Nothing wrong with a three points in two games two game back to back road trip for a hockey club that has already locked down a playoff spot.
The Flames, winners in Chicago last night were playing their third game in five nights and their fifth in seven against a very desperate hockey team, and were able to erase a 2-0 deficit to take a point in a 3-2 shoot out loss in Nashville.
Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk each picked up another point giving them 108 and 99 on the season, and Dan Vladar was solid in the back to back backup start.
Next up the Flames conclude their regular season home schedule with games against the Stars on Thursday and the Canucks on Saturday.
The Lineup
Just a couple of minor changes expected for tonight other than the goaltender.
So up front it’s Elias Lindholm between Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk; all three players going for 40 goals on the season and Tkachuk with his parents in the crowd going for 100 points. Mikael Backlund centers Tyler Toffoli and Andrew Mangiapane, Calle Jarnkrok centers the surging their line with Dillon Dube and Blake Coleman, and finally Adam Ruzicka coming out for Brett Ritchie with Milan Lucic and Trevor Lewis. The fourth line really strugglged last night.
On the blueline the regular; Noah Hanifin with Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington with Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov with Erik Gudbranson.
Dan Vladar is expected to get the start.
Line Metrics
xGF%
Gaudreau – Lindholm – Tkachuk 62.8%
Mangiapane – Backlund – Tofoli 45.6%
Dube – Jarnkrok – Coleman 48.1%
Lucic – Lewis – Ritchie 62.0%
Hanifin – Andersson 57.8%
Kylington – Tanev 58.6%
Zadorov – Gudbranson 57.1%
Goals Saved + Avg
Vladar -5.0
Predators & Flames: Last 10 games
With their playoff lives on the line the Predators have managed a very middling 15th best win percentage over their last ten games at 0.550. In this time period they have the 7th best CF%, and the 12th best xGF%. Their five on five shooting percentage in the last ten games is a terrible 6.32% good for 31st overall. Their goaltending has been better at 11th.
Calgary with the win last night now have 9th best win percentage (actually tied for 6th) at 0.750. They remain 3rd in CF%, and 9th in xGF%. They are 9th in team shooting percentage and 21st in team save percentage in the last ten games five on five.
Better Ugly Game
One thing I’ve really noticed in the second half (2/3?) of the season is just how much better the Flames are at their worst this season compared to pretty much any other season I can remember.
Tonight in the first period against Nashville they were as flat as a pancake.
The transition wasn’t working, nothing was tape to tape, lots of turnovers.
But when they hunkered down to thwart the Nashville attack when hemmed in they were able to keep things to the outside and do a great job of avoiding damage.
That could be huge in a playoff series.
Remember the number of times they were completely under siege in that Avalanche series?
Tkachuk Passes Papa
Not a waste of a trip to Nashville as it turns out.
Matthew Tkachuk didn’t find the two point night that would have had his parents witnessing their son’s 100 point season, but they did get to see the number get to 99 and pass Keith Tkachuk for the highest scoring family member in a single season.
That and beers after in Nashville.
Not a bad plan.
Gaudreau Moving Up Again
With Gaudreau getting the other assist on the first Mangiapane goal he moves to 108 points and out of a tie with Guy Chouinard and into a tie with Bob MacMillan.
He now has five games to go and trails Joey Mullen by two points.
Have to think he gets that done.
Mangiapane With Two
The goals on the road just continue for Andrew Mangiapane, as the little winger bounced back from a rough game in Chicago to score both of Calgary’s goals and move his season to 34.
A lot of talk about the Flames needing depth scoring, but clearly Mangiapane has done his job all season … especially when wearing white.
Special Teams
Both teams score a powerplay goal, but the Flames had two fewer chances so they get the nod on the night.
Once again it was more about the penalty killing than the powerplay prowess, as the teams combined for only one high danger chance up a man, that coming to the Predators.
Still … give the Flames the edge for their penalty kill.
Standings and Record
That’s a big point for the Flames.
To clinch the division they only needed a win and an overtime loss, with that overtime loss accomplished they have five games to pick up two points and seal the Pacific ahead of Edmonton.
The loss helps Nashville keep in the hunt as well, and keep Vegas in a hurt on the outside looking in.
The Flames now have 104 points in 77 games for a .675 points percentage. They are ten points up on the Oilers with Edmonton having a game in hand.
Counting Stats
Shots: Flames 21 Predators 27
Face Offs: Flames 41% / Predators 59%
Powerplay: Flames 1-3 / Predators 1-5
Fancy Stats
Clearly the Flames were not the better team in this one, as the more rested and certainly more desperate Predators carried the play for most of the night. The Flames had an especially rough first, but did get better as the game went on. The numbers reflected that. Five on five the Flames had 42% of the shot attempts with period splits of 27%/55% and 42% respectively. In terms of five on five expected goals, the Flames had 40%, and for high danger scoring chances the Flames had 40%, with a 6-9 split.
In all situations the Flames had 42% of the shot attempts, 46% of the expected goals, and 45% of the high danger splits. The right team won the game, be happy with the point.
Individually the Flames were led by Nikita Zadorov with an xGF% of 63% five on five on the night. Erik Gudbranson and Johnny Gaudreau also had good nights for the Flames. A total of 12 players were in the 30s on the night, a list far too long to name. At the very bottom, but close to the pack was Calle Jarnkrok at 30%.
