There are no fewer than nine players on the Calgary roster that call Ontario home, or at least their birth place.
Those that aren’t from Ontario certainly understand the elevated state, media attention, and the importance of playing well in Toronto in front of all the national media on site.
So it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Flames got up for a game against the Leafs in Toronto, though it was somewhat of a surprise to see how poorly the Leafs played and in the end how easy a time the Flames had of it in a 3-1 victory on Monday night.
The win snaps a three game losing streak and pivots the Flames to points in two straight as they head into Buffalo tonight to play the Sabres.
Lineup Changes
The blueline brigade stays the same with Michael Stone sitting his second straight game (Washington); the pairings remained unchanged.
Up front Austin Czarnik took a seat again, something we’ve seen fairly consistently of late with Derek Ryan taking his place and centering the fourth line.
Mike Smith was back in the nets for the third straight game, looking to quiet down his rough start.
Defensive Play
The Flames were noticeably better and quicker away from the puck off the hop tonight, something that honestly creates as many questions as it does answers.
Did they dial it in because the game was in Toronto and they didn’t want to get embarrassed?
Was it a tactical change from the coaching staff?
Same message but they’re finally tuning in?
A moment of clarity for almost everyone on the roster?
Bottom line it’s easier to defend as defensemen when your forwards are tracking the opposition back with a tight gap, it allows the Mark Giordanos of the world to step up and thwart the attack knowing the second wave of prevention is coming along shortly.
In their own zone the forwards played deeper, and gave the defensemen more options making the break outs smoother and more frequent.
It could be a one game thing. It could be an easy game against a very disorganized Leafs team. But if it’s a page turner for team defense it’s a very good sign this early in the season.
200 Foot Top Line
The good defensive play as a group didn’t exclude the top line, which is probably an even better sign on the night.
Gaudreau and Monahan both finished in the 55% area for shot attempts, and kept the scoring chances even against Toronto on the night. Their first period start with linemate Elias Lindholm was electric, and the trio put the game away for Calgary with two goals a minute apart; the first on a powerplay by Monahan, and the second soon after by Lindholm on a Cammallari knee down one timer.
Lindholm led all skaters with 62.5% split in shot attempts.
Exactly what you need from a top line.
Powerplay Goal!
After a long futile run by the powerplay, perhaps they’re starting to put it together.
A goal against Toronto in the third period, plus some good looks earlier in the night and the previous game against Washington suggests maybe just maybe the worm has turned for a group that has really only showed up in three games all season.
The Flames now have a 16.5% success rate, good for 20th league wide. On the road they’ve hit for only 10.3% or 28th place in the National Hockey League.
On the penalty kill side of things the Flames are 27th overall with a kill rate of 71.4%, on the road they’re 25th with 71%.
With an overall powerplay and penalty kill that only adds up to 87.9% it’s a miracle they are actually over .500 to date.
Elias Lindholm Again
Let me know when a good start becomes a good season, I honestly don’t know.
I do know that if a player has a career best 17 goal season on the books but eight goals in the month of October (thus far) in the current season, the math certainly suggests he may be on his way to setting some career bests.
Eight goals in 12 games plus a point per game to start, Lindholm is on pace for a 55 goal season if the keeps it up, which is unlikely. However scoring only nine more times in the next 70 games is equally unlikely.
Almost as important though is his ability to fit with Gaudreau and Monahan; to keep that machine rolling while providing a defensive conscious for the trio something that has worked again in the last two games though was sputtering on the Flames last two game trip out East.
Mike Smith Settling In?
The Flames allowed season lows in terms of overall high danger chances given up (11) and five on five high danger chances given up (8) against the Leafs, a solid 60 minutes that followed a pretty good effort against the Capitals on Saturday.
As a result, Mike Smith had one of his quietest games of the season, and was only beaten once on a two man advantage late in the third period; a goal that he had little chance to stop.
He didn’t have to be good, but he also didn’t hurt the team in any way by giving up a softie.
Along with the play of his teammates it’s good sign from a pretty important win.
Hamonic Effect
Another solid night for the Hamonic/Hanifin pairing, as once again the return of Travis Hamonic has really settled down the game of the younger Noah Hanifin.
To date on the season Hanifin’s splits with and without Hamonic are startling.
Without Hamonic – 44% CF% / 38% Scoring Chances / 35% high danger split
With Hamonic – 67% CF% / 71% Scoring Chances / 79% high danger split
Astounding.
Really checks the “Hanifin has been disappointing” summary on the season when you see the performance with his intended defense partner.
Fancy Stats
The Flames had 51% of the shot attempts with period splits of 70% / 41% and 50% on the night. They enjoyed 52% of the scoring chances and split the high danger chances evenly with the Leafs. In all situations the Leafs had 51% of the shot attempts, 51% of the scoring chances and 55% of the high danger chances.
Individually the Flames were led by Lindholm (62.5%) and Mark Giordano (60%) as well as Gaudreau, Monahan, Mikael Backlund, Rasmus Andersson, TJ Brodie and Noah Hanifin all over 50%. Jusso Valimaki struggled on the night and brought up the rear at 32%.
