With Jonas Hiller’s contract about to expire, and Kari Ramo a UFA goaltender with a restructured knee it certainly looks like Brad Treliving could have a summer of shopping when it comes to rebeefing his NHL goaltending for the upcoming season.
The Flames are far from perfect, but their goaltending was an anvil attached to a rope attached to the collective ankle of Calgary’s hockey team this year and Joni Ortio the heir apparent offered very little by way of confidence both in his starts in Calgary before Halloween or his play in the AHL since.
So you can forgive me for not expecting a whole lot tonight when Ortio returned to the starting cage in a game against the Cup favourite Kings in Los Angeles tonight. But wait! Joni Ortio almost steals the show as the young Fin announces the story may not yet be completely written in the Flames’ crease with a stellar effort despite his club coming up short to the Kings by a score of 2-1.
The Flow
Great first three shifts from the Flames to start this one as they come out pushing the play and actually generate the game’s first scoring chance when Johnny Gaudreau toe drags away from Martinez and snaps a shot on goal that Quick stops from squeaking through the five hole. The Kings settle down well though and then take the period away by keeping the game simple, chipping pucks deep and generating calls. Back to back powerplays force Joni Ortio to make several good saves to keep the game scoreless. Great first period audition for Ortio in Los Angeles, scoreless after one.
A very sloppy start to the second with both teams standing on opposing bluelines and hammering the puck back and forth for the first three minutes before the game opens up again and the team speed resurfaces. The Kings open the scoring when Schenn finds a loose puck on the half wall and harmlessly wrists it towards the Flame’s cage where both Giordano and Lecavalier put on a screen, Ortio has no chance as he doesn’t see it. The Flames get a powerplay and score just 8 seconds in when Gaudreau and Hudler team up to put the puck on Monahan’s stick, 1-1 tie. A late powerplay goal by Kopitar makes it 2-1 L.A. but once again no chance for Ortio as the puck hits a leg and flips to Kopitar all alone for a tap in on a King powerplay.
Calgary packs their work boots for the third as the team amps up the pressure and pucks to the net while limiting the Kings to very few chances, though it’s a given that the Kings were in shut down mode. Sean Monahan hits a goal post off of a great centering pass from Jiri Hudler midway through the frame as the best chance, but when you’re facing Johnathan Quick in net you know you have an up hill battle.
Three Stars
1.Joni Ortio: Not one of those games with a difficult decision as Joni Ortio was a cut above every other player on the ice and simply dominant in the Flame’s cage stopping 35 of 37 shots. Should be a good bet to get the start against the Islanders on Thursday night.
2.Drew Doughty: So solid with an assist and almost 32 minutes of work, a regularity for the league’s best defenseman.
3.Johnathan Quick: Wasn’t as busy as his counterpart but was great in the third in keeping the streaking Flames at bay.
Big Save
With just minutes left on the clock Jeff Carter takes the puck wide on a two on one and feeds it out front to King who gets a one timer on net for the Kings. Ortio slides across and gets his right pad on it.
The Goat
Hunter Shinkaruk did nothing tonight for the Flames, nothing. Invisible. Yeah I’m skipping this category tonight, well played game from both sides.
Mr. Clutch
Sam Bennett. Newly converted to center ice and then having to take on some pretty serious customers in Getzlaf, Kesler, Kopitar and Carter in back to back games and he’s thriving. He’s even started to find his mojo in the face off circle with some late wins against L.A.. Drove to the net a few times and caused havoc.
Odds and Ends
Said it earlier today but you can really tell something has changed behind the iron gates of management at the Saddledome. Sam Bennett switched to center. Brandon Bollig starting on the top line. Rookie third pairing getting 15 minutes a night. Joni Ortio starting the game tonight after 4 straight from a struggling Hiller. In to that you can probably toss not playing Kris Russell until closer to the deadline. He’s dinged up, of that I have no doubt, but if the Flames were within 5 points of a playoff spot I’d give you odds he’d be playing. But when you lead the league in shot blocks and you’ve suddenly become either the first or second hottest UFA defenseman available you don’t take chances. He’ll have to make an appearance in the next two games in Calgary though, but hopefully wrapped in bubble wrap. … Matt Stajan came up lame at the last moment tonight which resulted in the previously scratched Micheal Ferland getting a stay of roster execution. He looked to have received the wake up call loud and clear as he had a physical first period. … I’m all for clamping down on diving in the game but that call on Frolik in the second was lunacy? Stick in front of his legs with a chance at an empty net and he trips and is called for embellishing? Come on. … Really impressed with Tyler Wotherspoon again tonight. It’s one thing to handle the ever dangerous and heavy Kings, but his tight space puck movement was excellent for the Flames. Looks really composed and NHL ready in my mind, and that’s after two great games in two of the toughest barns in the game. …. Have always felt shot counts in games played in L.A. are out of whack, the guy hitting the button seems a little trigger happy for the Kings. So in an effort to prove this I looked up home and away Corsi stats for the Kings and well, proved myself wrong. They lead the league both at home 59% and on the road 55%, so nothing to see here. The Flames by the way have a similar gap at 49 and 44%. … Rick Ball and Kelly Hrudey have proven to be an excellent telecast team for Sportsnet over the past two seasons. Ball’s game calling is excellent, and Hrudey adds a lot of warmth to the colour, but the biggest thing they have going for them is the fact that they clearly get along very well. Adds to it. … Far be it me to tell the Kings how to spend their money, but if you’re going to have a third jersey (a throwback) that doesn’t match your current team colours you should make your goaltender get a new set of gear to match the retro stuff. That silver mask and pads with the yellow and purple is a real missed opportunity at coolness. …
Next Up
The trade deadline is getting close, the Flames return home to play the New York Islanders on Thursday night and then the Senators on Saturday night before heading to Philadelphia for deadline day. Game time Thursday is 7pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Jiri Hudler
Joe Colborne – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik
Micheal Ferland – Sam Bennett- David Jones
Lance Bouma – Josh Jooris – Brandon Bollig
Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Derryk Engellend – Dougie Hamilton
Tyler Wotherspoon – Jakub Nakladal
Joni Ortio
