With game three quickly approaching and the series tied 1-1 heading into Edmonton, the Flames have work to do in order to patch up deficiencies on display in the first two games of this round two series.
Getting Back to the Formula
After allowing 11 goals in 120 minutes of play, it’s not unreasonable to say that the Flames have let their identity slip a bit.
From 2.51 goals against per game in the regular season, then 2.00 against the Stars— 5.5 goals against per game played certainly doesn’t sound like the Flames are playing their game.
So, how do they get back to it?
Contain the Freak
McDavid has six points in two games. Obviously, that needs to be addressed.
While containing #97 is no easy task, it can certainly be done. Last postseason for example. The Jets played a much tighter neutral zone and perimeter system against the Oilers. While it resulted in far less chances; the Jets managed to sweep the Oilers before getting swept themselves by the Montreal Canadiens. McDavid was held to a merely human four points in four games.
Take Less Risks
So, less committing forwards deep into the zone, less risks taken off of turnovers in the neutral zone and a more conservative perimeter game when the Oilers manage to take the possession in the offensive zone.
It’s understandable that the Flames have been inclined not to play conservatively— the Oilers blue line is just so ripe for turnovers. The Flames will have to pick and choose their spots more carefully, but still try to find opportunities to break the breakout when they get a clean shot at it.
Take Less Penalties
First the good news. Steve Kozari and Tim Roth aren’t officiating tonight’s game.
The bad news is that the tandem of Gord Dwyer and François St. Laurent aren’t exactly perfect.
Dwyer has had a few rough Flames games this season. Most notably a 34-2 penalty minute differential in a 7-1 loss to the Canucks on February 24. A game where former Lady Byng winner Johnny Gaudreau was kicked out for giving Dwyer a piece of his mind. Milan Lucic was also kicked out for speaking out.
Another instance of one of Dwyer’s rougher nights was a 7-3 Flames win on February 26. Dwyer and Jake Brenk (the same duo working the Canucks game) had the whistles away in the first, calling only one penalty in that period.
The Flames and Wild had differences going back to and injury-filled night in 2020. A game where Mikko Koivu and Mikael Backlund were both targeted with cheap shots.
After letting tensions get to a boiling point on February 26, finally Dwyer and Brenk started cracking down, but it was too late. Scrums after every whistle, dangerous plays throughout and a sequence that saw Oliver Kylington fall into the boards in a way that cranked his neck.
All of that said, Gord Dwyer hasn’t shown much bias towards any team in particular. His game management has led to some questionable results. Once in a while he refs a game that gets out of hand that didn’t need to.
That all said, the Calgary Flames need to stay on Dwyer’s good side. They can’t afford to be on the wrong end of a bad night for officiating. The Oilers power play has scored at a 10% success rate against the Flames in two games. That number will surely edge closer to 20% by the end of the series. Over nine postseason games in 2022 they have a 27.6% conversion rate on the power play.
Looking Forward
Time will tell how the Flames respond to a sloppy effort in game two en route to a 5-3 loss. It’s generally agreeable among the fanbase that this hasn’t been the Flames hockey that we’ve seen over the course of the 21-22 regular season. Darryl Sutter has undoubtedly been reinforcing this sentiment to the players since Friday’s loss. This is a team that finished the season as the best defence in the Western Conference.
Tonight is a clean slate and an opportunity to return to those roots. Let’s see what they do with it.
Flames Lines
It’s radio silence on the lineup front, so these are the projected lines. Update at warmup.
Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Dube-Jarnkrok-Toffoli
Lucic-Lewis-Ritchie
Hanifin-Andersson
Kylington-Stone
Zadorov-Gudbranson
Markstrom
Oilers Lines
Projected Oilers lines courtesy of dailyfaceoff via naturalstattrick.
Draisaitl-McDavid-Yamamoto
Kane-McLeod-Hyman
Archibald-RNH-Ryan
Kassian-Puljujarvi
Nurse-Ceci
Keith-Bouchard
Kulak-Barrie
Russell
Smith
Koskinen
What a Twist
Flames prospects Jérémie Poirier, Ryan Francis and Yan Kuznetsov got some strange news today. Per Darren Dreger, the head coach of the St. Johns Sea Dogs has been fired with just a month to go before the team hosts the Memorial Cup.
The three Flames prospects will have a new head coach by the time the tournament begins on June 20, 2022.
Game time is 6:00 pm local.
Trevor Neufeld
Statistics via naturalstattrick.com, nhl.com, dobberhockey.com, and moneypuck.com.
@Trevor_Neufeld 
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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