GDT: Kylington plays tonight! Flames (31-14-6) @ Wild (31-16-3) - Game #52

[Anglesmith]

If you can't handle us on our worst night you don't deserve to play us on our best night or something I don't have Tumblr.

 

[JurassicTunga]

Solid road game, solid win.
Sutter hockey

 

[Bounces R Way]

Is that what the stats said? Because 5v5 felt like a lot of stale mate and both teams doing a good job putting the other team in disarray with some good plays.

Border line playoff vibes.

Score adjusted it was pretty close, high danger chances were apparently 10-2 for the Wild @ 5v5. I'd agree it wasn't the best 5v5 game from the Flames but Markstrom was very solid and the Flames capitalized from some poor slot defense by Minnesota. Very physical game, credit to the Wild they tried but can't match our gumption.

Great : Top Line keeps on keeping on. Buncha beauties we have ourselves up there. Gaudreau honestly pretty quiet but still had 2A. Might be in my head but it seems like any time he starts to get some recognition around the league he slows down a bit. Kylington didn't show up on the scoresheet but was fantastic. Toffoli excellent game from him. Markstrom big as usual.

Good : Tanev. I'm convinced Mangiapane could produce if you gave him two rubber tires to play with. He drives play so well.

Not bad : Backlund a little behind the play this game, did a reasonable job on Kaprizov. Andersson a little slow as well but did well breaking up cycles and avoiding the forecheck. Richardson good hustle, mostly just mucks but I liked his defensive effort. Not sure where Hanifin was on the one goal for the Wild but otherwise was moving well.

Marginally OK : Monahan the spirit is willing, the flesh I'm not so sure. 3rd pairing had kind of a rough one but liked the battle anyways. Lewis.

Not good : Lucic, Ritchie. Coleman just got pushed around this game, kind of rare for him.

 

[CF Magic]

Glad to see Gudbranson right back out the next shift after another scary collision. Loved the physicality in this one tonight, great road win boys. Even Monahan was playing the body hard, just total buy in with this coach right now.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Nice to see Markstrom steal one in a 5-1 win.

This game could have been a lot different without him.

 

[JPeeper]

Aside from the goals, I thought Monahan had a strong game. Was surprised to see him, Lucic and Tanev the only guy with positive advanced stats based on shots. Gudbranson got obliterated, was SAT of -17 which means he was on for 17 shot against more than he was on for, that's more than half of Wild's total shots. Even though the top line looked dangerous, they all had negative SAT/USAT stats as well.

Kaprizov had a tough game out there, Gudbranson had a huge hit on him, Monahan gave him the business for like 15 straight seconds before Kaprizov fell over for the penalty, if Flames could target McDavid like that, beautiful.

4th line is back to being useless utter trash. Get Dube and Ruzicka the f*** back.

 

[Mazatt]

Every 4th line (imo) has a shelf life. The current 4th line has a shelf life of about 1 game where they come in fresh, hit, and have he legs to take advantage of their smart plays, and otherwise apply pressure. Otherwise they just exist. They can feed off momentum both ways, get hemmed in when another team is pushing, add in a good shift when the Flames are rolling, etc., but the Flames and really any energy 4th line needs them to be able to at least have a shift that goes against the grain positively on a night by night basis.

Otherwise; Monahan is making good plays which is nice. That... shouldn't be the bar for a contention level 3rd line centre but let's not be picky. Any growth is positive and at least he isn't top 9 Lucic! Oh wait... at least Toffoli is an absolute babe. It's insane how marked the difference is between he and Monahan on that 1st unit. Also cool that even on a Johnny "cold" streak the team is still going out and killing it, and that Gaudreau can still come up with clutch points and plays without going full globetrotters. Good sign for the future

 

[Volica]

Aside from the goals, I thought Monahan had a strong game. Was surprised to see him, Lucic and Tanev the only guy with positive advanced stats based on shots. Gudbranson got obliterated, was SAT of -17 which means he was on for 17 shot against more than he was on for, that's more than half of Wild's total shots. Even though the top line looked dangerous, they all had negative SAT/USAT stats as well.

Kaprizov had a tough game out there, Gudbranson had a huge hit on him, Monahan gave him the business for like 15 straight seconds before Kaprizov fell over for the penalty, if Flames could target McDavid like that, beautiful.

4th line is back to being useless utter trash. Get Dube and Ruzicka the f*** back.

Gotta keep those guys fresh on the 4th line.
There should be full changes for next game, but Sutter gonna Sutt.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Score adjusted it was pretty close, high danger chances were apparently 10-2 for the Wild @ 5v5. I'd agree it wasn't the best 5v5 game from the Flames but Markstrom was very solid and the Flames capitalized from some poor slot defense by Minnesota. Very physical game, credit to the Wild they tried but can't match our gumption.

