Five takeaways from Calgary's 6-3 win over Winnipeg:
1) The Flames started slowly and paid for it, but I thought they (mostly) played a really strong game and were rewarded as a result. They continued to get better and better as the game progressed and by the end of it they were downright dominant. They were having their way with the Jets and opened up a shooting gallery on poor Steve Mason attempting 78 shots and getting 45 on target. They weren't just shooting for the heck of it, though. They were generating a *ton* of Grade A chances and had little trouble getting the puck into high-danger areas (see below).
2) I thought T.J. Brodie was the best player on the ice and not just because he had four points, although that certainly didn't hurt. The Flames were able to dictate play at 5v5 with Brodie out there as they outshot the Jets by 11 and out-chanced them by eight, even though he spent a lot of his time playing against Patrik Laine's line. It was also nice to see Brodie shoot more. He has a good shot, and is really good at getting pucks through traffic, and I think the Flames' offense would be a lot better if he forces teams to respect the shot rather than cheating away knowing he's going to pass.
3) Curtis Lazar was surprisingly good in his season debut. I thought his preseason was underwhelming but he looked like a completely different player on Saturday night. He was skating well, driving the net, finishing his checks, and didn't look at all out of place alongside Kris Versteeg and Sam Bennett on the 3rd line. He actually led the Flames(!) with three scoring chances at 5v5. With a performance like that, Lazar deserves another appearance on Monday night regardless of whether Jaromir Jagr makes his season debut.
4) Mike Smith's numbers weren't great but I thought he played well, particularly in the final 40 minutes. He made a few really nice stops and allowed the Flames time to find their footing and start taking the game to the Jets. He has done what he's supposed to do through two games.
5) Johnny Gaudreau on opening night: one shot attempt, zero chances, zero points.
Johnny Gaudreau in the home opener: seven shot attempts, five scoring chances, four points.
He was playing with pace, dissecting the defense with crisp passes, and putting pucks towards the net on a consistent basis. He was spectacular.