We all push that “MUST WIN” button a little often. Too often. Hell we push it in November from time to time. Having said that tonight was certainly as close as you’re going to see to an actual must win game in a season that is moving towards the three quarter poll.
The Flames need to keep on winning if they have any plans on making the playoffs, but with the way the Ducks are charging the Sharks are the most likely of many unlikely teams to chase down the stretch. A win tonight closes that gap and creates an actual streak for the Flames when they needed one the most.
So the result? A win. I should almost just leave it at that, but the deeper story is a terrible goaltending performance by the Sharks’ backup and a game that the Flames seemingly efforted to lose but came up short and walked away with an ugly 6-5 shoot out victory.
The Flow
The Flames played a decent first period, but the real story was the non performance of Shark backup Alex Stalock. The Flames rushed out to a 2-0 and 4-1 lead on the back of some seriously shaky goaltending with Sam Bennett, Mark Giordano, Sean Monahan and Micheal Backlund doing the honours and the game looked essentially over after 20. The truth however was the Sharks actually outplaying Calgary and out shooting them 12-9. Worst goaltending the Flames have seen this winter? I’d suggest so.
The second was a sewer for the Flames as standing around, taking penalties and making mistakes turned into a shooting gallery for the Calgary starter Kari Ramo. With the Flames nursing a 4-2 lead the team took three minor penalties in a minute of play creating back to back two men short-handed situations that proved too much for Ramo to turn back, as Marleau made it a one goal game heading to the third.
Could it get worse for the Flames? You bet it could, and it did as the Sharks put whatever weight wasn’t down on the gas pedal and essentially ran the Flames out of the rink. Goals by Donskoi and Demelo (doesn’t that sound like a new Disney movie?) put the Sharks up 5-4 and the game really had that feeling of finally being over. However the resilient if anything Flames tied it up when Sam Bennett rhino’d his way to the front of the net creating a pile of corpses and a loose puck for Kris Russell to bang home and the game goes to extra time. Shots in the third? 16-17 San Jose and 39-20 through 60 minutes.
The overtime period was all Jonas Hiller, in to replace the injured Kari Ramo as the Flames were sloppy and at times disinterested in the final frame. They’re either assuming success or the book is out as the Flames only overtime magic in this one was a disappearing act.
So the game goes to a shoot out with Coloborne and Hudler scoring and the Flames winning a wild one 6-5. Crazy.
Three Stars
1.Logan Couture: Tough year for the greasy Shark with two long term injuries, but he made up for lost time tonight with a goal and three assists to McDavid the Flames
2.Sam Bennett: Took a dumb elbowing penalty late, but was a force with a goal and two assists for the Flames. Edge is always going to be part of his game and tonight he was as edgy as he’s been.
3.Brent Burns: Chewbacca was at it again tonight, lugging the puck, directing shots at net and playing well in his own zone. Two assists in almost 29 minutes of play.
Big Save
Cold off the bench, your team hanging by a thread and down two men. Great situation for a goaltender to enter the game right? Hiller was a beast under pressure though making a half dozen amazing saves in the last 90 seconds, overtime and the shoot out. His best a tip by Pavelski with time running down in the third.
The Goat
Simply has to be Alex Stalock as the goaltender may have ended his career last night. The Flames scored 5 goals on 22 shots and I for the life of me can’t understand why he wasn’t given the hook after two.
Mr. Clutch
Johnny Gaudreau. After the healthy scratch superbowl issue you knew he and Sean Monahan would be visible last night. Monahan scores a goal and Gaudreau was at his dancing best with two assists on the night.
Odds and Ends
Well I like many have wined all season about how Calgary goaltending just isn’t as good as the guy at the other end. There have been good starts sure, but they always seemed to come with the other guy playing at least as well. To put it simply the Flames haven’t had many games stolen for them this season. Well the whole year seemed to even out in one night as they got the stinker from the enemy and then a stolen game by a cold back up late. … Ramo’s injury looks pretty serious which means the net is Hiller’s for the foreseeable future. Also should mean the summoning of Joni Ortio which could add an interesting chapter to the final quarter of the season. The Flames goaltending story has had more turns than a classic novel this season with the three headed snake, the demoted and waived soon to be starter, so why not an injury and then the recalled prodigal son? Should be interesting to watch. … Sam Bennett was a wrecking ball tonight. Not sure why he felt the need to throw an elbow in the waning moments of the game, but he was a beast all night driving play towards the front of the Shark’s cage. Any thoughts on why the guy is falling down so often these days? In many of the games since the all star game he seems to be blowing a tire at least once in every contest. My gut is eagerness has him on his toes to the extreme where he’s almost picking the ice like a figure skater. … I wonder what Hartley said to the officials to get a bench minor at the same time Backlund got a slashing penalty? You’d have to think it was pretty fierce as the guys in stripes wouldn’t be looking to pin a team to that degree naturally. I’m not surprised they called the Backlund slash, but it was an example of a stick blowing up on a puck battle, and not the big swing that usually snaps twigs. The league should really look at that. … Shame to see David Jones go down as well last night, that’s two Calgary UFAs with the trade deadline approaching. Hopefully the shot block boo boo isn’t serious.
Next Up
After a late late game the Flames are right back at it tonight against the Coyotoes in Arizona. Game time 7pm Sportsnet.
Lines:
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Jiri Hudler
Sam Bennett – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik
Micheal Ferland – Markus Granlund – David Jones
Lance Bouma – Matt Stajan – Joe Colborne
Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Kris Russell – Dougie Hamilton
Derryk Engellend – Ladislav Smid
Kari Ramo / Jonas Hiller
