I battle against the term “must win” for most of the season. It gets tiresome, it’s a cliche and it’s over used.
Tonight however it was hard to ignore.
The Flames came off a six game road trip in pretty good shape with a 4-2-0 record. But back to back losses on home ice, and another loss in Vegas, coupled with a pretty hot run from pretty much all of their rivals had the season almost in the balance with a game against the NHL’s 31st ranked club in Arizona tonight.
Said 31st place team has been on a roll however, winning four in a row and having not lost in regulation in six outings.
So you have to hand it to the Flames for stepping up and running the table on the Coyotes to the tune of a 5-2 victory on Thursday night.
One more game to go before the deadline.
Jon Gillies 2nd NHL Start
Funny thing happened on the way to the NHL trade deadline.
Jon Gillies went from a trade chip to a starting goaltender due to the injury to Mike Smith and some recent spotty play from regular backup David Rittich.
For Gillies it was his third appearance of the season, but only his second NHL start, as he started and beat the Kings last year at the end of the season. Clearly the guy likes to know he’s playing as his two starts have not, repeat not, resembled his relief appearances.
Tonight, in start two, he turns aside 35 of 37 shots after a shaky start that saw him giving up a goal in the first minute and then almost giving away another a few minutes later.
Ferland Demoted
Micheal Ferland has gone cold again. The streaky winger is always up and down, and lately it’s mostly down.
His game in Vegas was one of his worst this season, and he saw himself demoted to the third line in exchange for winger Garnet Hathaway a natural right winger from the middle point on.
The Hathaway experiment didn’t bring results either so tonight Glen Gulutzan started Sam Bennett on the top line in place of Ferland who slid down to the left side of the third line in Bennett’s place.
The result for Ferland? Undecided. He was pretty much invisible save for a fight, but then didn’t play the third period with no word from the telecast. He seemed fine in the second after the scrap in the first, so it’s hard to say.
Bennett Promoted
The guy that pops up in almost any Flames trade rumour these days may have given his current management team pause by posting a two point game on the top line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau.
Sure he slipped up early by knocking two of Johnny Gaudreau’s teeth out with an errant stick but his tip goal was a beauty, and with a bounce or two he could have had another two points.
Good start for the new trio, will be interesting to see where it goes on Saturday as I’m sure they’ll be kept together for another look.
Top Ten Line Glimpse
With Gaudreau in the room getting some work the Flames walked out a brief look of the top ten line with Sean Monahan centering Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk.
That’s 6th overall in 2013, 4th overall in 2014 and 6th overall in 2016.
Stajan Hit Ferland Vengeance
Love seeing Micheal Ferland jumping in and fighting Rinaldo after his questionable hit on Matt Stajan earlier in the first period.
First off insane that none of the four officials saw the hit, but putting that aside it was great to see Ferland stand up for a veteran teammate. Ferland doesn’t fight all that often, but he’s very very good at it when he does it.
Either way what a great way to show the coaching staff that you’re engaged and taking the demotion as a man.
Frolik Penalties
Michael Frolik now has six minor penalties in his last seven games, a streak that has to stop.
Sure tonight the call on Frolik was weak, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the player gets his stick into the opposition far too often.
Clean it up!
Brouwer Back
Really liked Troy Brouwer tonight.
He was smart with his stick, patient, good on the penalty kill and noticeable for the most part in adding some jam to that fourth line with Stajan and Curtis Lazar.
All three guys are playing some of their best hockey of the season, generating scoring chances and keeping the flow moving for the top three lines.
Good sign.
Who Starts Next?
Will be interesting to see what the Flames do with their starting goaltender on Saturday afternoon.
David Rittich has been pretty solid all season, but brutal in two of their last three games, while Gillies was solid tonight and picked up the win.
Have to think they go Gillies with Smith on the sidelines in a return to the win and you’re in mentality that we saw last season.
Deadline Stopper
My gut?
If the Flames win on Saturday, Brad Treliving goes out and adds a veteran goaltender at the deadline on Monday. Relying on two young goaltenders for a long stretch in March seems like suicide if the team is serious about the playoffs, and with the moves they made before the season I can’t see Treliving letting the season die on the vine.
Special Teams Win!
The Flames score a powerplay goal again, going one for three, kill all five penalties called against them and then score a shorthanded goal.
Good night!
That’s plus 2 on the night in special teams and another healthy boost to both percentages.
Since Dougie Hamilton was added to the powerplay the Flames have scored nine extra man goals in eight games, a huge turnaround to what was a complete tire fire fir two months.
The powerplay has chugged along at 28% in those eight games.
The Hot Stay Hot
Dougie Hamilton continued his hot hand with two assists, one coming seconds after I was almost certain he would bury a pass from Gaudreau on a powerplay.
Additionally, Matthew Tkachuk keeps his insane roll going scoring a third period goal to push his season total to 24. Two months ago I was thinking the kid was heading for a 15 goal 50 assist season, but now he’s padding the twine ticklers as well.
Standings Impact
The Sharks got spanked in Nashville, the Kings lost to the Stars and the Flames win.
So Calgary reels in the Kings (L.A. has a game in hand), move within two points of the Ducks (even games), within three points of the Sharks (Sharks have a game in hand), but also within a point of the two wild card teams Minnesota and St. Louis both of which have games in hand.
So you’re saying it’s possible!
Fancy Stats
Pretty much all Calgary tonight at they take the shot attempts five on five at 56% with splits of 52 / 61 / 55. Scoring chances were 16-9 for the Flames five on five. In all situations the Flames had 51% of the shot attempts and 49% of the scoring chances, certainly suggesting Jon Gillies did the job killing penalties.
Individually, another tough night for the 3M line as they all finish below the break even point along with Hathaway, TJ Brodie and Travis Hamonic. On the plus side they were lead by Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett at 67% and 65% respectively. The third pairing had a great night too with 63%.
