Game Takes: Flames 8 Ducks 3

December 4th, 2016 | Posted in Game Takes | By: D'Arcy McGrath

When players come off injury they can ride a wave of adrenalin before sometimes crashing back down to Earth when the rust begins to show and the energy dips.

For Johnny Gaudreau, a season that has been fraught with frustration and angst from a contract stalemate, to a slow start to a freak injury was hoping to get kick-started again tonight, when the skilled forward made a surprise return to the lineup after only two plus weeks instead of the four to six that many expected. He didn’t waste much time in getting the Flames on the board and putting up a two point night as the Flames dismantled the Anaheim Ducks to the tune of a 8-2 clubbing on Sunday night.

Eight different players had multi point games as the local club served notice that that this recent upswing may not be a fleeting event.

The Flow

The Flames got the end result they sought, but certainly not the start they were after when it came to how they executed their opening game plan. The Flames open the scoring when Johnny Gaudreau corrals a messed up drop pass and beats Johnathan Bernier with a wrister that the former Leaf would love to have back; 1-0 Flames. That score held up through the period despite the Ducks holding territorial and the shot advantage through the 20 minutes. The Flames did well to keep things to the outside however, putting less pressure on Chad Johnson to make the 10 bell save, and merely just get his body in front of the puck. Flames lead through 20.

The second period started all Anaheim. The Flames survive the hangover powerplay for the Ducks from the first, but can’t seem to get untracked. The Ducks keep the pressure up and tie the game when TJ Brodie lost the puck behind the net leaving a wide open chance that Ryan Kesler was only to happy to convert. The Flames settle things down and find their legs leading up to one of the more enjoyable stretches in Flames history. First on a powerplay, the Flames go back out in front when a Sean Monahan shot is tipped in by Troy Brouwer; Flames back in front 2-1. The Flames are back less than a minute later when a Johnny Gaudreau spinorama pass hits Bennetts skate, then Bernier’s pad to Alex Chiasson who scores to put the Flames up 3-1. Thirty five seconds later the Flames are back again when a loose puck slides out to Dennis Wideman who hammers it towards the goal and has it go in past Bernier off of Matt Stajan, his third of the season. Four minutes later its Sam Bennett who converts a great pass from the corner from Mikael Backlund on another Flames powerplay and it’s 5-1 Flames … no really. That’s not it for the period though, as they put up their 5th of the stanza when Dougie Hamilton wires one off the post and in and it’s 6-1 Flames after 40 minutes, the saddledome crowd equal parts delighted and shocked.

The third period was just a matter of playing out the string with one team up 5 goals, the outcome was known, but you had to wonder if things were going to get rough. Early on an Alex Chiasson scrap with Cramarossa, the same dude that fought Matthew Tkachuk in Anaheim earlier this season went decidedly more his way than with the 18 year old as Chiasson left for a shift or two. Twenty seconds later it’s Boll and Engelland in another scrap, this one going Boll’s way as the Flames once again come up short in fisticuffs. They didn’t come up short on the scoreboard however as a well played Tkachuk interception keeps the puck alive and Kris Versteeg finds Monahan streaking in and it’s 7-1 Flames. With the game winding down Calgary ends up on a two man breakaway shorthanded (don’t think I’ve seen that before), with Troy Brouwer feeding Mark Giordano for the 8th goal and it’s 8-1 Flames. The Ducks score two late ones to add a semblance of respectability to the score but the final is 2 points and an 8-3 drubbing by the Flames on Sunday night. Those are fun, but far and few between.

Possession Pulse

First Period – The Flames score but the Ducks carry the play with 15-11 in shot attempts 5 on 5, scoring chances 4-3 Ducks.
Second Period – Things swing Calgary’s way in the 2nd with shot attempts 16-11 Calgary (21-11 overall). Scoring chances were 7-4 Calgary.
Third Period – The Ducks try and get off the mat in the third running up a 13-6 lead in shot attempts. Scoring chances were 5-2 Flames however.
The Players – Some of the top corsi regulars were at it again tonight with Backlund, Frolik and Giordano all being above 60% for the night. Seven others were above 50% as well. Oddly enough 7 players were under 40% including Bennett, Monahan, Versteeg, Brouwer, Jokipakka and Engelland so things weren’t all puppy dogs and rainbows.

