The process.
A bigtime buzzword around the Calgary Flames since Brad Treliving took the reigns of the franchise two plus years ago. Nothing over night, no quick fixes, methodical steps towards the ultimate goal of establishing a winning franchise, a perennial contender.
Well the Flames had a process like game at the Saddledome on Friday night. They limited mistakes, they drove the play, they garnered scoring chances, they blocked out the dangerous Blackhawks in and around goaltender Chad Johnson. They did almost all the things a team needs to do to be successful except that all important result on the scoreboard as they dropped a 3-2 decision to Chicago on a late fluke goal to Marian Hossa.
The loss snaps the Flames two game winning streak, but should send them on a six game road trip with a measure of confidence.
The Flow
The Blackhawks came ready to play jumping on their hosts, the Flames, from the drop of the puck and through the first ten minutes of action. They were rewarded with a 1-0 lead when Ryan Hartman was the benefactor of a foot race with Dennis Wideman when the Hawk’s winger got in behind the defense and went in alone on Johnson. The Flames found their legs at the midpoint of the period and started generating chances of their own but failing to beat World Cup goaltender Cory Crawford. First period shots 11 – 9 Calgary, shot attempts 22 – 14 and scoring chances at even at six.
The Flames new top line got things going for the Flames in the second period, as Sam Bennett and Sean Monahan started to forge some chemistry and generated chances. Bennett found the puck in a set of skates and pushed the puck into the cage with a Hawk draped on him to tie things up early in the period, and then was influential on a pretty tic tac toe play resulting in a goal by Sean Monahan to put the Flames up 2-1. The Hawks tied things up later in the period on a powerplay when Brent Seabrook wired the puck past Troy Brouwwer and into the short side of the cage past Chad Johnson. Score tied 2-2 after two with the Flames up 17-11 in scoring chances and likely deserving a better fate.
Not a great start to the third for the Flames however, as the Hawks brought their “A” game to start the period in hopes of breaking a stalemate and finding that road victory. The Flames weathered the storm however and started to push back towards the middle of the period. Some chances both ways with both goaltenders playing well and the game had that definite feel of overtime and possibly a shoot out looming. Instead however, the Hawks find the game winner on a fluke play / mistake by Johnson when a point shot was gloved into the air, bouncing behind Johnson, and steered in by veteran Marian Hossa. The play was somewhat controversial as Hossa slightly impeded Johnson’s ability to recover but in the end it stood. Flames lose 3-2, final scoring chances 21-18 Calgary.
1. Cory Crawford:The difference in a tight game that was well played by both clubs. Neither goaltender faced an onslaught on the night but Crawford got things done when it mattered most.
2. Sean Monahan: Developing some good feel with Sam Bennett on his wing, as his line for the second straight game was a difference maker. Picked up a goal and an assist.
3. Sam Bennett:See above! Seems to have some chemistry with Monahan and is back to showing some energy in his game. Goal and an assist for the 2nd year player.
Big Save
Sometimes it’s the nature of the save, sometimes it’s the timing of the save. Crawford’s save off of Troy Brouwer with mere seconds left on the clock wasn’t one that he necessarily saw, but the deflection was right on the mark and could have tied things up for the Flames.
The Goat
Hate to do it, but you have to hang this on Chad Johnson’s gaff in the third period. The Calgarian continues to provide the Flames with the best back up goaltending we’ve seen in years, but his late mistake cost his team at least one and maybe two points.
Mr. Clutch
Troy Brouwer. If you give two members of his line game stars, then you’d better recognize the third guy on the unit for the Clutch player as all three were solid in driving play for the Flames. Bodes well for a road trip to finally have two lines going.
Odds and Ends
Was sure interesting to see the change in the play of some of the Flame’s players the other night with Johnny Gaudreau out of the lineup. Clearly you want your best players available, but his absence seemed to lift some of the malaise that had encompassed the team for a large part of the first quarter of the season. Between a contract hold out, his performance at the World Cup and his impact on the team last season, the team seemed to be building almost everything around the third year player carrying the ball and making things happen. Star players should be relied upon, but you can’t have the rest of the team standing there and waiting for things to happen. So perfect timing to have the Hawks come to town to test this theory against better opposition. The Coyotes are young and inexperienced, so possibly not the best gauge to measure improvement comnig off a rough couple of weeks, so it was good to see those Calgary skill players getting it done again tonight against the Hawks. … The lines tonight held from the Arizona game with Bennett up on the top line replacing Gaudreau, and Tkachuk back in the lineup helping drive what has become the team’s true first line. … They’ve carried the mail all season, but the Backlund/Frolik/Tkachuk line was on the ice for two of the three Hawk goals tonight, something we don’t usually see. … Another solid game by Dougie Hamilton, something I continue to watch as his emergence for me is a key factor in this team getting back to where many thought they’d be before the season started. He was +3 with 21 1/2 minutes of ice time, clearly getting noticed by Glen Gulutzan as well. On the broadcast Rick Ball mentioned he’s up to 230 pounds this season, making him a pretty difficult guy to contain when he’s on. … Hitting the scoresheet is the obvious measure of a new top line working but their underlying stats were pretty impressive last night as well. All three forwards had possession stats north of 57% last night, Bennett and Monahan topped out above 60%. Both Dougie Hamilton and Mark Giordano were in the 57% range as well. Its been said a 100 times, but you need your best players to be your best players and Calgary is finally starting to see some of that.
Next Up
Time for a six game road trip! Flames travel to Detroit to take on the Red Wings on Sunday night. Game time 5.30 pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Bennett- Monahan – Brouwer
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Ferland – Hamilton – Hathaway
Vey – Stajan – Chiasson
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Wideman
Kulak – Engelland
Johnson
