The players, coaching staff, management, owners — even fans have to be feeling at least a little forsaken by the Hockey Gods today.
Sure, the Flames turned the puck over a few times last night. And yes, goaltender Jacob Markstrom wasn’t at his best in the game.
Still. How can you call it anything other than the hand of destiny enacting it’s will for the Sharks to beat the Calgary Flames?
The first goal against was painfully slow lob at the net that dropped into the low blocker weak point at the very last moment.
The next goal against? Markstrom saves that 99 times out of 100. Timo Meier flings the puck low for a low percentage tap-in and instead it catches the inside of Markstrom’s pad. The lead is cut in half. The two invisible hands of hockey — Momentum and Destiny are now all but guaranteeing a Sharks comeback victory.
Call it the ramblings of a bamboozled beat writer, but we’re quickly approaching the point of no longer asking ourselves the question: “Why do we keep losing to the Sharks?…
The only answer I can think of is that the Hockey Gods like to remind us they exist from time to time.
Expect a 4th line renovation Despite the freakish nature of the first two goals, you can still point out turnovers that began both sequences. The fourth forward unit coughed up the puck both times as well.
The play of Sean Monahan has been getting worse on both sides of the puck. You just can’t be getting outworked in puck battles on the fourth line.
Offensively he’s gone completely dry. Zero points in his last 14 outings.
With new acquisition Ryan Carpenter now in Calgary and practicing with the team — maybe Mony needs to sit one out.
A line of Lucic-Carpenter-Lewis would be a brutal unit to match up against. 423 hits this season between all three players. Top six units will see those three come over the boards and tremble.
Getting back on the horse It would be no surprise to see Markstrom starting next game. Two days off is plenty enough time to have the sour taste of last night’s performance on his palette. Markstrom shuts down that kind of comeback far more often than he allows it.
Underestimating your opponents This concept surely has affected the Flames’ 0-3 record against the Sharks this year. That, and the impeccable play of Calgary boy Adin Hill in the first two games.
Taking lesson of taking the opponent lightly may turn into a double feature — the Flames play the 31st place Arizona Coyotes on Friday. Despite only winning 20 games out of 63; the Coyotes have found ways to beat good teams this year. That fact has been underlined by two wins over the 1st place Colorado Avalanche.
Board up the windows Hopefully the Calgary Flames have gotten their arms around whatever minor injuries they had accumulated during the brutal five games in seven days ending with game against the Avalanche on March 13. Starting Friday they play nine games in 16 days. That stretch begins with a Coyotes, Oilers back-to-back.
@Trevor_Neufeld