You’re not going to win too many games when you don’t score any goals, I don’t think Yogi Berra ever said that, but it’s certainly in his “ball park”.
Additionally, you don’t do well on many two game road trips when you only score once, but that’s exactly what the Flames managed in their two game sojourn into Nevada and Arizona on the last two nights, dropping both games by 2-1 and 2-0 scores respectively.
As per usual, the Flames didn’t play all that poorly, but their ability to generate is down, and their penchant for finishing almost non-existent as they wasted back to back goaltending performances that should have generated points.
The club has a playoff spot all but locked up, they still lead the division and the conference, though perilously now after a four game slide. But time is of the essence, hopefully some home cooking will be the tonic to turn things around.
Line Up Changes
Despite the back to back situation and the team losing three straight in regulation, they pretty much went with the same lineup in Arizona as they did in Vegas last night.
Mike Smith comes into the nets, David Rittich having played well last night. But they left the forward group intact, and made a minor swap on the blueline with Oscar Fantenberg coming for Dalton Prout.
Missed Opportunity For Experimentation
When I saw Fantenberg in the lineup I was thinking they’d take the opportunity to experiment a little more than just moving Ramsus Andersson down to the third pairing and TJ Brodie back to his regular gig in the top duo.
Why not try Brodie on his natural right side with Fantenberg and leave Andersson be with Giordano? Would Brodie playing his favoured off side make the third pairing stronger while Giordano continued to shelter Andersson in the big match ups?
I think it would be worth a look.
Soon Bill Peters will have two lefties and two righties to scratch each night creating all kinds of options when Michael Stone and Juuso Valimaki arrive back in town.
Solid Mike Smith Start
Certainly can’t fault Mike Smith on the first goal, that was a bang bang two on one one timer that most goalies not named Mikka Kiprusoff would find difficult.
I didn’t love his slow reaction time in getting up for the second goal (more on that later), but it was a contested play and that was the only other goal he gave up.
Bottom line, no puck-handling gaffs and he gave the team a start that should have generated points.
When Will Lazar Play?
Just don’t get why the team would call up Curtis Lazar and then never put him in the lineup.
I like the play of Andrew Mangiapane, and Austin Czarnik has had some of his best hockey of the season in the last stretch so I get that it’s competitive. But why not sit Garnet Hathaway a night and give Lazar a spin before he goes ice cold watching from the press box?
Another Review
I’m guessing the call tonight was made on the basis that Mike Smith had time after Noah Hanifin was pushed on top of him to recover for the shot?
Otherwise I don’t have a clue.
There’s a clear pushing motion from Grabner on Noah Hanifin. Smith is down without a stick and as he’s getting up the shot goes corner.
Could Smith have reacted sooner? I think so. But that certainly is all I can see to have that one count, especially in light of the Gaudreau goal called back last night for a player outside of the crease running into a hockey stick.
Offensive Offence
There’s a sputter and then there’s a complete blockage, the latter what the Calgary Flames are currently experiencing offensively.
Much has been made of James Neal and his woes this season, to which many point out how unsustainable a player with a career average shooting percentage north of 12% suddenly going cold and shooting 4.5%. He’ll bounce back. It’s a given right?
Well the Flames are now shooting 4.05% in the last five games, and 5.11% in the last 11. They are all James Neal, which sounds a bit like a lyric from an Our Lady Peace song.
Not sure where each individual sits on PDO, but the Flames have PDO rating of 93 in the last five games and 96 in the last seven, which like Neal just isn’t sustainable.
Things look bad, but they’re bad in a way that isn’t likely to continue.
Looking Specifically
We’ve shown the light on the team’s big three forwards, so a quick look at the big three and their nights in Arizona.
Matthew Tkachuk:
19:39 – one shot – no points – even
57.7% CF / 3-6 split in high danger chances.
Sean Monahan:
22:01 – one shot – no points – even
46.4% CF / 4-9 split in high danger chances.
Johnny Gaudreau:
23:38 – two shots – no points – even
48.3% CF / 1-9 split in high danger chances.
The top line just isn’t getting it done. Out played, not generating, and not finishing. It’s been just over five weeks now. May be time to split them up.
Standings Implications
More of the same. The Flames lose and they have to watch others pick up points.
San Jose was up three goals on Montreal at publish time, suggesting they are about to move one point back of the Flames with a game in hand and essentially hold the hammer.
The Flames have the softest schedule in the league, and have a boat load of home games coming up; so all is not lost, but they best get this worked out soon.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Vegas 38 Calgary 34
Face Offs – 53% Flames
Special Teams – Calgary 0/3 Vegas 1/4
Player Stats:
Points – Tkachuk, Monahan and Hamonic with one each
Plus/Minus – Brodie +1, Hanifin, the rest of the team at even
Shots – Mark Giordano with 6
Fancy Stats
The Flames finished with 58% of the five on five shot attempts with period splits of 54%/51% and 71%. They gave up a lot of quality however; the Coyotes had 49% of the scoring chances, but 57% of the high danger chances as the Flames gave up an unacceptable 16 five on five high danger chances against.
In all situations, Calgary had 59% of the shot attempts, 54% of the scoring chances and 49% of the high danger chances.
Individually, the Flames were led by Rasmus Andersson as he put up an eye popping 80% on the night. Sam Bennett was number two with 76%. Five players were in the 60s including; Backlund, Fantenberg, Mangiapane, Czarnik and TJ Brodie. Only four players were under water; Travis Hamonic, Sean Monahan, Garnet Hathaway and Johnny Gaudreau.
