Have to admit it’s kind of fun that this season is still a thing!
The Flames are still alive with four games and three off days on their schedule. Tonight’s 6-1 win over the Ottawa Senators coming on the heels of last night’s regulation loss by the Montreal Canadiens in Toronto means the season ticks on to May 10th and we’ll take it from there.
Tonight the Flames jumped all over a tired Ottawa team scoring only once in the first, but taking the game away with three second period goals, only to add another two in the third.
Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau led the way with three point nights as the Flames live to fight another day … or … live to watch the out of town scoreboard another day.
The Line Up
The Flames are still officially alive, something I personally find amazing given the number of times this season the team has faced and failed in do or die contests. Yet here they are. The Flames management/coaching staff seem to be fully understanding the percentages as they’ve gone with a very different look tonight making two changes to the bottom half of the roster. Not necessarily giving up the season, but certainly making unproven changes with something still on the line.
-The Cage
That’s not the case in goal, where the Flames go with Jacob Markstrom in goal once again. The workhorse will probably get a breather once they’re officially eliminated but for now he’s the guy, and why not? He’s certainly played much better hockey in the last several weeks.
Jacob Markstrom
Goals Saved above average -8.6
Louis Domingue
Yet to play
The Blueline
One change on the blueline with Oliver Kylington coming in for Juuso Valimaki to play the third pairing with Michael Stone. That leaves the recent top two pairs in tact with Mark Giordano lining up with Chris Tanev and Nikita Nesterov playing with Rasmus Andersson. Darryl Sutter seems to be at war with Valimaki this season, so the scratch doesn’t come as a huge surprise.
Giordano – Tanev
62% xGF in 236 minutes
Nesterov – Andersson
48% xGF in 87 minutes
Kylington – Stone
New combination
Up Front
One scratch, one promotion and a boat load of change up front. No change in the top line with Elias Lindholm centering Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Everything else though is quite different. Sean Monahan slides over to the left side to play with Derek Ryan as his center and Dillon Dube on the right. Mikael Backlund centers Joakim Nordstrom and Andrew Mangiapane. And Glen Gawdin is recalled and dressed ahead of Buddy Robinson, centering the fourth line with Milan Lucic and Brett Ritchie.
Gaudreau – Lindholm – Tkachuk
57% xGF in 105 minutes
Monahan – Ryan – Dube
New Combination
Nordstrom – Backlund – Mangiapane
New Combination
Lucic – Gawdin – Ritchie
New Combination
~ Data from NaturalStatTrick, and Moneypuck
Was that Makarov?
Whenever a newish number gets walked out in the classic Calgary jerseys I just can’t help but associating the number with a player in the 80s or early 90s.
So with Glen Gawdin in the lineup I just can’t get past the Sergei Makarov reference whenever I see 42 moving up the ice. Gawdin is taller, though not by too much, and way less stockier than his Russian predecessor. I won’t get into skill level as that’s pretty obvious and there’s no point in hammering on an AHL call up.
I don’t do it with players that have established the look; so no Sean Monahan is Paul Reinhart, or Brett Ritchie is Jim Peplinski, but it’s always an interesting wrinkle in the game for me; especially with a number as unique as 42.
Either was was nice to see Gawdin pick up his first NHL point.
Flaming Iron
That was quite a first period for hitting the iron in a absolutely have to win game.
The Flames, of course, got the go ahead goal on a breakaway from Johnny Gaudreau, but they could have been up a few more if not for lady luck shining on the Senators and their goal posts and cross bars.
Gaudreau hit the cross bar early, and then Mark Giordano hit the cross bar twice within about 10 seconds, but the score stayed 1-0 Calgary despite the Flames really taking it to the Senators.
Gaudreau and Tkachuk Chemistry
Have to like the mounting chemistry between Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk.
The two are finding each other behind the net and coming off the half wall with great regularity. They each had three points tonight (Gaudreau now with 15 points in his last 12 games, likely his best run since the 2018-19 season) on a goal and an assist each, but the damage could have been much more with some finish and less clangs of the iron.
You don’t notice Elias Lindholm in the trio as much, but he’s clearly playing the F3 position and is sitting out high defensively in case of a turnover.
Not sure if all three (two) will be back next season, but if they are it might be worth a look for a full 82 games.
Michael Stone Appreciation Again
Just can’t say enough about this guy.
The collective hockey “minds” on Twitter looked down their noses when the Flames signed Michael Stone to a two way contract this season, sending me into a defence of the signing as solid NHL depth and a 8-9 guy in case injuries happened.
Well one injury happened, Noah Hanifin, but beyond that Michael Stone has simply exceeded all expectations and made himself a clear cut “one of the six” defenders since Darryl Sutter took over, making a healthy scratch for the player a non starter as far as expectations.
Tonight he scored his second of the season, and honestly you have to wonder if they sign the guy for another season at league minimum and bring him back. He’s been a solid third pairing defenseman.
Have to Hand it to Mark Giordano Again
Scores a goal, adds an assist, leads the team with a +4 night while hitting the cross bar twice, the rebound to his season and the ability at age 38 is nothing less than astounding.
Early in the season Geoff Ward kept with a pairing that just didn’t work, and since then not only has Giordano rebounded, but Rasmus Andersson has looked more like himself as well.
With a steady run of points of late Giordano has 23 in 52 games, which is a 36 point pace through 82 games; which is pretty much back to his career average.
Hoping the team doesn’t have to expend hefty assets to keep him from Seattle; I’d like to see him finish that contract in Calgary.
Team Stats:
Shots – Flames 36 Senators 20
Face Offs – Flames 43%
Powerplay – Flames 1/1 Senators 0/3
Player Stats:
Points – Both Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau each had three point nights, each with a goal and two assists to pace the Flames.
Plus/Minus – Mark Giordano was an eye popping +4 on the night, besting his pairing mate Chris Tanev who was +3.
Shots – Mikael Backlund led all shoots with six shots on goal for the Flames.
Fancy Stats
The Flames pretty much dominated as the scoreboard would suggest with 63% of the five on five shot attempts on period splits of 72%/57% and 50%. In terms of high danger chances the Flames had 81% with a 13-3 bulge, something you don’t see every day. As a result the expected goal splits wouldn’t be a shock as the Flames had 74% on the night.
In all situations the Flames had 61% of the shot attempts, 73% of the high danger chances and an expected goal split of 68%. The tired Senators honestly didn’t show up.
Individually, the Flames were led by Andrew Mangiapane, Johnny Gaudreau, Joakim Nordstrom, Mark Giordano, Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk, and Chris Tanev who all had 70+% night in that order from top to seventh. Dillon Dube, Elias Lindholm and Michael Stone were all at 65%+. The only guys under water were the fourth line as all of Milan Lucic, Glen Gawdin and Brett Ritchie finished under 40%.
