I guess I should have expected a game like that. This improbable season has featured an eight game losing streak, the loss of the team’s best player, a scoring load being shouldered by a 20 and 21 year old, so yeah why would they easily dispatch the Arizona Coyotes in a game that should have been a white wash?
The Flames outplayed, out chanced and for the most part out hustled the left for dead Coyotes on Tuesday night, but had to cling to a nail biting 3-2 victory in front of a playoff atmosphere at the Saddledome. Some help from Edmonton where the Oilers beat the Kings in regulation provided some gravy on top of a fun 2004-esque night at the Dome.
The Flow
The Flames were money in the first. They came to play and took it to the Coyotes from the drop of the puck, piling on shots and scoring chances, but being held in check by some pretty stellar goaltending by Mike Smith. The Flames got on the board when Johnny Gaudreau slid home his 23rd of the season off a powerplay rebound generated by Dennis Wideman. Many chances after that but he score stays 1-0 Calgary though the shots were 18-7 for the Flames.
Then things got tense. The Flames were good in the second, but certainly not great. As things slowly moved along, the score sitting at 1-0, you just had that feeling that the Flames might regret not being up three after twenty minutes. The Coyotes, sure enough, tied things up when a Kris Russell miscue in front of Hiller resulted in a rebound goal to send things to the third period in a painful 1-1 tie.
Calgary comes out raging in the third. Gaudreau almost sets up Monahan on a break but Monahan flutters the puck wide. Soon after David Jones corrals a Michael Ferland rebound and goes roof to make it 2-1 Calgary, disaster averted! Never mind, Hiller misplays a shoot in attempt giving the puck away and creating an easy tap in goal by the Yotes to tie it again in the third. People tense. Not fun. Then Monahan channels his inner Gaudreau, stops up in the slot and buries his 31st of the season, the game winner as the Flames hang on to beat the lowly Coyotes 3-2. Phew!
Three Stars
1.Dennis Wideman: Picks up two assists to go with almost 30 minutes of ice time, including an injury scare in the first period.
2.Mike Smith: Gave up three goals, but without his work in the first period this game is a laugher. Amazing glove hand all night to rob many a Calgary chance.
3.Sean Monahan: Clutch game winning goal, and great winning puck battles and controlling the puck down low all night. Becoming a star.
Big Save
With the game still 1-0 Calgary, Hiller stones Martin Erat with a pad save in close (a la Kiprusoff) to keep his shut out alive.
The Goat
Toss up between Hiller and Russell. Hiller had a good night overall, but his miscue in the third almost cost the Flames a playoff spot. Russell played one of his worst games of the season, bad decision making all over the ice. I hope his personal problems aren’t serious (rumoured in St. Louis) because it might be affecting his game.
Mr. Clutch
Johnny Gaudreau. The guy was electric with the puck tonight. He sees the ice so well, passes the puck so well, and has a good shot when he gets a chance to get it off. Created havoc down low all night, and was unfortunate to only get a point in this one.
Odds and Ends
The Flames went with the exact same lineup that won in Edmonton on Saturday night, with the minor exception of Hiller starting the game and not coming in with 58 ticks off the clock. Ironically after the Blues game I wondered if they should start Ramo for the first 5 minutes then put in Hiller after the opposition had 3 or 4 shots on goal. Hopefully I didn’t jinx the Finnish goaltender. … No Sam Bennett again tonight, but with only two games left on the schedule now, the player can’t burn a year on his contract if he plays every game and the Flames don’t make it out of the first round. Craig Conroy hinted at the season ticket holder meeting that it may require time to get Bennett up to speed at playing center in the Flames system, which explains a lot. … Red jerseys in the crowd were at an all time high this season tonight, really noticeable during the national anthems. Good to see. The city is ramping up for some playoff action. … The Kings loss in Edmonton means LA can at best only earn 97 points this season, so with the Flames having the tie breaker Calgary only needs two more points in their final two games. Sure sets up an interesting Thursday night with Darryl Sutter behind the bench of the defending Stanley Cup Champions facing elimination in Calgary against the surprising Flames. If the Flames come up short they have Saturday afternoon in Winnipeg to get it done. Two chances. I’d have taken that in October! … Says a lot about this team that they get a goal from a 21 and 20 year old in a must win game on Saddledome ice. Star players in the making. I think it’s tough to see young players emerge in your own market, you almost don’t give them the same “label” or benefit of the doubt for status in the league. When a guy like Anze Kopitar scores 30 goals as a 20 year old you drool but when Monahan does it in Calgary it almost seems unlikely. Well get used to it, I think these two are only getting started. Exciting times ahead in Calgary, especially when you remember Sam Bennett is drooling like a hound over a bone in the press box.
Next Up
Wow is this list getting small! Two more games on the schedule, both against teams directly competing for the final two playoff spots. LA invades the Dome on Thursday, Sportsnet 7pm, then the Flames travel to Winnipeg to take on the Jets on Saturday afternoon.
Lines:
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Jiri Hudler
Mason Raymond – Mikael Backlund – Joe Colborne
Michael Ferland – Markus Granlund – Josh Jooris
Lance Bouma – Matt Stajan – David Jones
TJ Brodie – Deryk Engelland
Kris Russell – Dennis Wideman
David Schlemko – Corey Potter
Jonas Hiller
