The script was written as a Titanic like disaster flic; as the league’s best powerplay was to skate against the circuit’s worst penalty kill. Oh the horror, the carnage.
I guess that’s why they play the games huh?
The Flames used a third period powerplay goal from Micheal Ferland to add to a slim 1-0 lead, in putting away the Blue Jackets on Columbus ice on Wednesday night. In the end the Flames went one for three with the man advantage, while killing all four Jacket’s penalties, silencing a team that had been 40% on the powerplay on home ice.
The win somewhat wipes that nasty game from Buffalo from the memory banks, putting the club up a win on the six game road trip with three to play. Faith restored? Not just yet.
The Flow
Not a bad period for the Flames, well not a bad period on the road. The Jackets were the better team, the Flames bent, but they didn’t break. The Jackets had the better of the play including a few tense moments in the slot when the Brandon Saad line took the ice, but Johnson was strong in squaring to the puck, and the Flames were in the right position to get in shooting lanes and limit the damage. The Flames had a powerplay of their own late and failed to generate a shot, but did work their tails off to win puck battles and retain possession, just not clicking right now though.
The second couldn’t have started worse with Matthew Tkachuk forchecking deep off the opening face off and inexplicably getting his stick into the face of Seth Jones drawing a four minute penalty against the circuit’s top powerplay. Yikes! But the Flames hold strong killing off both penalties by keeping the Jackets to the outside and then collapsing down low in front of a strong Chad Johnson when they were able to penetrate. The Flames then struck first when Seth Jones had his pass in the neutral zone intercepted sending Troy Brouwer and Kris Versteeg in on a two on two. Versteeg blew by Jones with a slick move and then backhand centered the puck for Brouwer and a tap in; 1-0 Flames. A good chunk of the rest of the period had the Flames firmly on their heels, doing their best to keep the Jackets out of the home plate area, but chasing the game badly. Atkinson was stopped on a breakaway after Monahan put an ill advised pass across the offensive zone and creating a turnover that featured Brouwer and Versteeg colliding. The Flames settled down, led by who else? The Backlund line who stole momentum back and the Flames had some chances but failed to score, 1-0 after two.
The Flames start the third with some good jump, including a good Dougie Hamilton shot from the half wall on a pinch in the first minute. The Jackets continue to get pucks deep, but the Flames do a good job of battling down low and chipping it back out. The Jackets take a penalty sending the Flames to their second powerplay and they score on what looked like a Blue Jacket chance shorthanded, kept in by Wideman resulting in a Micheal Ferland snipe off the post. A minute later and the Flames are back to the powerplay up 2-0 but the second kick at the cat in the third period comes up lame and the lead stays at two. The Flames don’t sit on the lead though, they continue to push the play and actually generate more chances than the Jackets as the game draws to a close.
Possession Pulse
First Period – Shot attempts 17 – 12 for Columbus, scoring chances 6-3 for the Jackets.
Second Period – Shot attempts 20 – 15 for Columbus, scoring chances 9-5 for the Jackets.
Third Period – Shot attempts 22 – 17 for Columbus, but the scoring chances 8-5 for the Flames.
The Players – The usual suspects on the good and bad side of five on five shot attempts, as Tkachuk and Hamilton were at the top and the Monahan line at the bottom. Nice surprise to see the Sam Bennett / Matt Stajan combination clicking as they lead the team with the best percentages. In the end only six players were 50% or greater; Stajan, Bennett, Kulak, D. Hamilton, Chiasson and Tkachuk. The Monahan line pulled up the rear between 25 and 30%.
1. Chad Johnson:Second shut out this season and second in his last four starts as the Calgarian was dialed right in giving the Flames road quality goaltending for the win.
2. Micheal Ferland: Continues his physical play and scores a great off the iron powerplay goal in the third period to give the Flames some breathing room.
3. TJ Brodie:Has had his ups and downs all season, but was rock solid in this one, leading the team in ice time and doing a great job to limit Jacket chances.
Big Save
Easy pick tonight. Cam Atkinson breaks in all alone on Chad Johnson in the second period on a Sean Monahan turnover and some back luck with his wingers colliding and both going down. I’m not a goaltender, and I won’t chaff the union but it looked like Atkinson shot the puck straight into his glove but I won’t say it.
The Goat
Strong road game by the Flames so I won’t pick a goat for this one. Came very close for Matt Tkachuk though with his four minute penalty to start the third on a careless high stick. With the strength of the Jacket’s powerplay and the weakness of the Flame’s kill it looked a real turning point in the game.
Mr. Clutch
The Matt Stajan / Sam Bennett combination. Didn’t look like a match on paper, but the duo were really solid along with Alex Chiasson in creating scoring chances, and driving play when they were on the ice. Probably the Flames best line of the night.
Odds and Ends
Local media tried to make the story the return of Kris Versteeg for tonight’s game, but I doubt Flames fans will be having any of that. The story is Sean Monahan and his dreadful games against the Wings and Sabres on this road trip. He looked to have found it with his best game of the season against the Hawks on Friday night, but then put in his two worst. If you’re not producing offensively you have to get it done in your own zone, but his line has been a tire fire in the past two games. … Tonight Monahan loses Sam Bennett on his left and gains the returning Versteeg. Other changes up front have Bennett down to the third line with Stajan and Chiasson. The other two lines remain in tact. On the blueline Jokipakka is back out and Brett Kulak draws back in. … Speaking about Buffalo, there has been three points this season where I started to think the Flames had finally figured things out and were ready to pile up some points only to see a complete egg laid instead. 1) Come from behind win against Buffalo after playing well in Vancouver only to lay and egg to Carolina and the Blues. 2) Back to back wins in Chicago and St. Louis led to a few great starts in a row before getting annihilated in California and a four game skid. 3) After the victory in Detroit the other night that led to that debacle in Buffalo. Won’t be fooled that easily again! … Back to Monahan, Peter Loubardias on 960 this afternoon suggested to watch for zone starts when it comes to Monahan tonight, and that you might see a changed to his being sheltered. Brave move to fix a struggling player by making his defensive job more difficult! The result? The line got murdered on shot differential again, but they were under 50% in offensive zone starts. … Noticed Alex Chiasson doing an about face on a breakout and passing the puck back to Brett Kulak in the first period. So? The Flames were dying to change all five skaters and by doing so the forwards changed but Engelland and Kulak were stuck in their own one for another 30 seconds. In Buffalo he did a similar thing killing a penalty causing strife. Guessing he’ll get a talking too. My opinion on the guy is favourable if he’s kept in a limited role. He doesn’t seem to have the skill or hockey sense for top six work but can be a third liner in a stretch and a fourth liner for sure at the NHL level. I’m not on that send him down train like others. Yet. … What a game for Kris Versteeg. Earlier in the day Gulutzan said they welcome him back because he’s good for two skill plays a game setting up a chance. He certainly had that right on the Brouwer goal. The collision with Brouwer had him winded but he came back and then left again and then returned again. … Man that Dennis Wideman play on the powerplay in the third period. Result in a goal, but as a hockey coach that could have easily been a two on one and a tie game had he failed to get the puck on his all or none stab. .. The win moves the Flames back to within 3 games of .500 and two points of a playoff spot though both wildcard holders have two games in hand. They are also two points back of the Sharks, but the Pacific’s third place team has three games in hand.
Next Up
The Flames continue their six game trip in Boston on Friday night against the Bruins, game time 5.30pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Versteeg – Monahan – Brouwer
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Ferland – Hamilton – Hathaway
Bennett – Stajan – Chiasson
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Wideman
Kulak – Engelland
Johnson
