Rent free …
Last year Matthew Tkachuk drove the Edmonton Oilers crazy leading to Zach Kassian jumping the player, taking some penalties and the Flames were on to victory.
Tonight we pretty much saw the same script. Two thunderous Tkachuk hits on Kassian, both knocking the players helmet to the ice, the second occurence leading to Kassian losing it and trying to rag doll Tkachuk into a fight after a completely clean check.
The result? Four minutes in penalties and the eventual Elias Lindholm game winner; with Matthew Tkachuk providing the screen as the Calgary Flames turned back the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Saturday night, laying claim to first place in the Pacific in the process.
Line Up Changes
Lets get to the big one, the Flames start Cam Talbot in goal against his former team in the Edmonton Oilers. Pretty bold move. Sure Talbot has won back to back games by a 2-1 score, but I would have assumed David Rittich’s history with the Oilers would have carried more weight. Love the story though, but heading in I was worried with those three pucks getting through his legs in the last half of the Minnesota game.
No change on the blueline with Mark Giordano skating with TJ Brodie, Noah Hanifin lining up with Travis Hamonic and the all Swedish third pairing of Oliver Kylington and Rasmus Andersson.
One change up front as another former Oiler, Tobias Reider enters the fray to center the fourth line with Zach Rinaldo and Sam Bennett. No change to the other three lines with Elias Lindholm centering Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane. Sean Monahan taking draws between Johnny Gaudreau and Mikael Backlund, and Derek Ryan between Milan Lucic and Dillon Dube.
Great Acid Test Game
No I’m not saying the Oilers are an almighty measuring stick, nothing could be further from the truth.
But given the team’s mental breakdown in the playoffs against Colorado nine months ago it was interesting to see how the team would manage the emotion and excitement of a Battle of Alberta game on a Saturday night with the teams tied and both relevant in the West and Pacific division standings.
CBC Opening
Clearly I’m looking for things, but the CBC opening didn’t seem to try all that hard to show both teams in the same light.
They showed a McDavid goal. Fine. They showed a Monahan goal. That seems even.
But additionally they showed four or five straight Edmonton hits on Calgary players to set the game up.
I’m reaching … but that was odd.
There Shall Be Boos
There wasn’t a lot of them, and it didn’t last all night … but the first time James Neal touched the puck you could certainly hear the cat calls from the sold out crowd in Calgary.
And like Neal’s season in Calgary last year, the boos pretty much fizzled out and became a non factor the rest of the way.
That’s probably pretty just when you think of it. The guy wasn’t good in a Calgary uniform, and mailed it in too often. But who cares … move on.
Mangiapane Creativity
Johnny Gaudreau. Matthew Tkachuk. The two guys Calgary counts on to create offence on most nights. Other players have elite skills; Elias Lindholm is the best on the team two ways, Sean Monahan is a shooter. They have three defenseman that can impact the game on both sides of the score sheet.
But the next tier, or bronze medal guy for creating offence from nothing is the emerging Andrew Mangiapane. He takes a quiet play, beats a guy, beats another guy and finds a late Flame in the slot to create offence on numerous occasions tonight.
That line has a lot of skill, but don’t over look the contributions made by number 88.
Gaudreau Finding Form?
For the second time in a week I’m wondering if Johnny Gaudreau is starting to slay whatever demon he’s been harbouring since almost a year ago.
He has nine points in his last eight games, and seems to be doing more Gaudreau things of late than we’ve seen previously in this season.
Less bobbles, more authority with the puck, and seeing the ice better for sure.
I’m excusing his hard luck shift where he lost an edge and then had the puck go off his skate after Oliver Kylington made a great play coming off the bench on Ryan Nugent Hopkins.
Managing McDavid
Huge tip of the hat to the Flames top pairing of Mark Giordano and TJ Brodie, as well as the top line of Lindholm/Tkachuk and Mangiapane.
The five-some had 11 minutes of toe to toe time against Connor McDavid on the night and had the Oiler’s captain at sub 40% in terms of shot attempts.
That’s good hockey.
The only line that McDavid actually feasted on was the Derek Ryan line that got caught on the ice a few times deep, icing the puck.
Have to give some credit to Geoff Ward as well for managing the game effectively. There were plenty of instances where Dave Tippett tried to get away from the matchup, but Calgary answered back quickly.
Tkachuk and Kassian
Pretty disappointed in the four minute plus ten Zach Kassian call in the second period after a clean hit by Matthew Tkachuk.
It wasn’t charging. Elbow was down. Didn’t leave his feet. Clean hit.
First off Kassian needs to do his chin strap up, he reminds me of Todd Bertuzzi back in the day. Especially silly with the new rule about having to leave the ice or put your helmet back on instantly when you lose it.
But to have the guy toss Tkachuk down twice and throw at least five or six hay makers and not get a fighting major is a complete joke.
That was the very definition of a one sided fight.
As Brian Burke said after twenty, he hates the “have to fight after a clean hit” thing in the NHL today.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 33 Oilers 32
Face Offs – Flames 55%
Special Teams – Flames 1/2 Oilers 0/1
Player Stats:
Points – Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm had two points each to lead the Flames, Gaudreau with a goal and an assist and Lindholm with two goals.
Plus/Minus – Six different Flames finished the game at +1, a list that included Lindholm, Matthew Tkachuk, Andrew Mangiapane, TJ Brodie, Mark Giordano and Noah Hanifin.
Shots – Johnny Gaudreau basically lapped his teammates with six shots on goal, the next closest at three.
Fancy Stats
The Flames had the lion’s share of five on five shot attempts through two periods. and then managed the dip in the third period with the Oilers pressing. Five on five shot attempts fell 57% to the Flames on the night with period splits of 62%/60% and 46%. Scoring chances five on five (high danger) were also in Calgary’s favour at 63% (12-7 margin). The Flames had an expected goals for percentage of 62%.
In all situations the Flames had 56% of the shot attempts, 55% of the high danger chances and an xGF% of 57%.
The players entrusted with managing Edmonton talent had dominant underlying numbers for the Flames. Andrew Mangiapane led all skaters with 69% in terms of shot attempt splits five on five. Mark Giordano came in at 69% as well. Matthew Tkachuk, TJ Brodie, Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington and Johnny Gaudreau were also in the 60s. Only three players were under the 50% mark on the night, the second pairing of Noah Hanifin, Travis Hamonic and Zach Rinaldo in the 40s.
