Funny how things turn out.
The Flames coaching staff tired of nursing Sean Monahan along through a rough stretch in the young center’s career, consider scratching him altogether in Brooklyn, but dress him and play him on the fourth line, a rookie in his place. The game starts and the struggling player certainly isn’t lights out, but is competing so Gulutzan moves the center up back with his most recent line mates and wouldn’t you know it he hits the twine to secure the Flames a point in a 2-1 overtime loss in Brooklyn to the Islanders.
He isn’t fixed, but maybe just maybe the blood letting is finished for now. A return of Sean Monahan would certainly help the Gaudreau-less Flames stay afloat for the time being.
The points gives the Flames a 3-2-1 record on a six game road trip that is finally behind them. Six games in nine nights is a rough patch of schedule.
The Flow
A good first five minutes for the Flames. They had jump, were pushing the puck up the ice, and generating zone time near the Islanders goaltender, but they weren’t able to hold that momentum. TJ Brodie turns the puck over at the blueline creating a two on one where Bailey finds John Tavares of all people who looks glove side but then beats Brian Elliott over the blocker. Elliott didn’t have a chance. From there the Islander certainly held the play with the Flames relying on Elliott and their ability to keep the play to the outside in order to weather a storm. The team looks beat, and ready to come home.
The Flames keep things close in the second, which is about as good as you can say about the middle period. A scoreless 20 minutes in a road game with a team gassed at least keeps some hope alive in the third period to come next. The Flames best chance comes on a Matt Stajan partial break, but he’s foiled by Greiss. The Islanders get all kinds of looks on a late powerplay but only have one clink off the iron to show for it. A few minutes later they get another golden chance when Bailey and a teammate are all alone with the puck in front of Elliott but the veteran is equal to the task. Still 1-0 Islanders through 20 minutes, Calgary with the edge in shots 10-6, but the Islanders with the 10 bell chances.
Surprisingly solid third period from the Flames, as they empty the tank to try and turn a guaranteed .500 trip into something even better. They carry the play, though still give up the odd eye popping break down making Elliott save their bacon on a few occasions. Matthew Tkachuk sets up Mikael Backlund in the slot for a great chance but the puck hits a leg and caroms wide. A few minutes later Kris “Slippery” Versteeg brings the puck out of the corner and finds the slumping but promoted Sean Monahan in the slot and well the kid can still shoot. He hits top corner short side and the game is tied at one. The game goes back and forth until the Flames take another penalty creating some tense moments down the stretch. The buzzer sounds and the Flames have themselves a 3-2-1 road trip at least!
And that’s all they get as Michael Frolik breaks his stick in overtime and the Islander take advantage with a Tavares backhand pass to Calgarian Hickey who deftly deflects the puck past Elliott for a 2-1 final.
Possession Pulse
First Period – Islanders carry the first period and out corsi the Flames 14-11, scoring chances 7-4 Islanders.
Second Period – The clubs tie in the shot attempt derby 12-12 although the Flames out shot them 10-6. Scoring chances were in the Flame’s favour though 8-4.
Third Period – Third period belongs to the Flames with a 25-15 lead in shot attempts, scoring chances 5-2 Calgary.
Overtime – Scoring chances were 4-0 Islanders.
The Players – Solid Flames game five on five so the corsi stats had most of the team above the 50% mark. Kris Versteeg, Denis Wideman and Micheal Ferladn were all above the 60% mark. Sean Monahan was at 58% which suggests the demotion and switch to keeping things simple may have been a wise call. The only guys under the 50% mark were Jankowski, Chiasson, Bennett, Engelland and Shinkaruk.
1. John Tavares:Can’t contribute more than a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win.
2. Tomas Greiss: Stops 25 of 26 shots to pick up the win in Halek’s absence.
3. Brian Elliott:Great game for the starter turned back up on this trip, stops 25 of 27 shots in a losing effort.
Big Save
So many choices for Elliott in this one including a stop with the glove on Quine in the first, a stop on Bailey all alone in the second. The guy stopped breakaways in the third and overtime periods as well. He was good.
The Goat
Have to go with TJ Brodie and his over handling of the puck on the Tavares goal in the first period. His bobble created the two on one that lead to the game’s opening goal. Was also on for the Islander’s winner in overtime though it certainly wasn’t his fault.
Mr. Clutch
Liked Kris Versteeg’s game again. The guy has a really solid set of mitts and creates something at least two or three times a game. His pass to Monahan got the Flames a point tonight. Good to see the guy back after the collision in Columbus with Troy Brouwer.
Odds and Ends
A few big lineup changes for the final game on their six game trip as the Flames welcome Brian Elliott back to the cage for only his second start on the trip, his other appearance that game where he was abandoned in Buffalo. Additionally, 2012 first round pick Mark Jankowski makes the first appearance in his NHL career centering a line between Kris Versteeg and Troy Brouwer. Wait you’re saying, that’s Sean Monahan’s line. And right you are as the Flames number one center is tonight’s fourth line center lining up with Micheal Ferland and Hunter Shinkaruk. Speaking of Monahan and Jankowski, with Jankowski in the lineup the Flames have 5 first round picks in the lineup, that has to be some kind of a record for a team not known for producing from within. Finally Brett Kulak hit the sidelines for Jyrki Jokipakka who was paired with Denis Wideman, Brodie was paired with Derryk Engelland. … Gritty game by the Flames and you have to give them credit for finding 7 points in a tough 6 game road trip. This really could have been a season sinker, and while the above .500 record certainly doesn’t save their season it at least turns the page to see what happens next; a start. … Hard not to mention Matthew Tkachuk every night. The kid just gets it. That look over my shoulder to see where my linemate is pass to Mikael Backlund in the third period was a big league play. And of course he found himself in a rhubarb or two as he does every game. The Flames haven’t had a skilled player with that ability to piss people off since Theo Fleury and it was missed. Ville Nieminen gave it a shot on the annoyance barometer but he wasn’t the upper roster player that either Fleury or Tkachuk will be. … The bad news? Despite a solid trip the Flames are now further under .500 at three games than any other team in the West as the Yotes, Canucks, Avalanche and Jets have all been picking up points in the standings of late. They’re in range sure, but they have a lot of teams to blow by on their way up. … December 13th is roughly 4 weeks on the Gaudreau injury watch, and that’s still 6 or 7 games away (and that’s best case scenario). Can this team still be in the hunt when he returns?
Next Up
The Flames are finally back in Calgary taking on the center of the universe on Wednesday night. Special time catering to their guests of 630pm, on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Versteeg – Jankowski- Brouwer
Bennett – Stajan – Chiasson
Ferland – Monahan – Shinkaruk
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Engelland
Jokipakka – Wideman
Elliott
