Game Takes: Jets 5 Flames 2

January 26th, 2025 | Posted in Game Takes | By: D'Arcy McGrath

The Flames showed up.

Give them credit, the dead tired team missing one of their go to blueliners, playing on back to backs with their backup goaltender showed up and gave the Jets a handful in a 5-2 loss that was actually much closer than the final score would suggest.

In the end they couldn’t finish, and couldn’t get the big save to sweep the weekend after beating the Wild last night.

Up next is the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night at the Saddledome.

The Lineup

Back to back games, and a hit from behind injury to a top four defenseman. You knew there would be change.

So some revamped forwards lines as follows; Nazem Kadri between Jonathan Huberdeau and Jakob Pelletier, Mikael Backlund back with Blake Coleman and Matt Coronato (the one line unchanged). A third line with Yegor Sharangovich at center between Andrei Kuzmenko and Martin Pospisil, and a fourth line of Kevin Rooney between Clark Bishop and Ryan Lomberg.

On the blueline one change, Jake Bean coming in for the injured Kevin Bahl. Mackenzie Weegar with Daniil Miromanov, Rasmus Andersson with Joel and a third pairing of Jake Bean with Brayden Pachal.

Dan Vladar with his 6th start in the second half of a back to back this season. It’s Calgary’s 6th back to back if you’re keeping track!

Pre Game Stats Dive

Taking a look at play driving forwards, both offensively and defensively.

Creating offence …

Player xGF60
Jakob Pelletier 2.88
Blake Coleman 2.79
Connor Zary 2.71
Mikael Backlund 2.65
Matt Coronato 2.60

Three young players, and two play driving war horses!

Jacob Pelletier continues to lead which is a give in take in that his numbers were due to come down, but the fact that he’s still leading with an ever increasing sample size is impressive.

And preventing …

I’m always surprised as some of the names in the Calgary forward’s top five list in xGA60.

Player xGA60
Martin Pospisil 2.21
Mikael Backlund 2.26
Andrei Kuzmenko 2.28
Matt Coronato 2.33
Nazem Kadri 2.34

Mikael Backlund is a given. Matt Coronato plays with Backlund.

But continue to be surprised to see the likes of Nazem Kadri (not the defensive player I thought he was when he signed), and Andrei Kuzmenko?

2024 Draft Update

The 2024 draft class continues to chug along with big weeks from Parekh and Battaglia specifically.

Zayne Parekh has now caught his points per game rate from last season, something that looked unlikely earlier in the season. Quite likely that he builds that number further now in the final third of the season.

Battaglia cooled down after a torrid start but has heated up again lately, making a mockery of his last season totals.

Player GP Pts PPG PPG 23/24 YoY
Parekh 38 55 1.45 1.45 100%
Gridin 41 53 1.29 1.38 93%
Basha 23 29 1.26 1.35 93%
Battaglia 44 62 1.41 0.97 145%
Mews 6 9 1.50 1.05 143%
Misa 43 58 1.35 1.23 110%

Vladar’s Start

One of those nights.

Five goals against, including a back breaking one from a non threatening angle with a minute to go in the second period that pretty much sunk any comeback hopes.

But the other team was better, and it certainly wasn’t Dan Vladar’s fault (only) that they lost.

Bottom line was 2.06 in total expected goals (all situations) by the Jets, and he gives up five.

Odds and Sods

You wouldn’t think the new Iron Curtain Line would work; a trio of Eastern Europeans that all lean offensively, but in the second half of the Wild game on Saturday and the first period of tonight’s game in Winnipeg they were the team’s best line. Nothing to show for it tonight, but the team’s best chances. … The exhausted Flames were money in the first period in forcing a low event game. Kyle Connor knifed through the defense (primarily Daniil Miromanov) but other than that they didn’t give up much. Keeping it close had to be the game plan. … Calgary with an even better second period as they really took it to the Jets after Winnipeg went ahead 2-0. Mackenzie Weegar scores on a powerplay to make it a one goal game and it looked like it was setting up for a tight third before the Jets beat Vladar with a dagger in the last minute of the period. Ouch. … One of Andrei Kuzmenko’s better games of the season as he was creating noticeably on most shifts. That’s an interesting sign for a goal challenged club. … Calgary didn’t have much left in the tank for the third period; save for Rasmus Andersson who was doing his very best to drag his teammates into a comeback.

Fancy Stats

Another plucky effort from a group that doesn’t know how to quit. The Flames, five on five, had 48% (28%/57%/63%) of the shot attempts, 50% of the high danger chances, and 49% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 49% of the shot attempts, 56% of the high danger chances and 49% of the expected goals.

Individually, the Flames were led by Jake Bean posting an xGF% of 84% on the night. His partner, Brayden Pachal was just back of Bean with 83.8%. Andrei Kuzmenko and Martin Pospisil were in the 70s. Another rough fourth line night with the trio of Kevin Rooney, Ryan Lomberg and Clark Bishop posting 9%, 12% and 22% respectively.



All content is property of Calgarypuck.com and cannot be used without expressed, written consent from this site.