The Calgary Flames face off against the 7-6-2 Buffalo Sabres later today in what will be a more difficult game for the Flames than most would expect. Buffalo has proven they can steal victories from good teams this year. They beat Tampa 5-1 in late October and beat the Oilers 3-2 a week ago. Tonight will be an important game for the Flames.
Where’s Backlund? Calgary has been losing more than they win of late. Backlund has gotten cooler than being cool with just an assist in his last eight games. He received a fine for a dangerous push he gave Konecny in the first period against Philadelphia. You can call it a crosscheck if you like. Using his stick as the point of contact wasn’t the problem. He sent Konecny into the boards when he was in a vulnerable position. Let’s hope that play was rock bottom on the season for Mikael Backlund.
The longest serving Flame is a difference maker for the team. He has four points in the eight games the Flames have won. In the games they lose — he has one point in eight games.
Discipline Sutter has to be pounding it in pretty hard this week that the team needs to reign in their infractions. You look at the cold streak they are on and try to find explanations. One of the first that comes to mind is the amount of penalties they are taking. Calgary ranks 6th in minor penalties taken. With that much disruption in momentum; it becomes very difficult to manage the play. PK players are expending too much energy shorthanded and don’t have that extra step on the rush.
Matthew Tkachuk is fourth in the league for minor penalties taken (9) and Gudbranson is 6th (8). You have to scroll down quite a bit to find the next Flame (Blake Coleman – 5).
Lineup courtesy of Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk Coleman-Backlund-Mangiapane Dube-Monahan-Pitlick Lucic-Richardson-Lewis
Hanifin-Andersson Kylington-Tanev Zadorov-Gudbranson
Markstrom
Getting some momentum back As pointed out, Backlund needs a jump start. Similar to Backlund, Blake Coleman has two points in his last nine games. Play driving dynamo Andrew Mangiapane may just be that jump start. The Flames have scored two or fewer goals in four of their last five games, so stagnating offence isn’t just a Backlund/Coleman issue. Johnny Gaudreau recorded ten shots against the Flyers on Tuesday and May be the load bearer offensively today.
Past due Monahan has been good enough around the net since getting bumped back into the top six. He’s clawed his way up to eight points in 16 games. His team’s record has been pretty bad in that time though. 1-1-2. He looks like he’s recovered a bit since setting back his hip issue in game one, but he’s not out-skating anyone. Today he’s on a cast away line with Dube and Pitlick.
Behind the scenes You have to wonder what is going on in practice to keep Valimaki out of the lineup for this long. If Gudbranson is setting the team back by being near the top of the league in minor penalties while playing third pairing minutes, what is stopping the 23 year old from drawing in?
Game time is 5pm MT.
Trevor Neufeld
Sabres lineup courtesy of Lance Lysowski @LLowski
Skinner-Thompson-Asplund Caggiula-Cozens-Hinostroza Girgensons-Eakin-Okposo Bjork-Ruotsalainen-Hayden
Dahlin-Pysyk Bryson-Miller Butcher-Hagg
Tokarski