You don’t want to over do a “Flames are back” proclamation from beating up on the down trodden Arizona Coyotes.
They’ve been out of it for a long time, and Calgary … winners of now five of their last six have had those five wins come against teams either out of playoffs or sputtering due to injuries.
Yet you have to think turning a 1-0 first period deficit into a 9-1 pounding has to be some tonic to the old mojo as Calgary got their first and third line going in destroying Arizona on Saturday night.
Just like a recent late HNIC game in Calgary, the “We Want 10!” chant came up empty as it did against Edmonton a month ago, with the team stuck on the nine count, but that didn’t take away from a fun night at the Saddledome.
Next up a two game roadie for the Flames taking them through Chicago and Nashville.
The Lineup
Not surprising to see some changes after the Flames lacklustre effort against Vegas the other night. So tonight more of a reset with a twist; with the team heading back to the top three line configuration from the successful road trip with Ruzicka coming in to change up the fourth line.
So it’s Elias Lindholm with Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, Mikael Backlund with Andrew Mangiapane and Tyler Tofoli, Calle Jarnkrok with Dillon Dube and Blake Coleman, and the new line of Adam Ruzicka with Milan Lucic and Trevor Lewis.
Interesting to note that’s a set of line with three of the four under water in expected goals. The Flames have walked out the top nine with dominant numbers most of the season, but they can’t seem to dial in a middle six chemistry.
On the blueline it’s old regular with Noah Hanifin with Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington with Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov with Erik Gudbranson.
Jacob Markstrom gets the start again behind what he hopes is a more solid team in front of him.
Line Metrics
xGF%
Gaudreau – Lindholm – Tkachuk 62.7%
Mangiapane – Backlund – Tofoli 48.2%
Dube – Jarnkrok – Coleman 42.9%
Lucic – Ruzicka – Lewis 49.1%
Hanifin – Andersson 58.3%
Kylington – Tanev 58.5%
Zadorov – Gudbranson 56.6%
Goals Saved + Avg
Markstrom +10.9
Coyotes & Flames: Last 10 games
The Coyotes, to no one’s surprise are near the bottom of the league in the last ten games posting a 28th ranked win percentage. They have a 24th ranked CF% and 31st ranked xGF% in the last ten games. In that same time period they have the 32nd ranked team shooting percentage and the 27th ranked team save percentage.
The Flames in the last ten games are ranked 13th in points percentage, we’re not used to that! They still have the third ranked CF%, and the 7th ranked xGF%. Their shooting percentage is ranked 11th, and their save percentage is 20th.
Bit of a slide.
Figuring it Out vs Figured Out
With the Flames sputtering of late it’s only natural to wonder how much of the struggle is a team just trying to get their hands on their A Game again, vs how much is the league maybe getting the book on the team.
Clubs have tendencies, and I’m sure video has shown the Flames to do certain things to break the puck out, transition the puck up the ice, keep cycles going in the offensive zone, find seams on the powerplay.
You had to wonder.
So beating the Arizona Coyotes doesn’t solve that, but getting back some offensive mojo could help.
Third Line Had Jump
Good on Sutter to start the second period with the third line, as they were the only line really going in the first period.
They didn’t disappoint with Dillon Dube scoring twice on their first two shifts to completely change the complexion of the game.
The Flames have struggled to find that middle six chemistry with additions at the trade deadline, and injuries of late. Great to see one of those lines go off and feeling good about themselves.
Zadorov 100th Point
The guy will always be controversial, but good to see a player pick up a landmark on his birthday, which Nikita Zadorov did picking up his 100th NHL point on his 27th birthday and adding to it later on.
With decent wheels, great size and amazing reach he can make it look pretty easy when he protects the puck or rushes it up the ice.
But man can he be frustrating when he does things in a 50% fashion.
Great pass to Andrew Mangiapane for the milestone point.
Andersson Wheels
Want a great example of the change in Rasmus Andersson?
In the second period Tyler Toffoli turned the puck over on a blocked shot with Rasmus Andersson trapped on the rush. Toffoli and Andersson are both known to be players that struggle when it comes to foot speed, but it was hard to miss him lapping Toffoli on the track back to turn the two on one into well nothing.
