They win again!
The Calgary Flames showed up ready for business tonight as they pretty much ran the show in all 60 minutes in a 2-0 win on Thursday night.
The victory snaps a three game losing streak for the 32nd ranked team.
Calgary got goals from Blake Coleman and Sam Honzek into the empty net.
Next up for the Flames is the Jets in town on Saturday night.
The Lineup
As the 20th game of the season nears and the math all but points to a lost season the Flames are starting to make some small moves to reflect that line of thinking.
We saw it with Yan Kuznetsov getting recalled, inserted, and then elevated in the lineup with Jake Bean watching.
We are seeing it tonight with Rory Kerins recalled, and put in a top six role, with Justin Kirkland getting waived.
So some new lines tonight …
Up front it’s three lines held together in Morgan Frost with Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt “shooter” Coronato, Mikael Backlund with Sam Honzek and Blake Coleman, and a fourth line of Connor Zary between Ryan Lomberg and Adam Klapka. The new line is Nazem Kadri with Rory Kerins and Joel Farabee.
On the blueline Joel Hanley takes a seat for Jake Bean, creating a new third pairing of Bean with Brayden Pachal. No change to the top six with Kevin Bahl with Rasmus Andersson, and Yan Kuznetsov with Mackenzie Weegar.
Dustin Wolf in net for the Flames.
Stats Dive
Matt Coronato has been putting a bunch of pucks on net in recent games; 22 in the last three games to be precise.
In those three games he’s shooting at an incredible 23.0 shots per 60 minutes of any situation ice time which would be far and away the league leader if sustained.
Overall he’s 28th in the league in shots / 60 (all situations) at 9.98 with Cutter Gauthier of the Ducks in top spot with 15.4 shots per 60. Getting up 11.2 gets you in the top ten.
When you dig into quality we are seeing a spike as well. In his first 14 games this season he averaged 7.0 individual scoring chance / 60 and 2.6 high danger chances / 60, but in his last three games those numbers more than double to 16.7 and 5.2.
He’s finding it.
And guessing he will start to fill the net and get back to a 30 goal pace soon.
Wolf’s Start
Had to be a tough game to play for Dustin Wolf with so little to do.
One shot in the first period.
Five shots in the second period.
And probably one scoring chance, shorthanded on the Shark’s first shot.
A little busier in the third period, but not to the extent where you would call it “pressure”.
In the end a shut out against 1.52 in expected goals by the Sharks in all situations.
Sophomore stopper continues to find his game.
Odds and Sods
So first thought; is Rory Kerins on the top line as we’ve heard all day? I’m not so sure. To me if you have a line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato that’s your first line, not the line that Kadri and filler. Just me maybe. … With all the rumour and intrigue on twitter today it is somewhat less interesting that Rasmus Andersson IS NOT a healthy scratch today. With Cowan a scratch in the AHL last night there was certainly some building excitement for the game tonight. … Flames with all kind of territorial play in the first half of the first. San Jose without a shot on goal. … Couldn’t have much better of a first period for the Flames; no score but Calgary all over San Jose. The Sharks only getting one shot on goal, and it came shorthanded.
The Flames take an early penalty in the third period, but do a heck of a job killing it off. … Blake Coleman opens the scoring after the kill when he takes advantage of the 350,000 San Jose turnover and scores past Askarov to make it 1-0 Flames. … Guessing not many fans has Kuznetsov and Honzek on their two “go get a place” list for the season, but here we are. Both too good to send down. … Blake Coleman not hurting his trade value on a 35 goal pace again! … No more scoring in the second, as the Flames continue to give up very little … Flames up 3.02 to 0.72 in all situations expected goals through 40 minutes. …
How do you only have six shots through two periods in a hockey game? … Not seeing a lot of mistake in Kuznetsov’s game again tonight. Impressive defense first, two way defenseman. … Thought Kerins was fine tonight. Made a great second period pass to Pachal, and was never on the wrong side of the puck. Good start! … San Jose has their best stretch of the game between the midway point of the third period and five minutes left in the game, but can’t find the equalizer. … Flames go on the powerplay with four minutes to go, and still up a goal. …San Jose pulls the goalie with 90 seconds to go, but it’s the Flames that find the net when Sam Honzek hits the empty net to put the game away. … Flames win 2-0 to snap their three game losing streak.
Fancy Stats
This one was never close. Never. The Flames had the push advantage for pretty much the entire game and the underlying stats support that 100%. The Flames, five on five, had 69% (89%/65%/44%) of the shot attempts, 83% of the high danger chances and 79% of the expected goal split. In all situations they had 65% of the shot attempts, 77% of the high danger chances, and 73% of the goal split.
The Flames with 84% on the Moneypuck deserve-to-win-o’meter.
Individually, the Flames were led by Nazem Kadri with an almost perfect game with an xGF% of 97% on the night. Three other Flame’s player sin the 90s; Joel Farabee, Kevin Bahl and Rasmus Andersson. Only one player under 50%, Morgan Frost with 35% on the night.
