Last season the Flames caught some teams taking them lightly in the first quarter to half of the season.
Later as the season wore on, teams were perhaps more ready to be in a game, but had trouble matching the Calgary work ethic and found themselves on the losing side of some grind games.
Felt like last night we saw a return of both as the Calgary Flames wore out the Dallas Stars to the tune of a 3-2 shoot out victory, giving the club their second two game win streak this season.
Calgary got goals from Matt Coronato, who suffered a broken nose and stitches for an ugly hit from behind, and Joel Farabee. Jonathan Huberdeau was assessed 17 minutes in penalties for coming to Coronato’s aid.
Next up a game tonight in Vancouver.
The Lineup
A waiver claim of John Beecher, coupled with a solid 2nd NHL game by Sam Morton leads to a Ryan Lomberg healthy scratch.
Up front it’s Morgan Frost with Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato, Nazem Kadri with Yegor Sharangoivch and Joel Farabee, Mikael Backlund with Connor Zary and Blake Coleman, and a fourth line of John Beecher between Sam Morton and Adam Klapka.
On the blueline it’s status quo; Kevin Bahl with Rasmus Andersson, Yan Kuztensov with Mackenzie Weegar and Jake Bean taking a seat for Joel Hanley who lines up with Brayden Pachal.
Devin Cooley in net for the Flames.
Cooley’s Start
What more can you say about Devin Cooley?
He’s been rock solid this season in every period he’s played in, which says something given how the season started with the hockey world saying he was on the outs before playing a minute of regular season hockey.
Tonight he was the reason the Flames were up 1-0 after one, and made some key saves in the second period as well, to keep it that way.
Two got by him in the third period, but he shuts the door in overtime and wins it in the shoot out for his first home win as a Calgary Flame.
Dallas with 3.53 in expected goals, and Cooley only gives up two.
Odds and Sods
The two teams exchange early powerplays; Dallas with 5 shots on their chances, Calgary with one on theirs. Neither team score so it stays scoreless. … Cooley with a solid start stopping the puck, but an adventure handling the puck. … Matt Coronato opens the scoring on the Flame’s second powerplay when he takes a Nazem Kadri pass, and marches from the corner to the front of the net and puts it through DeSmith’s pads. … Just like that Matt Coronato is on a 30 goal pace. Terrible start. A healthy scratch, but he found it again and looks to be heading for a career season. … Flames much better in the second half of the first period; 1-0 Flames after one period. … Stars with a narrow all situations lead in expected goals; 1.52 to 1.42.
Pretty much all Flames to start the second period, as they continued their momentum from the second half of the first period. Matt Coronato and Morgan Frost are robbed by DeSmith in early action. … Dallas gains some momentum on an an early powerplay but Cooley continues to stand tall. Solid game by the back up goaltender once again. Has he had a bad period this season? … Cooley was great, but so too was DeSmith as the Flames continue to pour it on in the second period. Many quality saves with the Flames clearly the better team in the middle frame (and since the first five minutes of the hockey game). … Jonathan Huberdeau is going to end up a fan favourite yet. Love how fast he jumped in when Matt Coronato was hit from behind from Rantanen. There’s roughing a guy up, and there’s dropping the gloves and throwing them. Full marks to Huberdeau. Hopefully Coronato is ok, leaking a lot of blood when he left. … Huberdeau gets 17 minutes defending a teammate putting the game 4 on 4 for the last minute of the second. … Still 1-0 Flames, Calgary up 3.09 to 2.52 in expected goals through 40.
The Huberdeau minor expires a minute into the third, and the Flames score a minute later on a powerplay to make it 2-0 Calgary. Rasmus Andersson with a shot from the point tipped by Joel Farabee; both players remain on a hot streak. … Matt Coronato comes back to the bench with what looks like a broken nose and some serious stitches. … The Stars finally beate Cooley on the night with Robertson sending a puck through both Brayden Pachal and Devin Cooley to make it 2-1 Flames. … Flames with some chances, but the Stars tie it up when Robertson fends off a check and sets up Hintz in the slot, who beats Cooley over the blocker. Game all tied up. … Right after the tying goal Calgary gets in penalty trouble; first Weegar for puck over the glass, and then Beecher for holding. Puts Dallas up two men with less than two minutes to play. … Incredibly the Flames survive the onslaught and get to overtime. 4.1 to 3.5 for the Flames through 60 minutes.
Odd overtime with the carry over into the extra frame of a powerplay creating 25 seconds of 4 on 3 for Dallas, and then 4 on 4 the rest of the frame. Too many bodies, no room, no goals!
Flames win it in the shoot out with Frost and Kadri scoring the goals.
Fancy Stats
After a very slow start, the Flames were the better team five on five pretty much the whole night, and especially in a dominant second period. The Flames, five on five, had 56% (43/70%/46%) of the shot attempts, 72% of the high danger chances and 62% of the expected goal split. In all situations they had 53% of the shot attempts, 56% of the high danger chances, and 54% of the goal split.
The Flames with 78% on the Moneypuck deserve-to-win-o’meter.
Individually, the Flames were led by Morgan Frost with an xGF% of 80% on the night. Jonathan Huberdeau, Matt Coronato, Blake Coleman and Kevin Bahl were in the 70s. Rasmus Andersson and John Beecher were in the 60s. Three players under 40% on the night; Joel Farabee, Adam Klapka and Yegor Sharangovich.
