The normal setting for a Toronto at Calgary hockey game would include a rough start, plenty of drunk, obnoxious fans in blue, then a turn of the score, a quiet blue crowd and a walk away easy win for the Flames.
That’s the script, tonight the two clubs chose improv or winging it as the day included a 9 player trade by Toronto with Ottawa including their team captain Dion Phaneuf, and then later the news that the Flames scratched their two leading scorers and a heart and soul guy in a game that they just couldn’t afford to lose.
Odd stuff.
When the two teams did finally settle down a back and forth game, well mainly forth then back, resulted in a 4-3 Flames win, somewhat adverting a bigger controversy for the Flames and Bob Hartley.
The Flow
A pretty boring start from two challenged lineups as one expected. The Flames open the scoring when Michael Frolik finds Markus Granlund with a bouncing flip pass shorthanded, the Fin going in all alone and beating Reimer with a shot through the legs. The Leafs tie the score on the same powerplay when a Corrado shot from the point finds its way past Hiller top corner via a tip by Peter Holland. The Flames go back up on a powerplay of their own when Michael Backlund tipped home a Dougie Hamilton point shot. 2-1 Flames after 20.
The Leafs come out hard in the second and run up a 6-0 shot advantage but come up empty as they just don’t get shots from scoring areas. The Flames turn their first shot into a goal when ex-Leaf Joe Colborne takes the puck wide before offering it slot to Micheal Ferland who slides if far side for his 3rd of the season. A listless period from there until a late goal from Dougie Hamilton, a seeing eye shot to the near side top corner off the post makes it 4-1 Calgary. The Leafs shrink the lead when Leivo finds the top corner against Hiller once again. 4-2 Calgary after two.
All Toronto to start the period but the Flames and Hiller hold tall and the game starts too look out of reach for Toronto. But then a sketchy goal by Jake Gardiner against Hiller, same top corner makes it 4-3 and a photo finish. The Leafs crash the crease a few times but fail to find the equalizer and the battle of the depleted teams goes to Calgary with a 4-3 final score.
Three Stars
1.Dougie Hamilton: Scored the game winner, added an assist, broke up a huge 3 on 2 in the third and finished +1.
2.Franky Corrado: Picked up two assists for the star-less Leafs on the night.
3.Markus Granlund: Goal and an assist is certainly an impressive way to return to the lineup after missing a few games. Scored on a breakaway and added an assist later.
Big Save
Peter Holland breaks in in the third period, takes a shot to which Hiller kicks out a big rebound only to have Hiller stone him again with another pad save. Had tie game written all over it.
The Goat
Kadri. What a complete tool. The only guy on the Leafs roster that doesn’t require a program to find on the ice and he takes himself out of the game by chasing Mark Giordano around like a moron as a result of a clean hit. Idiot.
Mr. Clutch
TJ Brodie. Calgary relies on their defense at the best of times, but even more so with their big guns out up front. Brodie was large in 26 minutes of ice time with an assist and a +2 rating. Imagine this player if he could shoot the puck?!
Odds and Ends
First off, have to handle the benchings. Sitting down Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau and Lance Bouma is fine in my books. No scratch that, better than fine, exemplary. I’m not saying any of these guys are bad people, in fact Gaudreau is almost embarrassingly squeaky clean, Monahan has always been called boring and Bouma has always been a core, dressing room guy. So the message that you don’t bend rules is even more received when good guys, core players, building blocks are shut down in order to hold the line on a team sticking within it’s rule set. Its exactly what you need to do to avoid developing a circus (cough Edmonton cough) with young players. Speaking of Edmonton, not sure Calgary fans needed to see Mark Spector’s opinion on things in Calgary. It was Toronto/Edmonton race to suggest a season long issue behind the scenes and this is the last straw suggesting the reason for why the Flames have slipped this season. When both guys (Spector/Cox) beat the unsustainable drum all off season it comes across a little like dog piling. Either way I applaud Hartley for having guts. …. After applauding I have to condemn Mr. Hartley as well for his use of Nakladal tonight. The Flames simply have to test drive this guy and with Engellend needed up front tonight to balance the line you can’t staple the old rookie to the bench after just two shifts in the first period. Just head scratching. … If you have two UFA goaltenders available at the deadline it sure makes sense to light up another UFA goaltender and hurt his trade value. Reimer has been a story in Toronto this year with great numbers in a come back season but he got lit up on Saturday against Ottawa and then was less than stellar in spotting Calgary to a 4-1 lead tonight. No brutal goals, but savable shots to Granlund, Ferland and maybe Hamilton. … Have to think Johnny Gaudreau was wishing he didn’t over indulge at a Superbowl Party (creative license, don’t know the story) with the Leafs weak defense and a sketchy night from Reimer. That had 3 point night written all over it. … After a slow start Dougie Hamilton now has 23 points and is on pace for roughly 35, much more comparable to his 42 last season. Love his play in the third forcing Gardiner offside on that that 3 on 2. … Micheal Ferland is a head scratcher. Larger than life against the Canucks on Saturday night and then didn’t throw a lot of body tonight against Toronto. I get that you can’t crank it up to 110% every night, but what about one of three, or 80% of that every night. Don’t get it. … Not pretty but Jonas Hiller is now 5-1-1 in his last 7. He doesn’t appear to look all that strong but you have to hand it to him for that record. … The Nasam Kadri thing tonight was hilarious. Get hit clean, sit on your butt holding your face like a 3 year old. Blaze to the bench without a stick, slam the door twice, make a throat cutting gesture to Giordano laced with profanity. Then go out and try to hit Giordano three more times with results of a) getting lit up himself b) missing and crashing into the boards and c) flying straight by like superman. Weasel.
Next Up
The Flames travel to California to take on the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, game time 8pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Sam Bennett – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik
Joe Colborne – Markus Granlund – Jiri Hudler
Micheal Ferland – Josh Jooris- David Jones
Brandon Bollig – Matt Stajan – Derryk Engellend
Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Kris Russell – Dougie Hamilton
Jakub Nakladal – Ladislav Smid
Jonas Hiller
