Well that was sadly expected.
The Flames like many teams are always terrible in their first game back of any road trip that seems to last longer than three games or seven days.
So it comes as no surprise that they were a complete mess tonight after a six game travel weary junket in a season where they can’t win at home even at the best of times.
A combination of terrible defensive play, some spotty goaltending, and a rush of negative puck luck saw the Flames blown out on Saddledome ice, dropping a 6-3 contest to Roberto Luongo and the Florida Panthers.
Next up the Bruins in another almost never win situation; the dreaded home afternoon game.
Sigh …
Do the Dougie
How many times will you see a defenseman score three goals in a loss?
Shame that Dougie Hamilton had both his 400th career game and his first career hat trick in a loss, but at the end of the day the accomplishment is the accomplishment and you can’t take that away from him.
I do worry about that second goal being moved to Matthew Tkachuk but time will tell. Either way a great offensive night for the Flames top pairing defenseman.
Flames Score Two Powerplay Goals Again
Speaking of Hamilton; clearly his finally being added to the first powerplay unit is paying dividends as he scored both powerplay goals himself tonight.
I’d love to take credit for whining about his being on the first unit for months but there’s little point as it was a chorus of the 1000s asking for the exact same thing.
A team that lacks right handed shooters doesn’t use the right handed shooting defenseman that gets more pucks on net than any of his teammates? Insane.
Still think they need to swap sides with Giordano to get his stick in the middle on a one timer though.
Get Your Sticks down!
This rash of silly penalties from the Flames is just killing them.
Back to back high sticking penalties to Dougie Hamilton and Micheal Frolik resulted in two Florida powerplay goals taking a 1-1 game into a 3-1 Panther lead which soon became 4-1.
Offensive zone penalties drive me nuts, but so too do careless high sticking calls where a player is literally not responsible for his stick.
Figure it out guys.
Goaltending Issues
You don’t want to make a mountain out of a mole hill, because David Rittich has been rock solid in a relief role this season for the Calgary Flames.
But tonight he wasn’t good.
Sure his teammates were spotty as hell, but he didn’t give them the big save to bail them out. A rough night in coverage coupled with a rough night by a goaltender gets you a 6-3 loss.
But I didn’t love Jon Gillies either. He didn’t look that poised in the crease and over his head at this level.
I’d assume they’ll have to come back with Rittich for Monday as I’m guessing Mike Smith isn’t ready, and if that’s the case I sure hope the kid has a bounce back game as he’s been nothing but poise at the NHL level suggesting he may have the mettle to be a starter.
It will be interesting to see.
Enough Arguing
Man I get tired of guys arguing with officials on obvious calls.
Michael Stone thinks he’s innocent on every call, including the his slash tonight that was not only obvious but right in front of one of the officials.
Later David Trochek grabs Johnny Gaudreau without the puck and throws him off the glass and then acts like he was personally wronged for the two minute minor.
I’m sure these guys keep tabs on this kind of thing and I’m guessing it hurts them on future calls as well.
Time to Break Up the 3M Line?
They seem to be chasing the game.
Frolik and Backlund take silly penalties again, they keep getting bottled up in their own zone, and their always dominant possession stats are taking on water.
With the third line up and down, it really leaves the top line plus Hamilton and Tkachuk on the powerplay as all of Calgary’s offence.
Might be time to move Tkachuk up to play with Monahan and Gaudreau, or swap Backlund and Jankowski to see if they can find chemistry with different wingers.
Or more interesting a deadline addition in the top nine would give them a chance to drop Frolik to play with Jankowski and Bennett giving them a great defensive presence to help them continue their recent momentum.
Ryan Lomberg is Over His Head
I just don’t think this guy is an NHL player.
He’s not quick, or big, he can’t seem to fight, he doesn’t play any special teams and he hasn’t been all that physical.
With Morgan Klimchuk in the wings, I think it’s time to move on from the Lomberg experiment, give the local boy a shot or recall Andrew Mangiapane.
Standings Issues
Not a good night for the ultra tight Western Conference playoff race. The Kings beat the Sabres, the Ducks beat the Wild in extra time and of course the Flames lose sending them out of a playoff space.
The Flames are now a point back of the Ducks with the Ducks having played an additional game.
Fancy Stats
Certainly some score effects in play, but the Flames won the battle of the shot attempts on home ice once again with a 52% night with period splits of 50 / 43 / 62. Scoring chances five on five were 9-8 Florida.
In all situations the shot attempts were 56% Calgary and 13-10 in scoring chances.
Individually it’s yet another rough night for the 3M line as they were all around 40% behind only Ryan Lomberg at the bottom of the heap. Johnny Gaudreau and Micheal Ferland led at 68%, joined by Dougie Hamilton and Garnet Hathaway in the 60s.
