Just who are these guys?
A quick start with the pedal down for the whole first period.
A second where two fortunate bounces erase a two goal lead, but they have the gumption to hang in and retake the lead.
Then a third period where they do an excellent job of holding down the fort and limiting chances again.
Quite the recipe for a 1-o lead in a first round series against the Dallas Stars on the backs of a 3-2 victory on Tuesday afternoon in Edmonton (yeah that seems pretty weird).
The Flames bested the Stars with two goals from Dillon Dube, and the game winner from Rasmus Andersson as the team’s second core continues to emerge in these protracted Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Lineup Changes
Why mess with a winning formula right?
Geoff Ward certainly didn’t see the need to alter the recipe for game one against the Dallas Stars.
In goal of course is Cam Talbot, who had a sparkling .941 save percentage in the play in series, eliminating the Winnipeg Jets.
On the blueline no change as well, as Mark Giordano lines up with TJ Brodie, the emerging second pairing of Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson, and finally the trade deadline third pairing of Erik Gustafsson and Derek Forbort.
Up front status quo as well. The suddenly better defensively but need more five on five offensively top line of Sean Monahan between Johnny Gaudreau, Mikael Backlund between Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane, the physical and impactful third line of Sam Bennett between Milan Lucic and Dillon Dube, and finally a fourth line featuring the club’s penalty killers with Derek Ryan the pivot between Mark Jankowski and Tobias Rieder.
Dube Emergence
That was quite the first period.
A great one timer on a Milan Lucic powerplay play setup, and then an afterburner smoke show on Andres Sekera to make it 2-0 in the first period.
Oh and he whiffed on a first period breakaway between the two goals or he would have had a natural hat trick.
Dillon Dube is really making his presence felt in these playoffs, with three goals on the post season after scoring only six in the regular season.
Having a third line contributing is making all the difference for the Flames thus far.
Top Line Struggles
Another tough night for the top line.
Those from a distance have opined that the top line is different this year with the point production from the first line in the play in series suggesting they are very much dialed in.
Those points have come into empty nets and on the powerplay however, as the trio is having little luck five on five. Tonight they finished dead last of the skaters in corsi splits and xGF% as they were owned.
The difference this year however is the uptick from the second and third lines as the Flames are no longer a one trick pony.
Last year the third line was boat anchored by James Neal, and the second line wasn’t as productive with Michael Frolik on the line instead of Andrew Mangiapane.
Makes you wonder though if they should re-purpose Elias Lindholm. He’s getting wasted.
Monahan is digging, Gaudreau is backchecking, but neither look all that comfortable in traffic.
Tkachuk Fight
Matthew Tkachuk had four fights in the regular season, tied for the lead on the Flames with Milan Lucic.
In the playoffs he now has two to pace the Flames, one more than Milan Lucic.
That’s six fights on the season for a guy called turtle by Edmonton media and fans.
Tonight it was Corey Perry calling after the Flames had scored on a first period powerplay (drawn by Tkachuk), with the edge going to Tkachuk for the take down.
Edmonton by the way had their all season fight leader Zach Kassian with three bouts, half the Tkachuk output.
Those up North honestly looking at this will see not fighting Kassian was mental chess against a dummy, not a guy looking to avoid fights.
Deadline Reinforcements
Have to say it again, what a boon it’s been with the Brad Treliving adds at the deadline to the blueline.
A third pairing that is honestly a second pairing on some teams has been great, but none greater than tonight where the pairing lead the team in corsi and xGF%, while both got key assists on the second Dube goal.
Giving up a third for Gustaffson and a fourth that could become a third if they go to the Conference Finals or sign him are pretty small prices to pay for that level of depth; especially with Calgary now getting Edmonton’s 3rd in the Lucic trade.
Powerplay Rolling
Only one chance tonight, but a successful chance with a Dillon Dube goal.
That’s the third goal in the playoffs from the second unit as the Flames continue to have a hot hand in the postseason with a man advantage.
The Jets were outplayed in most fashions, but on special teams the Flames were especially dominant.
Tonight against a new foe the Flames go 1/1 while the Stars go 0/2 including a late sequence with the goalie pulled.
Goaltending and special teams win playoff series. The Flames are getting both.
Lucic Draws
So is Sam Bennett nursing an injury that doesn’t allow him to take draws, or do the Flames see something in Milan Lucic in the face off circle?
Tonight he was over 60% so it’s no argument, but Bennett has always been a pretty good face off guy so the switch out isn’t all that necessary.
Maybe they like the Bennett battle on faceoffs that we’ve seen through these games, but my money is on a Bennett wrist injury.
Talbot Start
We finally get a goal that he’s like to have back, with Jamie Benn bouncing one by him to tie the score in the second period.
His team bailed him out with a go ahead goal again, and the goalie himself was solid in the third as his team played good defence in front of him.
All told he only faced three high danger chances five on five as the Flames continue to put up a brick wall defensively, but he did what was required to win the game.
Clearly you go back to him again, but his foible tonight does open the chance we see David Rittich before the end of this series.
Scary Finish
Thought that Mark Giordano collision with a linesman was a close call (not Giordano’s fault), but the puck over the boards late had the chance of being a major story had the Flames not successfully killed the last 50 seconds.
Down six on four the Flames kept the Stars to the outside and count down the clock without much panic.
Close call though, would have been a tough one to live down.
Counting Stats
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 26 Stars 26
Face Offs – Flames 47%
Special Teams – Flames 1/1 Stars 0/2
Player Stats:
Points – Dillon Dube led the way with two points, both goals, to pace the Flames.
Plus/Minus – All three members of the fourth line, and both members of the third defence pairing led the Flames with +1 nights. Not a bad sign.
Shots – Crazy as it sounds Derek Forbort led all skaters with four shots on goal on the afternoon.
Fancy Stats
The two teams tied it up on five on five shot attempts, as the Flames had exactly 50% of the statistic on period splits of 61%/41% and 50%. The Flames had 70% of the high danger chances (7-3) and 57% of the xGF% five on five.
In all situations the Flames had 51% of the shot attempts, 70% of the high danger chances and 58% as a xGF% mark.
Individually the Flames were led by Mikael Backlund at 67% in five on five shot attempts, Erik Gustaffson, Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane were all in the 60s as well. Derek Forbort and Tobias Rieder had 55%. The top line were all tied at 40% to sit at the bottom of the pile.