Not sure if Andersson would put skating in a plus category at this point, but honestly that might be the case.
Hanifin Beast Mode
We talked about Noah Hanifin’s game earlier this week when he picked up six points in two games to help the Flames win their fourth and fifth game in a row.
But honestly it’s the subtle plays I’m noticing that has him going to another level, and just in time with the playoffs just around the corner.
In the first period the puck was ringed out of the offensive zone with Hanifin pinching. New Hanifin got his stick on it and then completely stood up the Arizona forward. Wouldn’t have seen that a year or two ago.
Good reads. Better positioning. More physical. Different player.
Amazing that a guy that has played 500 NHL games can pop, but pop he has.
Tkachuk on 100 Quest
Need eight points with eight games to go?
Why not pick up four of them in the second half of a 9-1 game in the first of those eight games.
Matthew Tkachuk isn’t home and clear on the quest to 100 points but his chances took a huge leap forward with four points on the night, moving him to 96 with seven games to go.
The reuniting of the top line didn’t work all that well in the first period, but it was a noticeable boost from the midway point of the game on.
Gaudreau and All Time List
Pretty impressive four point game from Johnny Gaudreau with his now expanded family in town.
Even more impressive to see who he reeled in on the all time Flames single season points rankings.
Moving from 101 to 105 points has Gaudreau bouncing past Al MacInnis and Mike Bullard for 103 points, as well as Kent Nilsson and Theo Fleury at 104. At 105 he now only trails three other seasons all time; Nilsson with 131 of course, Joe Mullen at 111 and Hakan Loob at 106.
If you add in the Atlanta days he also has Guy Chouinard to reel in at 107.
With seven games to go it’s a pretty good bet he gets to at least 110, but we will see.
Depth Expanding?
A lot of talk about Calgary’s depth heading to the playoffs, so it was good to see Andrew Mangiapane and Blake Coleman keep their recently snapped slumps going with both players scoring their second goal in the last three games.
That duo along with Mikael Backlund and Tyler Toffoli are always the focus.
But maybe that list should be expanded …
Dillon Dube has had a very good second half to his season. After getting healthy scratched his narrative changed, his interviews were more focused on what Darryl Sutter wants and becoming a 200 foot player.
After 14 points from October to February, Dube now has 12 points in March and half of April.
Maybe it’s five guys to keep an eye on when it comes to depth scoring.
Special Teams
Pretty quiet night for special teams as both teams only received two chances each with the man advantage.
The Flames had a Johnny Gaudreau goal go in seconds after their second chance expired though, so we’ll give them the edge in a 9-1 contest.
Standings and Record
Big win for the Flames with everyone around them winning.
Interesting to see how much harder it got for the Vegas Golden Knights with Dallas, Nashville and Edmonton winning, and the Kings looking like they will do the same. When the Knights left Calgary after beating the Flames handily it looked like they had some momentum.
The Flames get to 101 points and move back to seven points up on the Oilers in the Pacific with a game in hand. As much as the Vegas loss left a bad taste in the city’s collective mouth that race is over.
The Flames, of course, clinched a playoff spot today with the Knights loss in Edmonton.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 41 Coyotes 26
Face Offs: Flames 57% / Coyotes 43%
Powerplay: Flames 0-2 / Coyotes 0-2
Fancy Stats
In a 9-1 game you’d expect the Flames to carry most of the play driving stats, and they certainly did despite a pretty flaky first period. Five on five the Flames had 63% of the shot attempts with period splits of 62%/65% and 63% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 54%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 52%, with a 14-13 split.
In all situations the Flames had 64% of the shot attempts, 55% of the expected goals, and 52% of the high danger splits. Don’t over think this one, Arizona goaltending wasn’t all that good.
Individually the Flames were led by Calle Jarnkrok with an xGF% of 81% five on five on the night. His linemates Blake Coleman and Dillon Dube were just behind him with 80% and 75% respectively. Johnny Gaudreau and Nikita Zadorov also had nights in the 70s. The second line of Backlund, Toffoli and Mangiapane all finished under 40%.
