Another solid effort.
Another bitter disappointment.
The Flames led 2-1 after one, 2-1 after two, but dropped the game in a shoot out to only find one point in game two of their four game road trip; tonight a 4-3 shoot out loss to the Ottawa Senators.
The setback moves the Flames to 0-1-1 to star the trip.
Next up the Flames travel to Nashville for an afternoon game on Saturday before going back East (odd) to play the Flyers on Sunday night.
The Lineup
More change, as you’d expect after a loss in Toronto. Zayne Parekh banged up and not dressing, and Connor Zary maybe taking his turn as the guy that sits to think things through?
Two lines with no change; Nazem Kadri between Jonathan Huberdeau and Morgan Frost, and Mikael Backlund with Sam Honzek and Blake Coleman. A new third line of Yegor Sharangovich up the middle with Joel Farabee and Matt Coronato, and the regular fourth line of Justin Kirkland with Ryan Lomberg and Adam Klapka.
Only one pairing stays the same; Kevin Bahl with Rasmus Andersson and then two new pairings of Joel Hanley with Mackenzie Weegar and Jake Bean with Brayden Pachal.
Devin Cooley with his second start of the season, a pace that will have to be ramped up if they won’t want to kill their starting goaltender.
Stats Dive
The Flames have been out of the playoffs for three years and look to be heading for a similar fate this season.
In that time frame which teams have the Flames had the toughest time with? Any guesses?
An obscure ranking of expected goal splits five on five against opponents over the last 4 and change seasons.
- Caroline 36.2% (that’s fugly)
- Pittsburgh 44.2% (quite the gap from Carolina)
- Toronto 44.4%
- Winnipeg 45.5%
- Arizona/Utah 46.6%
Who have they played the hardest?
- San Jose 60.6% (not a shock)
- Anaheim 59.9% (another non playoff team)
- Washington 58.2% (first surprise)
- Boston 57.3% (also a surprise)
- Detroit 56.7%
Cooley’s Start
Thought Devin Cooley had a great start based on backup expectations.
He made some key saves and got the team to overtime despite being out shot through the game and hugely in overtime.
Didn’t have a lot of luck in the shoot out and took the loss.
The Senators with 3.35 in all situations expected goals, and Cooley gives up three through 65 minutes.
Great start from the backup.
Odds and Sods
Ottawa with some good jump off the hop. They don’t generate a point blank shot on goal or a scoring chance but lots of zone time early. … Flames with a four minute powerplay on a Greig high stick on Pachal. Sharangovich with a snipe to put the Flames up one. And then soon after the Sens tie it with a shorthanded goal. So much for that! … With how streaky Sharangovich can be I’m guessing he finishes the season at 20 or better. Not a huge return for the new contract but better than it looked. … Flames back to the powerplay again. The Flames go back in front and go 2/3 on the powerplay when Coronato finds the loose puck and bangs it by Ullmark. … After a horrific start to the season that’s 13 goals for the Flames in ten periods. … Flames lead 2-1 after one.
Flames start the second with a good kill, Cooley making a great glove save. … Flames get a powerplay and have a chance or two before Morgan Frost takes a penalty creating some four on four and then a Sens powerplay. … Cooley with another shorthanded glove save through traffic. … Like Cooley’s mask, a classic vintage Flames look. … The Flames fourth line hems the Sens in and gives way to an on the fly to the third line to keep the pressure on. … The Sens don’t look all that good given how far they’re into a rebuild. Yikes. … Coleman and Cousins go for interference and embellishment setting up a four on four with some interesting moments. … Quiet period both ways; Flames keep their 2-1 lead through 40.
Ottawa with a solid five on five shift early in the third period, which is rewarded when Zub gets a puck through a screen and past Cooley to tie the game up 2-2. … Another huge chance soft Stutzle right after the goal, but he rings it off the post. House of cards in trouble for the Flames late in the game again? …. Board ad for Hard Rock Ottawa? That’s still a thing? Haven’t seen a Hard Rock anywhere for 15 years. … Flames go back ahead when Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau combine with Kadri finishing to make it 3-2 Calgary. Flames continue to find the net; three in Winnipeg, five against the Rangers, three in Toronto and three more tonight … so far. … Flames controlling most of the play up a goal with the minute ticking off the clock in the third period. … Looked like the Flames were cruising until the Sens get a solid bounce off a high slot shmozzle (technical word) with the puck hitting a few players and then sliding past Cooley. Back to a 3-3 tie. …
The Senators control the beginning of the overtime territorially. Rasmus Andersson gets a tripping penalty sending the Senators to a dangerous 4 on 3 powerplay, but Cooley and the Flames kill it off. …
The Senators score goals on both their shoot out attempts and take the game 4-3.
Fancy Stats
Sounds like a broken record these days, but the Flames were the better team five on five, but found a way to lose the game in overtime. The Flames, five on five, had 55% (52%/58%/55%) of the shot attempts, 56% of the high danger chances, and 54% of the expected goals. In all situations they had 47% of the shot attempts, 44% of the high danger chances and 44% of the expected goals. … The Senators powerplay was considerably more dangerous than the Flames powerplay despite the Flames unit scoring twice.
The Flames with 49.5% on the Moneypuck deserve-to-win-o’meter.
Individually, the Flames were led by Ryan Lomberg with an xGF% of 82% on the night, in limited ice time. Three players in the 70s; Justin Kirkland, Adam Klapka and homeboy Mackenzie Weegar. Three players under the 40% mark on the night; Rasmus Andersson, Jonathan Huberdeau and Kevin Bahl.
