Can you believe it’s only been a week since the Pittsburgh Penguins walked into town and pistol whipped the Calgary Flames to the tune of 9-1?
Thank you Crosby and friends!
Since then there has been nowhere to hide for a team that simply refused to focus on the less sexy details of the game as the Flames have garnered points in four straight games, including tonight’s shocking come from behind 6-5 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.
The comeback featured five third period goals erasing a 4-1 deficit and going up 6-4 before a late Colorado goal created a tense final minute. The Flames are now 8-5-1 on the season and finding ways to win.
Line Up Changes
It’s kind of becoming a game in game out thing, but Bill Peters continues to surprise me with his roster decisions most nights; both in changes he makes and changes he doesn’t.
No changes tonight other than the starting goaltender with Mike Smith getting the start after David Rittich beat the Sabres on Tuesday night. Both goaltenders have won their last start.
However I never would have guessed we’d see Michael Stone out for four consecutive games, one sure, two … ok maybe, but dressing two rookies ahead of Stone for four straight isn’t something I would have guessed, certainly early in the season.
Additionally, another sit for Austin Czarnik who has now missed six games on the season, which is quickly nearing half the Flames games. The guy that I would assume is heading for a turn to munch popcorn is Garnet Hathaway. I understood when he came into the lineup; everyone needs to play. I understood when he stayed in the lineup after scoring two goals in Manhattan. But now I’m failing to see his consistency on the lineup card. I get that he plays with a level of snarl that most Calgary players don’t near, but he’s last place in shot attempt splits, and more importantly last place in both scoring chance and high danger splits on a team looking to cut back on what they give up.
I haven’t been that impressed by Czarnik, but his hurdle to get back into the lineup isn’t that tall.
Own Zone Watch
Can only assume a defensive night mare in a 6-5 game right? Think again.
For the third straight game the Flames only gave up eight high danger scoring chances against, which pretty much spells out the night that Smith had in net. The Flames had 19 high danger chances themselves with teams playing five on five.
Who Is Hamonic?
With the way Travis Hamonic is playing this season it’s kind of difficult to determine which version of the guy we’ve seen in red is the real article.
Last season his struggles were well documented as the Brodie/Hamonic second pairing never found their footing.
He’s a different player this season which is somewhat ironic given how bumpy his road has been so far this campaign. Breaking his face in game one, missing eight games and then coming back against some of the league’s elite is hardly the recipe for a bounce back season.
Instead he’s been noticeably good defensively, but has also added another element in jumping up in the play.
Powerplay Entries
The powerplay didn’t exactly get it done again tonight, but it did score once and I did like the first unit’s entries for the most part.
More speed from Gaudreau in hitting the line, and it looks like some better set play options for the speedster as he comes through the neutral zone.
They are getting looks and it is coming along, but they can’t continue to rely on five on five play and the goalie pulled to get points. They need their powerplay to win them a game or two, and at least tonight they generated more than the opposition.
Smith Smith Smith
Give the net to David Rittich; at least on home ice.
Last season, a pretty dominant one for Mike Smith overall, was a much shadier mess on home ice than when he was wearing white on the road. This year he’s struggled in both jerseys, but has had two of his best showings away from home.
Tonight back at the Dome he gave up two brutal back breaking second period goals to pretty much wipe the dominance of the team he was playing behind off the board and send them to defeat.
Giving up four goals in the second period is bad enough, but when your team had eight of the nine registered scoring chances it literally adds insult to injury. Sure he was better in the third period, but he really wasn’t tested save for one goal mouth scramble.
It’s a good bet Rittich gets the net against Chicago on Saturday and if he wins he should keep it until he loses. It’s time to test the starter role in Calgary.
How about Sam Bennett?
Another night with all kinds of jump, Sam Bennett was noticeable on most of his shifts.
He almost scored in the first in a deflection attempt of Hamonic, he set up Mark Jankowski in the second and then let his gloves fly to deliver a message when Ian Cole charged and lit up his linemate Jankowski at his own blueline at the end of the second.
He was a spectator for most of the third serving his trio of penalties for the dust up, but you have to think he played a role in the comeback by spinning momentum on its ear late in the second.
But man he needs to start getting rewarded with points.
Third Period Magic
Coming into the night the Flames were tied for third period goals at 2o with the Jets.
Adding five more tonight gives them 25 on the season, and a pretty incredible lead this early in the season. Its been no secret that the Flames have had some pretty tepid starts to games thus far, but at least they’ve had the gumption and scoring depth to pour it on and come back.
Those points will be huge down the road.
Solving Varlamov
Its been a tale of two seasons for Semyon Varlamov; a season against the NHL, and a season against the Calgary Flames.
Against the league’s other 29 teams Varlamov has 421 minutes of elite play with a 1.42 goals against average and a .956 save percentage.
Against the Flames it’s 117.5 minutes with a 4.64 goals against average and a .885 save percentage.
First Real Deal Goal
James Neal now has three goals as a Calgary Flame, but in many ways it feels like he just scored his first Real Deal goal on the season.
An easy one in St. Louis and a flutter puck against Pittsburgh count, but his top shelf one timer from Gaudreau to tie the game in the third period is exactly why they brought the guy to Calgary. Three in 14 games isn’t exactly a blazing start but it is an 18 goal pace and not all that far off the 20+ that is expected.
Hopefully a snipe like that gets him untracked, his line was certainly noticeable tonight with Bennett and Jankowski.
Fancy Stats
All Calgary in this one, and not even due to score effects. The Flames had 65% of the shot attempts with period splits of 76% / 67% and 54%. The scoring chances were equally lopsided with the Flames getting 66% of the five on five regular scoring chances, and 70% of the high danger chances.
In all situations the Flames had 64% of the shot attempts, 64% of the scoring chances and 70% of the high danger chances.
Individually it was a good night for pretty much everybody, as only Jusso Valimaki was under water at 46%. Eight players were over 70% led by Mark Jankowski who with his linemates Sam Bennett and James Neal were the best line on the ice, especially through two periods. Other players with good numbers included Backlund, Hanifin, Tkachuk, Hathaway and Frolik.
Standing Watch
The Sharks are still playing, but down two goals to the Jackets in the second period. If that score holds the Flames have first place overnight in the Pacific.
The Oilers still have two games in hand, but both teams are three games over .500 thus far on the season.