Three Stars
1. Johnny Gaudreau:Three other players had more points, but Gaudreau’s start gave the Flames a whole lot of jump and they rode that wave to a lopsided win at the Saddledome
2. Sam Bennett: Sam Bennett. Got to the rink today thinking it was just any other day in his young NHL life only to find out that he’d be back at center and have Johnny Gaudreau on his flank. Didn’t waste the opportunity as he put up a goal and two assists to pace the Flames.
3. Alex Chiasson:The third member of the third line that didn’t know they weren’t the first line, also had a goal and two assists.

Big Save

Really odd night for goaltenders. Bernier gets lit up for eight goals, and Chad Johnson really wasn’t forced to make an impact save all night. I’ll go with Bernier and his defenseman for teaming up and robbing Johnny Gaudreau in the second period though. Gaudreau takes the puck to the slot on his backhand and slides it backwards but Bernier gets a pad on it before the puck hits his defenseman and stays out.

The Goat

Several Ducks had minus nights including Vermette, Cogliano and Silfverberg who were all -3 but you just have to give this one to Bernier don’t you? The guy gave up 8 goals on 25 shots for a .680 save percentage. That’s not good folks.

Mr. Clutch

Matt Stajan. Such a renaissance season from the veteran center, picks up another three points tonight to add to his storybook campaign.

Odds and Ends

Pretty shocking that Johnny Gaudreau was back for tonight’s game. Injured on November 15th and a schedule of 4 to 6 weeks should have meant mid December at best, perhaps Christmas if things went longer. Tonight marks 18 days since the injury and an early return no matter what calendar you’re looking at. With Gaudreau in tow the Flames have a remarkably better forward group. It goes without saying that adding a skilled top line winger is an add, but with the addition the trickle down has a noticeable impact. The second line (first line, who are we kidding?) needs little help so the addition of Gaudreau on Bennett’s line leaves Troy Brouwer on the top line, giving Sam Bennett someone to work with and the team having three lines that can create. Really adds depth through out. … Just like that Columbus win over Montreal earlier this season, Randy Carlyle refused to alter his goaltender plan tonight regardless of the score. John Gibson played last night and was scheduled to get the night off and he didn’t want to mess with that to effect the Ducks next game. It has the appearance of one of those Patrick Roy nights that got the legend traded with one huge difference, this is leaving the backup to rot, not the starter. … Another odd night of Johnny Gaudreau missed calls. I’m rare to hammer the officials but tonight he was tripped twice on almost breaks, cross checked from behind and then hooked up around the neck area. None were called. I don’t get it. … Eight different players had multiple points games including Chiasson, Matt Stajan and Bennet with 3 each, as well as Gaudreau, Monahan, Brouwer, Versteeg and Garnet Hathaway. That will do a lot to boost the 26th ranked offence and pump some confidence into the group. Monahan’s two point game extends a point streak to four games as he’s had 5 points in that span. Clearly not lighting the world on fire, but a very good sign from a player that has struggled all season. … Gaudreau in his return looked more like Johnny Gaudreau from the past two seasons than at any other point this season. Perhaps the club’s success without him in the lineup has taken the pressure off, because he was hopping on his skates again, and dictating the play … Sam Bennett’s three point night moves him into a tie with Michael Froli for top spot in Flame’s scoring with 15 points in 28 games. Four players are hot on their heels including Monahan, Gaudreau, Hamilton and Brouwer who all have 13. .. The win moves the Flames back to .500 and I won’t take a swipe at the .500 mark as has been popular these days. It is what it is, they’ve won as many games as they’ve lost in regulation given the current way points are tallied. The West is getting pretty tight with 6 teams between 26 and 29 points. … His stat line may not show it but I thought the only Flames to truly struggle tonight was Jyrki Jokipakka who seemed to be fighting the puck all night. I had some high hopes of the young Fin this season; I thought he’d push his way into the top four. It’s good Treliving et al didn’t feel the same as this club currently still needs Denis Wideman, something I wouldn’t have foreseen coming into this season. … The only potential downer on the night was the injury to Micheal Ferland. He fought his old nemesis Kevin Bieksa in the first period and didn’t return after the fight. Not sure what is wrong with the energetic lug.

Next Up

The Flames travel to Dallas to take on the Stars on Tuesday night, game time 630pm Sportsnet.

Lines:


Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Versteeg – Monahan – Brouwer
Gaudreau – Bennett – Chiasson
Ferland – Stajan – Hathaway

Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Hamilton
Jokipakka – Engelland

Johnson



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