Game Takes: Flames 2 Kings 1 (OT)

January 20th, 2015 | Posted in Game Takes | By: D'Arcy McGrath

With the Kings leading 1-0 in the third the opening of this game story was writing itself. Only allowing one goal in Los Angeles is a huge feat for a goaltender, but with Joni Ortio finally losing a game will he find himself back in the AHL by Tuesday afternoon?

Never mind that copy, as the Flames come from behind in the third, force overtime and then beat the Kings to nab away two points and add to their unlikely road trip story, and keep the Joni Ortio dream alive.

Amazing.

The Flow

The Kings brought it early, pinning the Flames in their zone for most of the first ten minutes, and generating chances, Ortio was ready for all of them. The shots were 8-1 LA through the first half of the period, but the Flames seemed to regain their composure when they gained a powerplay and generated a chance or two of their own. Post powerplay they pushed the play and got themselves back into it, but neither team managed to find the twine, tied at zero through one period.

Calgary starts the powerplay on a 3:56 powerplay and generate all kinds of puck possession and control, but fail to get the puck to the net often enough to earn the blue chip chances. From there the Flames go uncharacteristically undisciplined with Bollig, Stajan and Hudler taking needless silly penalties one after another forcing the PK and Ortio to steal the show. They get through it, then have a solid powerplay play chance of their own, but through two we are still scoreless.

An entertaining third period with the teams going toe to toe in a game that really seemed destined to a scoreless tie through 60 minutes. The Kings take advantage of an icing call to score the game’s first goal when Matt Stajan is tripped up at the Kings line and the icing call results in a Matt Greene go ahead past a screened Ortio. Looked to be trouble right? Not with Monahan on this road trip. The sophomore blocks a shot at the point and takes it coast to coast beating Quick and sending the game to overtime at 1-1.

Overtime is an absolute classic as the teams start with the overtime of the future, a 3 on 3 start due to coincidentals on Regehr and Giordano (how odd is that?). The teams go back and fourth for four minutes of pretty intense action. The Flames take over the last two minutes of overtime, with Wideman pounding home a short side shot off the net cam giving the illusion that the puck hit the cross bar. Review shows a goal and the Flames take their 4th straight on the road.

Three Stars

1.Joni Ortio: You thought the Flame’s goaltending situation was clouded before? Try now! Ortio turns aside 33 of 34 shots on way to his fourth straight victory.
2.Denis Wideman: I don’t usually prescribe to the overtime winner automatically gets a game star theory, but Wideman was solid all night and wires one in overtime to win a huge game for the Flames.
3.Drew Doughty: No points, but 5 shots, 4 penalty minutes and almost 32 minutes of ice time as the Kings relied on their best player heavily.

Big Save

Pick any Ortio through traffic save in the second period. My favourite was the Doughty to the net, spins and then deflects the pucks through his own legs only to have the young Fin turn the puck away with a solid pad save. Kid is so composed.

The Goat

Alex Martinez. Last year’s cup winning goal marksmen, fires the puck into Sean Monahan’s shin pads creating a Monahan break and a tie game when the Kings were looking to cruise top victory. Never give the Flames anything, they take enough as it is.

Mr. Clutch

Johnny Gaudreau. Picked up an assist on the game winner, played almost 20 minutes and was +2 as the Flame rookie was back to his bobbing and weaving best. Good sign.

Odds and Ends

Rebuilding hockey teams need to draft and develop hockey players, yet the focus always seems to be on the first “D” and not the second “D”, yet the latter is likely the most important. You need a great scouting staff to bring players in, but you need smart hockey directors, development coaches, a solid AHL head coach, and then a team of decision makers that are able to put the future ahead of the now when a player is stuck between levels. That’s a windy opening to discuss Joni Ortio and Drew Shore, but the two are clearly in the cross hairs of the management team and how to handle their next steps. Shore is being kept out to either keep his waiver status, get in shape, learn the systems or a combination of both. Ortio is starting in games ahead of established NHLers because he seems to be helping the team now, and looks to be ready to take that next step. Heading into the all star game it will be very interesting to track the roster decisions made around both of these players. … Speaking of Ortio, the panel on Sportsnet and John Shannon specifically talked about how Ortio is stopping the puck despite looking awkward at times, something I just don’t see. His lateral movement and athleticism look spot on to me, not scrambling at all. The same group did the Arizona game however, and in that one he did get himself caught at times …. Same panel also mentioned Ramo is coming of the DL tomorrow forcing the Flames to make a decision. … Is TJ Brodie pressing? Counted two or three times in the first, and another two times in the second where Brodie had the puck in an ideal shooting position only to either pass off, or think too much and get the puck off late. Hartley mentioned that they want him shooting more back in November, they may need to sit down and have that same discussion again. … Wanted to fit Monahan into the game stars or clutch dude but didn’t have space. His game tying goal was simply huge for the Flames, as has been his contribution on this road trip. … The win is a large one clearly. They keep ahead of the Kings, going from a virtual tie to one point up. However the Sharks loss to the Devils allows the Flames to move within one point of grabbing a division playoff spot and they have a game in hand on the Sharks. The Canucks managed to win in Florida however, so they didn’t reel in their arch rivals. … Update on Ortio’s stats? 1.23 GAA and a .958 save percentage. Clearly this guy isn’t going down before the Flames play on Wednesday, but will they send him down on Thursday morning so he can take in the AHL all star game? Then recall him again? Leave him down there? Crazy situation. … Bigger question; can he end the Anaheim curse?! … To add to the Flames third period story this year, they out shot the Kings 10-6 in the third, and then 4-1 in the extra period.

Next Up

The Flames conclude their 5 game road trip on Wednesday night in Anaheim, sending them into the All Star break in Columbus. Game time 7.30pm on Sportsnet.

Lines:

Lance Bouma – Sean Monahan – David Jones
Johnny Gaudreau – Mikael Backlund – Jiri Hudler
Mason Raymond – Markus Granlund – Joe Colborne
Brandon Bollig – Matt Stajan – Paul Byron

Mark Giordano – TJ Brodie
Kris Russell – Dennis Wideman
Laddy Smid – Derek Engellend

Joni Ortio



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