I think if the two teams played that exact game ten more times the Oilers would likely win nine of them.
As it was the visitors erased a three goal deficit with two very fortunate bounces and a 50/50 high stick review to force overtime.
Calgary got goals from Matvei Gridin, Connor Zary and Blake Coleman, and then shoot out strikes from Morgan Frost and Nazem Kadri in a deep shoot out that went nine rounds.
The Flames have a very tough schedule to start the season, so banking two in erratic fashion is just the start they needed to keep in the race through a tough run of games.
Next up the Canucks tonight, with the Flames getting in late.
The Lineup
Another new season and some changes, as expected to the lineup.
Up front not a single trio from the stretch drive due to injuries, promotions, and departures. Nazem Kadri centers what I guess we will call a top line with Joel Farabee and Adam Klapka. An interesting second line with Morgan Frost between Matvei Gridin and Matt Coronato. A third line that looks mostly familiar with Mikael Backlund between Connor Zary and Blake Coleman. And then finally a fourth line of Justin Kirkland between Ryan Lomberg and a somewhat misplaced Yegor Sharangovich.
On the blueline they roll the same top four as last season; Joel Hanley with Mackenzie Weegar and Kevin Bahl with Rasmus Andersson. Zayne Parekh with the healthy scratch so it’s Jake Bean with Brayden Pachal.
Dustin Wolf gets the start in goal.
Wolf’s Start
Dustin Wolf gave up three goals, but was the team’s first star; giving them a chance to come back and earn two unlikely points.
In an interview afterwards he said neither the team nor himself were right off the hop but both settled in and found their games as the night wore on.
In the end he just ellipses the expected numbers (3.09) with three against.
But his work in the shoot out was a huge difference maker.
Gridin’s Debut
Pretty impressive start for the young Russian.
A first period dangle, a second period stretch pass chance and three of the Flames first five shots on goal in the game. And then later in the second he scores his first NHL goal on a spinning pass attempt that ends up in the net. Guessing it’s not the way he will describe goal one in ten years, but is what it is for now.
Had his center flipped out midway through the game, and finished the night in the upper five of players for underlying metrics.
Good first night and interesting player to watch.
Who Handled McDavid?
McDavid had his largest share of ice time out against Kevin Bahl (9:37), and over six minutes five on five against Mackenzie Weegar, Rasmus Andersson, Mikael Backlund and Yegor Sharangovich (fourth line hemmed him in in the third period).
All told McDavid played 26:21 with almost two minutes short handed.
First Period Thoughts
I thought the Flames had about as good a start to the hockey game and the season as you could hope for given their less than stellar preseason, and the fact that the panel was sure the Oilers would run them over in the first ten games. Better chances to Calgary in the first ten minutes, and the Flames allowing only one five on five shot. Unfortunately a puck over the glass call on Morgan Frost gave the Oilers the game’s first man advantage and we know how that goes. … The Oilers go up 2-0 on the Mangiapane goal which then led to a three or four minute discussion on Mangiapane with the Edmonton play call team completely ignoring the action. Different way of doing things up there. …
Second Period Musings
Hard working team continues to work hard and limit what the Oilers throw at them, but just can’t generate much offensively to get back into the hockey game. … Calgary penalty kill of to a zero start on the season. Not much you can do against Edmonton of course. … How about a fluke goal and a controversial powerplay goal to get back into things? First Gridin with a spinning pass attempt that caroms off an Oiler forward and past Skinner. Then two minutes later it’s a Connor Zary powerplay goal on a puck knocked in with a stick close to the cross bar. Makes the third period more interesting. The Flames were a much better team after a few bounces.
Third Period Ruminating
Early in the third the Flames tie it on their second fortutious goal of the night. Zary dumps the puck in on Skinner and Skinner leaves it for Bouchard who decides against picking up the puck and Blake Coleman puts it in. … That won’t do anything for Stuart Skinner concerns in Edmonton as he had given up now three goals on 12 shots on goal, but it really was just as much Bouchard’s fault. … Huska makes a switch in the top six three minutes in and it’s Kadri centering Coronato and Gridin and Frost centering Farabee and Klapka. … Klapka takes his second minor of the night midway through the third. … Thought the Kadri/Nurse thing was guilty both ways; Nurse with an interference and Kadri with a hard sell. … A close overtime goes both ways with Wolf making the more difficult stop before the game heads into a nine round shoot out. Wolf stops eight of the nine (!!!) and the Flames win on a Nazem Kadri backhander. Quite the first game of the season!
Fancy Stats
Did we see the first stolen game of the season from Dustin Wolf? The stats would certainly suggest that to some degree. The Flames, five on five, had 46% (35%/58%/42%) of the shot attempts, 36% of the high danger chances, and 37% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 46% of the shot attempts, 41% of the high danger chances and 43% of the expected goals.
The Oilers were 59.7% on the Moneypuck deserve to win o’meter.
Individually, the Flames were led by Justin Kirkland on limited ice time with an xGF% of 58% on the night. No other Flames player was above the breakeven mark. Braydan Pachal, Matvei Gridin, Blake Coleman, Kevin Bahl and Connor Zary were all in the 40s. Ryan Lomberg, Mikael Backlund, Matt Coronato and Joel Hanley were all under 30%.
