Well that was something.
The Flames show a complete lack of discipline, coupled with some spotty calls from the officials to build the Canucks a 4-1 lead through 20 minutes before charging back to flip the script the rest of the way.
The Flames score three third period goals to take a 5-4 lead, lose the lead in the last 90 seconds and then win it in overtime on a huge individual play by Connor Zary.
Them Canucks may want to figure out that Demko injury sooner than later.
The Lineup
New season … new players … new lineup.
Only five forwards, two defensemen and a goaltender are on the opening night roster this season that were mainstays from the start last season. Add a forward if you include Matt Coronato, and decrease one if you omit the injury of Yegor Sharangovich.
Up front it’s Nazem Kadri with Andrei Kuzmenko and rookie Sam Honzek, Mikael Backlund with Blake Coleman and Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil with Jonathan Huberdeau and Anthony Mantha, and a fourth line of Kevin Rooney between Adam Klapka and Ryan Lomberg.
Pairings have Mackenzie Weegar with Daniil Miromanov, Rasmus Andersson with Kevin Bahl, and Jake Bean with Brayden Pachal.
Dan Vladar gets the start.
So What Is This Team?
The Flames are deep on the wings, at least in top nine NHL caliber forwards.
But they’re thin up the middle and have a thrown together blueline that suggests the transition and break out part of their game could and should be their Achilles heal this season.
Some forward depth won’t be utilized if you can’t get the puck up to the forwards in transition often enough.
In net I think they’re better than many thing. I was a Jacob Markstrom fan, and the team has taken a step back. But Dustin Wolf is a solid goaltender, and a surgically repaired Dan Vladar could surprise.
Sorry folks they’re a bottom ten team with little doubt.
Vladar’s Start
Kind of feel for the guy.
He was razor sharp to start the game when Vancouver was getting more pucks to the net than the Flames. And then the roof caved in with
Calgary penalties and with it the Vladar night collapses.
Or does it?
Vladar gives up only one the rest of the way in a come from behind win. The stats line won’t favour the goaltender; .800 save percentage and a 2.71 xGA vs 6 in all situations, but he nets the “W”.
Honzek’s Debut
I thought Sam Honzek had a great start to his young career.
The 19 year old did the solo lap in warmups and then almost scored on his first shift getting a slot chance and rebound that slid wide. The kid moves well, and has such great size. Now that his Schleprock streak has come to an end it’s easy to see him as an exciting part of a future Flames roster.
Pretty invisible for the last 2/3 of the game, but not a bad start at all.
The Mantha Man
For a guy that was advertised to mail it in on too many occasions, you just have to love Anthony Mantha’s first game as a Calgary Flame.
Early breakaway but shoots wide.
Take a penalty trying to answer back for a fallen teammate.
Scores on a breakaway coming out of the box.
Fights JT Miller.
Leads the bench in chirp action.
And completes the Gordie Howe hat trick in the third with a pass to Martin Pospisil.
Guy is entertaining!
Odds and Sods
Calgary’s first powerplay of the season was, well … a hot mess. No puck control at all. No scoring chances. Nothing. Doesn’t mean much, it’s only one powerplay. … Kevin Rooney left the game early with a clear head injury after being hit into the boards by JT Miller. Miller hit Rooney though the puck was never on Rooney’s stick. In fact Miller had the puck before actually hitting Rooney. Unreal Miller didn’t get a penalty, pretty clear interference call. … Pretty rattled first period for the Flames, but they seem to settle down in the second period and get their game back under control. … I suggested transition would be a huge issue this year, but against a very unsettled Canuck’s team they transitioned the puck very well for most of this one, including the first period when five on five. … Interesting that a Vancouver crowd has that USA feel in what brings them to cheer and/or boo during a hockey game. Not used to that in a Canadian city. … Points for Bean and Bahl too in their first games in Calgary silks.
Fancy Stats
The Flames took advantage of a sketchy five on five club in Vancouver and some weak goaltending to find a win without driving a whole lot of the play. The Flames, five on five, had 50% of the shot attempts, 32% of the high danger chances, and 38% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 50% of the shot attempts, 33% of the high danger chances and 41% of the expected goals.
Individulaly, the Flames were led by Connor Zary with an xGF% of 88% on the night. Linemate Mikael Backlund also had a big night with a 82% mark. Their third member, Blake Coleman was the only other Flame with a 50+% night. The rest of the team was under water. Ryan Lomberg was at the bottom of the pile with a 19.75% night. Adam Klapka, Martin Pospisil, Jonathan Huberdeau and Rasmus Andersson were in the 20s.
