Earlier in the season the Flames had it mastered, putrid penalty killing, but getting by because of their lack of time in the penalty box.
Lately however, the Flames have altered their strategy; that is attempt to improve their penalty killing through shear quantity. Take oodles of penalties and with each opportunity to be short you have an every increasing chance of killing them off. I mean seriously even the best powerplays in the 80s chugged along at only 28-30%.
Tonight the Flames took 8 minor penalties, somehow killing 7 of them off, but still found a way to lose a hockey game in Buffalo, this time by a 6-3 score to move their losing streak to seven games, and this trip’s record to 0-3-3.
The Flow
Great first shift for Calgary’s new top line as Johnny Gaudreau, Sam Bennett and Michael Frolik caused havoc in the game’s opening minute, but in the end they failed to generate a scoring chance or even a shot on goal. In fact the Flames didn’t have a shot in the game’s opening 15 minutes, despite playing a pretty solid forecheck game against the equally young Sabres. The home side generated shots from the outside and enjoyed back to back powerplays that featured 45 seconds of five on three hockey but came up empty. Another Buffalo powerlay and yet again they come up empty, only garnering one shot. Then the power of the zebra shifts and the Flames get their own time on the powerplay, but just like the Sabres, they fail to generate that go ahead goal.
I guess the skirmish at the end of the first did it’s trick in getting the Flames jacked as they essentially took the game over in the middle frame, at least territorially. They only got four shots in the first, but had at least that in the first two minutes of the second period but ran into a rather large and sturdy Robin Lehner. The Flames finally open the scoring when Michael Backlund loses his check Pysyck in the corner, and then goes to the net and shovels in a the rebound for his 12th of the season. The Sabres tie the score when the Flames get stuck in their own zone and Flame killer Ristolanean beats Hiller through the wickets. The Sabres go ahead when shorthanded as Foligno junior takes the puck through TJ Brodie and goes off the post and in. Calgary ties it up again 15 seconds later when Dougie Hamilton goes bar down on Lehner for his 10th of the season, but that wasn’t it as the Sabres went ahead again when Deslauriers closes out the period scoring to make it 3-2 Buffalo. Calgary out shoots the Sabres 16-14 for the 20 minutes.
The Flames found exactly what they wanted, an early chance and a game tying goal when Sean Monahan attempted a pass, had it bat off his glove, had his glove batted off, and then steered home the bouncing puck with one naked hand on the stick. The momentum was short lived however as the Sabres went back out in front when Johan Larsson backhanded the puck blocker high on Hiller. The Sabres held a 13-9 shot advantage in the third, mainly due to a second five on three chance, this time for 1:21. The Flames killed off the first minor but the Sabres went ahead by two when Eichel scored from the point. In the last minute they added an empty netter to make it 6-3 Sabres.
Three Stars
1. Markus Foligno: There’s something cool about a Foligno playing in Buffalo. Tonight Markus scored a highlight reel goal and added an assist to the lead the Sabres. His dad would be proud. Needs to work on his stomp for celebrations though.
2.Jack Eichel: Only the single point but had 7 shots and 23 minutes of ice time. You can see this young player really coming on.
3.Rasmus Ristolainen: This guy must love playing the Flames, 24 minutes of ice time and scored Buffalo’s first goal of the night.
Big Save
I liked Lehner’s save on Monahan in the first period, but have to go with Michael Backlund extending his stick to the post to rob Jack Eichel on a wrap around chance in the second period.
The Goat
Broken record for me but you have to go with Hiller. The Flames are not a good hockey team right now, they are loose in their own zone and they cough the puck up frequently, but a goalie has to have a start that doesn’t feature a .850 save percentage one of these nights. If the plan was to ensure a loss in Buffalo though, he’s the first star.
Mr. Clutch
Thought Sean Monahan had a solid game tonight. Goal and an assist, and did what I hoped which was stir the drink on a less talented line. Was even on the night which included a goal where it looked like he turned it over but the puck should have been cleared by Ferland.
Odds and Ends
Interesting to see the change up up front with not only Gaudreau and Monahan getting separated but Frolik and Backlund as well. I’ve said for a while that I’m not sure caddying for Gaudreau is the best developmental curve for Sean Monahan as he’s taken less of a driving the play role over the last year and a bit that they’ve been united. Maybe now we’ll see him take it more upon himself to sort things out offensively. So how did it go tonight? Bennett and Gaudreau are held pointless and Monahan picks up a goal and an assist. Interesting. … Can’t wait until stat collecting is done by a system of some kind that is used in all 30 buildings. Don’t really have a beef with the Sabres, but why wasn’t TJ Brodie’s clear killing a penalty that hit Lehner right in the pads but isn’t counted as a shot. I’m sure this happens, but would it not have gone in? And don’t get me started on L.A King shots and hits when they play in the Staple Center. … Odd background noise during the game tonight. Not sure if its where the mics are located, the acoustics of the building or the type of people that filled the seats but it sounded more like background chatter in a cafeteria than the noise normally heard in a hockey rink. … Odd to see both defenseman Pysyck and the crowd both disappointed in the interference call on Sam Bennett near the end of the first. When you elbow a guy in the face that doesn’t have the puck it’s a pretty easy call to make. … I agree with the call on Dougie Hamilton, he had time to hold up on the shot with the buzzer. Wish they’d call that more consistently though, as they usually don’t. … Great to see Michael Backlund put up a goal in the second, really want to see him hit some career highs for statistics. He now has 12 goals, so getting to 20 might be tough but his career best of 18 is possible. He’s now only 7 points back of his career points mark, and one more than that will get him to 40 for the first time his career. … As I said above the Flames are like Swiss cheese in their own zone but NHL goaltenders make saves, if they don’t they’re not NHL goaltenders anymore. In the last 7 Hiller starts (since Ramo went down), he’s only posted a save percentage above .900 once. Not that .900 should be the shining example of excellence as .912 represents the average NHL team goaltending performance this season. In 24 appearances this season he’s exceeded .912 only seven times. He’s been under .900 15 times. That’s crazy. … Interesting update to the standings with the Oilers winning in Philly and the Flames losing in Buffalo tonight. Rush to your draft lottery simulators because the Oilers passed the Flames tonight, though they’ve played two more games. Who’d a thunk huh?
Next Up
Next up on the road trip is an afternoon game in Pittsburgh against the Penguins. Game time 1pm on Sportsnet.
3>Lines:
Johnny Gaudreau – Sam Bennett – Michael Frolik
Lance Bouma – Mikael Backlund – Garnet Hathaway
Micheal Ferland – Sean Monahan- Joe Colborne
Brandon Bollig- Matt Stajan – Josh Jooris
Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Derryk Engellend – Dougie Hamilton
Jyrki Jokipakka – Jakub Nakladal
Jonas Hiller
