Tracking a team that was given zero chance of making the playoffs is never easy. As the team continues to move up the standings and put more distance between themselves and the teams on the outside looking in, you want to believe. You want to start discussing first round match ups, you want to picture going to the Saddledome in shorts.
But you just can’t. Too soon. Too scary. Too karma.
The Flames took a giant step towards making the playoffs “too likely” as they followed up a huge win over Winnipeg with an equally huge win over San Jose last night, this time by a 3-1 score. The Flames have now amassed a 4-1-0 record on this homestand, out scoring the opposition 17-6, and running off 8 wins in their last 10.
Sooner or later we will need to take these guys seriously!
The Flow
Solid first period for the Flames, despite a rough first shift that saw the team run around, and finally end up with Mark Giordano in the penalty box. Calgary survives that kill, and then takes over the period in terms of puck control, though neither team had a whole lot by way of blue chip scoring chances. Scoreless through one period.
Calgary turns it up in the second with three straight goals to take control of the game. That’s right folks they didn’t wait until the third! The goose egg for the night is broken when Paul Byron does a great job of taking the line off a face off then dumping it back to Kris Russell who scores his first of the season. Calgary keeps pushing and gets a positive bounce when a slick Gaudreau pass is redirected on net by Jiri Hudler, who has the puck bounce of a Shark defenseman and in. Gaudreau almost scores going wide a few minutes later, but hits the outside of the post. Late in the period the Flames kill off another Giordano penalty and then go up three when Joe Colborne sets up Mason Raymond for his second in two games. 3-0 Flames after two.
Calgary in some rare air, that is leading by three goals through 40 minutes typically sat on it a bit in the third period. They certainly weren’t under siege as the Sharks didn’t generate a whole lot either, but they didn’t push the play up the ice all that hard. John Scott of all people, the last of the NHL true tough guys, scored his second of the season to make it a game, but that was really it for the Flames, as they dust off the Sharks and win a crucial game.
Three Stars
1.Jonas Hiller: Not a huge fan of the man’s style, but you have to hand it to him for staying with the play and making great blocks. .966 save percentage and a big win for the Swiss stopper.
2.Kris Russell: Finally scores his first of the season, blocks another 3 shots for the Flames in 21 minutes of ice time.
3.Paul Byron: Great assist on the Russell goal and strong play up and down the ice all night.
Big Save
With the game somewhat in the balance, Hiller slides across to take away a solid backhand chance from Patrick Marleau with only 4 minutes to play in the game.
The Goat
Shark powerplay. San Jose had three chances, came up empty, and went shotless in the their last chance in the third period, a golden opportunity to get right back in the game and make it a finish.
Mr. Clutch
Mikael Backlund. Just love this guy’s game when he comes up against big centers in the West. Over 20 minutes of ice time and 61% win rate in the face off circle is impact hockey despite being held pointless.
Odds and Ends
Sure interesting to watch this crazy style of play that the Flames are walking out on this homestand. The defenseman control the puck in their zone while the forwards streak up the ice and stand near the opposition blueline. Then the defender fires a laser pass or a bank pass to one of the forwards who chips the puck in deep. The result? Very little forward flow for the Flames as they are forced to go in and get the puck back, but on the positive it destroys the oppositions chance to forecheck because they are too worried about the forwards behind them. Pretty revolutionary from my experience. Roger Nielsen would be proud! … Will be interesting to see what the Flames do with Sam Bennett in the next couple of weeks. I’m equally against rash decisions in either direction as I’ve alluded to on the board. I think making the call to insert him regardless of the situation is quite foolish, as he may not be ready. Yet I think omitting him from that chance because of the injury or his age or missing 6 months is equally as silly. If he passes a set of tests; both injury recovery, and showing he’s a better player than AHL teammates and the bottom third of the Flames forward group then play him … Not a big guy on the scoresheet tonight but anyone else notice the fits that Mikael Backlund was giving Joe Thornton in this one? Backlund is a smart positional player, but he’s also added enough girth and core strength to play a big man’s game, and we saw that in a few battles with the Shark’s giant center. … You all know this but this win is big. The two points leap the Flames over Vancouver, Winnipeg and San Jose, and into a hosting position in the playoff standings. They are now 6 points up on the 9th place team Colorado and have teams between them that need to be leapt. I’ve counted the Bruins in in the East for the last few weeks (8th place team), but are we ready to call the Flames home and cool with a six point cushion? Tough isn’t it? … The Flames have the 4th best goal differential in the West, and a virtual dead heat between their home and road records. This stuff isn’t being done by mirrors people.
Next Up
The last game on the club’s six game homestand is Friday night when the Crosby led Pittsburgh Penguins come to town. Game time 7pm Sportsnet. Can they go 5-1 on this home stand?
Lines:
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Jiri Hudler
Lance Bouma – Mikael Backlund – David Jones
Mason Raymond – Josh Jooris – Joe Colborne
Brandon Bollig – Matt Stajan – Paul Byron
Mark Giordano – TJ Brodie
Kris Russell – Dennis Wideman
Deryk Engellend – Raffa Diaz
Jonas Hiller