Great : Top Line keeps on keeping on. Buncha beauties we have ourselves up there. Gaudreau honestly pretty quiet but still had 2A. Might be in my head but it seems like any time he starts to get some recognition around the league he slows down a bit. Kylington didn't show up on the scoresheet but was fantastic. Toffoli excellent game from him. Markstrom big as usual.

Good : Tanev. I'm convinced Mangiapane could produce if you gave him two rubber tires to play with. He drives play so well.

Not bad : Backlund a little behind the play this game, did a reasonable job on Kaprizov. Andersson a little slow as well but did well breaking up cycles and avoiding the forecheck. Richardson good hustle, mostly just mucks but I liked his defensive effort. Not sure where Hanifin was on the one goal for the Wild but otherwise was moving well.

Marginally OK : Monahan the spirit is willing, the flesh I'm not so sure. 3rd pairing had kind of a rough one but liked the battle anyways. Lewis.

Not good : Lucic, Ritchie. Coleman just got pushed around this game, kind of rare for him.

That's an odd assessment of the game from my perspective.

The third line was easily our best line last night, but as per usual, Monahan just can't seem to find his scoring touch despite playing incredibly sound hockey. His wrists looks completely shot. I thought the top line got outplayed mightily and were incredibly fortunate not to have given up two or three goals. That just goes to show how opportunistic that line is and the collective ability they have to capitalize even on off-nights. Gaudreau was completely ineffective and still found a way to contribute. Tkachuk was really the one stirring the drink last night. I do worry slightly about Gaudreau's mental game in extremely physical games.

The statistician in Minnesota must be smoking something - how Coleman came out of that game with zero registered hits, but Kevin Fiala had five is beyond me.

Either way - this team continues to truck along. Brett Ritchie needs to just go away. I get that he's big, fast, and shoots the puck a ton (from horrible angles) but my goodness he's a horrible hockey player. Richardson is fine in an absolute pinch but we have far better players within the organization that should be playing.

 

[Nanuuk]

Keep in mind that the Flames didn't have the benefit of the last line change last night. The 4 line was up against some tough competition and they weren't on the ice when we were scored on. That honour went to the 1st line and 1st pairing.

Richardson won 3 of the 5 face-offs he took. The line recorded 6 hits (2 each) and played ~9 to 10 minutes with the exception being Lewis (12:01) from being on the PK.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Keep in mind that the Flames didn't have the benefit of the last line change last night. The 4 line was up against some tough competition and they weren't on the ice when we were scored on. That honour went to the 1st line and 1st pairing.

Richardson won 3 of the 5 face-offs he took. The line recorded 6 hits (2 each) and played ~9 to 10 minutes with the exception being Lewis (12:01) from being on the PK.

I mean fair but in Ritchie's 9:55 of ice-time scoring chances were 9-1 in favor of Minnesota. His xGF% was 6%, and he took a penalty. He did himself no favors in terms of staying in the lineup.

 

[Bounces R Way]

That's an odd assessment of the game from my perspective.

The third line was easily our best line last night, but as per usual, Monahan just can't seem to find his scoring touch despite playing incredibly sound hockey. His wrists looks completely shot. I thought the top line got outplayed mightily and were incredibly fortunate not to have given up two or three goals. That just goes to show how opportunistic that line is and the collective ability they have to capitalize even on off-nights. Gaudreau was completely ineffective and still found a way to contribute. Tkachuk was really the one stirring the drink last night. I do worry slightly about Gaudreau's mental game in extremely physical games.

The statistician in Minnesota must be smoking something - how Coleman came out of that game with zero registered hits, but Kevin Fiala had five is beyond me.

Either way - this team continues to truck along. Brett Ritchie needs to just go away. I get that he's big, fast, and shoots the puck a ton (from horrible angles) but my goodness he's a horrible hockey player. Richardson is fine in an absolute pinch but we have far better players within the organization that should be playing.

The first line won us the game and combined for 6pts. The third line combined for none at even strength. Toffoli had a couple pts on the PP and was generally excellent, Monahan I liked his effort but the hands, shot, passing, skating; you know, the primary skills of ice hockey, are all severely diminished. Lucic I don't know what he did other than running over some guy without the puck and taking a penalty. I will agree the first line had an uncharacteristically poor night defensively, Johnny especially struggled getting the puck out.

Gaudreau was getting run a lot last night, especially at the blue lines. I am also worried for how he handles the physicality ramping up as the season goes on. Would like to see him just full on two hand the next guy in the back of the leg that goes high to 'get a piece' when the puck is not there. Take a penalty or fine. Marchand isn't a big guy either but that edge he has is part of what makes him one of the most effective players in the league.