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Five observations from Calgary's preseason opener vs Boston:
1. Deja vu
Though the personnel was much different – both on the ice and behind the bench – it felt like we were watching the 2017-18 Calgary Flames.
They dominated the vast majority of the game, peppered the opposing goaltender with shots, and still found a way to lose.
While they ultimately fell short in a shootout, it was a 2-3 minute stretch in the opening frame that really lost the Flames the game.
They turned the puck over, it ended up in the back of the net, and they completely fell apart for a few shifts after. They chased play, lost their structure and paid the price a total of three times for some pretty awful defensive breakdowns.
There were a lot more positives than negatives in last night's game, and it takes more than a practice or two for a new coaching staff to get everyone on the same page, so there is no reason to overreact and be concerned.
In saying that, it was a rather unpleasant case of deja vu for fans who stayed up to watch the game.
2. Austin Czarnik impressed
One game is one game but Czarnik definitely looked the part of an NHLer – and a good one at that – vs the Bruins. He opened eyes on his first shift and it felt like he made an impact every time he touched the ice. In particular, his playmaking ability really stood out. He showed good creativity using various pass types to find open teammates and seemingly always made the right decision with the puck. He also drew a penalty, which is a nice bonus. If he continues playing like that, he'll earn the top-9 role he was used in last night.
3. Derek Ryan has a leg up over Mark Jankowski
The battle for 3rd line center is one of the more interesting storylines to be settled in camp. If last night was any indication, Ryan is noticeably ahead of Jankowski right now.
Ryan centered the 3rd line, found himself playing on the 2nd power play unit, took numerous key faceoffs, and was used in the shootout. When Bill Peters decided a shake-up was necessary he actually moved Ryan to L2 alongside James Neal and Matthew Tkachuk.
Jankowski, meanwhile, played the whole game on the 4th line and wasn't really involved in special teams.
Peters knows what he'll get from Ryan – and loves it – so Jankowski needs to be really noticeable in the coming weeks to jump him on the depth chart.
4. The top line was excellent
Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, and Elias Lindholm were fantastic together from start to finish. Each player found the scoresheet – Monahan potted a goal while the latter two recorded a pair of assists – and they consistently generated chances. Monahan had no problem finding soft spots in the defense to put himself in great shooting position. Gaudreau was all over the ice and set up a few Grade A chances (the cross-ice pass to Lindholm on the doorstep comes to mind). Lindholm consistently made good passes and showed good hands accepting pucks in stride and maintaining control despite pressure from oncoming defenders. It didn't look like it was their first game as a unit.
5. Power play a mixed bag
As expected, the power play was a little iffy in its first game under Geoff Ward. You could see some of the things he was trying to implement, though.
The Flames really focused on getting the puck beside/behind the net, luring a defender towards them, and then finding the open man in the slot area. A few times it was there but the execution wasn't crisp.
They also regularly used the drop pass. While that may seem counter-productive, the numbers suggest it was very beneficial to the Devils last season.
Excerpt courtesy of The Athletic:
The Devils averaged 1.065 shot attempts (CF = Corsi for) per rush when there was a drop pass involved, and 0.707 when there wasn’t.
...
The Devils carried the puck into the zone 56.1 percent of the time after a drop pass. That total dipped to 52.49 percent when there wasn’t a drop pass involved.
I expect the Flames' PP will look better on Wednesday after a couple more practices to really learn how Ward wants them to operate.
Recent posts:
On Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan, and prioritizing skill in the bottom-6
Three reasons to be optimistic about the Flames heading into 2018-19
Three Flames question marks heading into 2018-19
One model cautiously optimistic about the Flames in 2018-19
Three players who will benefit from Brouwer's departure
There were positives in Sam Bennett's disappointing campaign
Flames sign Elias Lindholm to a six-year extension
A closer look at the Derek Ryan and Austin Czarnik signings
James Neal a necessary signing for the Flames
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