dope style that rarely succeeds by their place in the standings. So it wasn’t a shock to see the Flames up from coast to coast in this one despite the scoring staying close. Five on five the Flames had 63% of the shot attempts with period splits of 66%/62% and 59% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 72%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 89%, with a 16-2 split.
In all situations the Flames had 57% of the shot attempts, 66% of the expected goals, and 80% of the high danger splits.
Individually the Flames were led by Mikael Backlund with an eye popping 90% of the five on five shot attempts when on the ice. Three players were in the 80s including; Blake Coleman, Nikita Zadorov and Andrew Mangiapane. Two players were in the 70s; Erik Gudbranson and Noah Hanifin. At the bottom of the pile under 40% were Dillon Dube and Oliver Kylington.
