Hockey is such a game of inches, margins and razor thin differences between wins and losses; modern parity in the NHL.
Before the game, Minny coach Bruce Boudreau remarked there isn’t much difference between a rut and a groove, which is both smart and witty.
The Flames have found some wins this season in games where they haven’t necessarily been deserving, but tonight they turned the tables on themselves and found a way to lose a game that they likely deserved a better fate in dropping a 4-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.
So mark one down for the process tonight without the result, likely a positive step towards where this team wants to be when the season winds down in 6 months.
The Flow
The Flames easily have their best first period of the season (start in L.A. was pretty solid as well), as they took an early period powerplay and used the momentum to carry the play almost drop to buzzer in the first 20 minutes. The game remains scoreless however due to the play of former Shark Alex Stalock turned aside 18 first period shots to keep his team in it.
The Wild push back in the second period with a good start to the period. The Wild open the scoring when they are awarded a two man advantage for 78 seconds, the Flames kill off 76 of them before Chris Steward walks out of the corner, gets denied by Smith with a glove save, but then hammers home the rebound off the blocker out of mid air. The Flames get their feet back under them and start to take over the second half of the period and are finally awarded when Troy Brouwer makes a great play off the wall and feeds Monahan out front who whiops home his 5th of the season, game tied at one through 40.
The Flames get a two man advantage of their own in the third period and go ahead when Kris Versteeg scores a goal very much like the Stewart goal as he walks out of the corner and takes the puck across the goal mouth before hammering it in; 2-1 Flames. From there it looked like the Flames would wind the game down for a victory as they were playing a solid final period with the lead and looked to be securing two points. Instead Minnesota defensemen beat smith high with howitzers on back to back shifts to turn a 2-1 win into an eventual 4-2 loss with the empty net goal. Tough loss.
Possession Stats
1st Period – It wouldn’t take a stats analysis to decipher the first period as the Flames were all over the Wild in the first period, and up in shot attempts 15-11 five on five, and 28-14 overall. Scoring chances were 7-2.
2nd Period – The Flames weathered an early storm in the second, had some penalty trouble but then recovered in the second half of the period. Shot attempts were 21-14 Flames, and 22-21 overall in the second.
3rd Period – The Wild had the edge in the third by a 18-14 margin, though the Flames were up 24-19 overall. Scoring chances were in the Flames favour by a 14-9 margin.
Players – Brett Kulak finished in last place for the Flames in shot attempt differential at 36%, meaning the debate for that third pairing is likely to rage on. Four other Flames were under water a list that included Curtis Lazar, Michael Stone, Freddie Hamilton and Micheal Ferland. At the top of the scale you’d find Jaromir Jagr with very limited duty and then the big five once again all over 58%, and slightly ahead of good nights by Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau.
Three Stars
1. Alex Stalock: Without his start the Wild would have been lost tonight, 18 saves in the first period, in what could have been a three goal Calgary lead.
2. Sean Monahan : Scores his 5th of the season, and was dangerous all night throwing 7 pucks on net in a strong night.
3. Ryan Suter: Scores the tying goal and then sets up the winner in close proximity in the third period.
Big Save
With the goalie pulled and the Flames looking to send the game to overtime the home side got the puck to the right player, Sean Monahan, in the right position, his wheel house in front of the crease but Stalock turns away both the Monahan shot and the Mikeal Backlund rebound attempt to preserve the win.
The Heel
Just didn’t feel like a “heel” night to me. Gaudreau was -2 and led the team in giveaways if you want to talk statistics, but then I thought he looked pretty good for most of the night. Smith was beat late twice but they were seeing eye shots. I’m going to put a pin in this one.
Mr. Clutch
Jared Spurgeon. Scored the game winner and added an assist, but was narrowly beaten out for game star status. Love to see the small guy being a dominant force in the modern NHL style.
Odds and Ends
Given the Glen Gulutzan media appearance yesterday it was interesting to see the lines come out in the morning skate. As he suggested some of the penalty culprits would still dress but may see less ice time. Yet you had this feeling there would be change, and there was with Brett Kulak stepping in for Matt Bartkowski, and Curtis Lazar and Freddie Hamilton inserted for Tanner Glass and Matt Stajan. The change in age for the three changes would bring down the Flames average age by 1.2 years.
Off all the changes the most important for me to watch was the Kulak for Bartkowski substitution. The third pairing has had a tough go of late which has me wondering how much to assign to each of the regular pair. If Michael Stone is a problem then his contract is somewhat nasty, but if a change to his partner gets him back to more traditional shot attempt numbers then the Flames take a big step forward. In the end Kulak’s numbers were last on the club, so very little in this debate is solved, though the bottom pairing was leaps and bounds ahead of the debacle against Carolina.
Such a change in Sean Monahan’s game thus far this season. Sure he and his linemates are still given offensive zone starts sheltering them from the heavy lifting, but that hasn’t meant the same lopsided possession numbers, as Monahan night in night out has been quite solid. Additionally, he seems a bit faster and bigger, using the body more and being more difficult along the boards. Very good sign to see a guy that is traditionally a very slow starter off to such a good start this season. Would love to see this guy hit 30 or 35.
Hope Jaromir Jagr is ok. I’m on the Mark Jankowski watch as much as the next guy, but you don’t want to see Jagr miss any time. For one he’s really coming around and getting scoring chances, but you’d also hate to see a prolonged absence threaten his chance at that all time games played mark.
Speaking of Jankowski, I just don’t see the constant whining for the guy not being in the NHL. Depth is a good thing to have. They want him up, but they have to be careful as assuming he’s ready and then moving a top nine piece in a trade would be a disaster if he then came up and showed he wasn’t ready. Better to wait for an injury and have him step in and do the job. Then you can make the move from a place of strength and not estimation.
Next Up
The Flames hit the road for a game in Nashville on Tuesday night, game time 6pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Gaudreau – Monahan – Jagr
Versteeg – Bennett – Lazar
Ferland – Hamilton – Brouwer
Giordano – Hamilton
Brodie – Hamonic
Kulak – Stone
Smith
