Well they got that out of their system, didn’t they?
The Flames, off to a 3-1-0 start have certainly had their share of bounces or at very least Houdini like escapes from danger on the backs of goaltender Mike Smith. Tonight they got fed a very healthy dose of payback as the club was largely the better of the two teams through 30 minutes bu trailed 1-0 before running off five straight minor penalties and falling by a score of 6-0 to the visiting Ottawa Senators.
Luck, both good and bad tends to even out over the course of an 82 game season, perhaps they made a deposit or six in the old bank account for future use. One can only hope.
The Flow
The Flames came to play in the first and really held the play through the game’s first 10 minutes as the Senators were unable to generate a shot on net until their powerplay opportunity midway through the first period. The Flames either over passed, hit sticks, encountered blocked shots, or had Craig Anderson stone them however, so the game stayed scoreless through most of the first period. The Sens take the lead late in the first period when the Flames break down leaving a two on one and a finish by Cody Ceci with 45 clicks to go in the stanza; 1-0 Senators.
The Flames continue their good play in the second, enjoying most of the action in the Senators zone and generating a decent amount of scoring chances. Over passing, over thinking, and misfiring continued to plague them though as they couldn’t solve Anderson, who was solid in the Ottawa net. Midway through the period the Flames begin a run of penalties that would take them out of a game that they were pretty much on pace to win when Mikael Backlund took a high sticking double minor. The Flames killed the first one, but the Sens made it 2-0 just as the second penalty was expiring, when Derek Brassard beat Mike Smith through an Alex Burrows screen with just 1:17 to go in the second.
Jaromir Jagr (still love how often I have to type that) started the third in the penalty box, the Flames 4th straight of five straight penalties and paid for it when Mike Hoffman wired one off the crossbar just over a minute into the third and that was pretty much it for the night. The Senators added two more goals by Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel to chase Mike Smith, and then one more by Chris (don’t call me Dennis) Wideamn on Eddie Lack to make the final 6-0 for the Senators in an odd one at the Saddledome.
Possession Stats
1st Period – The Flames held a firm edge in shot attempts in the first period as they ran up a 16-6 margin five on five, and 21-10 in all situations.
2nd Period – To prove the first 30 minute theory the Flames were 13-12 five on five in the second, but down 25-17 when you factor in all the Senator powerplays.
3rd Period – The third it was all Calgary five on five with a 19-6 advantage, and 24-16 with special teams taken into consideration. All told the Flames were 67% in five on five shot attempts.
Players – You’d think a 6-0 loss would have more players showing a brutal outing, but that just wasn’t the case in this odd game at the Dome tonight; only two players were sub 50% in 5 on 5 shot attempts. That honour fell to fourth liners Micheal Ferland and Troy Brouwer who put up 47% and 40% respectively to reach the lows for the Flames. On the plus side was Matthew Tkachuk who led the team with 79%. Other Flames with 70+% nights included Mikael Backlund, Michael Frolik, Jaromir Jagr, Michael Stone, Johnny Gaudreau and TJ Brodie. Six other players had 60+% nights as well.
Three Stars
1. Kyle Turris: Led the way with three assists, and cranked one off the iron late in attempt to add a fourth point.
2. Craig Anderson : Had a lull in action midway through the game as the Senators were up a man for what seemed like 20 minutes, but was solid early to earn the shut out.
3. Cody Ceci : Playing a big role with captain Erik Karlsson still out of action. Had a goal and an assist to lead the defense corps.
Big Save
Mike Smith made some solid glove saves on partial breaks with the game sitting at 1-0, but the real momentum stopper was the stymie of Matthew Tkachuk by Craig Anderson with lots of time on the clock in a 3-0 game in the third period. The Flame’s sophomore scores there and it could have been a very different outcome.
The Heel
Dougie Hamilton. Took a somewhat questionable slashing penalty (more on that later), but was additionally -3 on the game to lead the Flames in that category.
Mr. Clutch
Matthew Tkachuk. Had two of the team’s best five or so scoring chances and led the club in possession stats at 79% on the night proving once again that he knows nothing of the sophomore jinx.
Odds and Ends
From the onset I didn’t see the Tanner Glass signing as an 82 game proposition (channelling my Ed Whalen there for the old timers), and so the veteran sat out tonight in order to insert former Senator Curtis Lazar back into the lineup. Lazar was very good against Winnipeg and decent against Anaheim before taking a seat when the Flames played the Kings on Wednesday night. He took Micheal Ferland’s place on the top line with ferland sliding down to play the left side on the fourth line.
The night featured the home debut for Jaromir Jagr, and much like the game in L.A. he showed both his age in speed, his wisdom in reading the play and being a menace on the cycle and his strength in propelling Johnny Gaudreau down the ice on a backcheck with the push of his stick. Shame he didn’t bury that 2nd period set up from Sam Bennett. It will come.
Speaking of Jagr, he was none too impressed with his slashing call at the end of the second period, the call that led to the Senators third goal; he waved his hand in disgust to the official on the call. The calls tonight were somewhat peculiar though I wouldn’t say unfair, as my eyes aren’t trained to pick up calls in this new NHL where flicks of a stick get you two minutes. But a double minor followed by two iffy slashing calls and a double toss out face off violation felt like somewhat of a dogpile.
There’s always disappointment in a loss, and I get that, but I’m going to just file this one away as I honestly felt the Flames were a bounce or two away from a convincing victory in the first half of this game but couldn’t find the net. They may want to take a page out of the Winnipeg Jet handbook though and invite in an official to work with them on what will and won’t be called in this current crackdown. Bottom line the slashing angst is as much a product of the Johnny Gaudreau broken finger last year as anything so Flames fans had better roll with it.
With the 5th goal and Eddie Lack still sitting on the bench my thought went to “Lack is starting tomorrow night for sure”. But then on the nest whistle Lack came in shifting me back to the thought that Smith may start his 6th straight game. I’d go with Smith personally as I think back to back losses are such an albatross in this ultra competitive modern NHL. Get the win in Vancouver and take a four day break.
Next Up
Right back at it tomorrow night when the Flames are in Vancouver to take on the Canucks. Game time 8pm on CityTV and Sportsnet One.
Lines:
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Versteeg – Monahan – Lazar
Gaudreau – Bennett – Jagr
Ferland – Stajan – Brouwer
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Hamonic
Bartkowski – Stone
Smith
