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Five observations from Calgary vs Vegas:
1. Matthew Tkachuk broke through
In my preview, I referenced Matthew Tkachuk's soaring scoring chance rate and suggested a breakout performance could come sooner than later. Did it ever. Tkachuk stole the show netting three goals for his first career hat trick and assisting on another for good measure. Tkachuk's underlying numbers and micro stats were strong, too, as he finished 2nd on the team in both Corsi For% and shot contributions at 5v5. It was a truly dominant performance, and one the Flames certainly needed given their offensive struggles of late (prior to last night, they scored two or less in seven of eight).
2. 3M was fantastic
Though Tkachuk led the charge, 3M as a whole was as fantastic as ever. They were responsible defensively, as always, and their build-up play through the neutral zone and in the final third was nothing short of spectacular all night long. They made quick, crisp passes and had little trouble dissecting Vegas' defense.
When all was said and done, each member of 3M recorded at least three points. They also finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd among Flames forwards in Corsi For%, and recorded more shot contributions than any other line.
3. Johnny Gaudreau's stuck on an island
It felt like deja vu watching Calgary's top line against Vegas. Gaudreau was flying up and down the wing but rarely had anywhere or anyone to distribute the puck to. As such, he either took shots himself or the possessions were wasted entirely. Sean Monahan, who has looked out of sorts for a while now, was nowhere to be found for much of the night, and Elias Lindholm was tough for Gaudreau to find at the opposite side of the ice. Right now it's Gaudreau or bust as far as creating offense on the top line, and that's not exactly good news for a team in the midst of a heated race for a division title.
4. The Bread Man continues to impress
Another game, another strong showing for Andrew Mangiapane on the 4th line. He scored a goal, finished tied for 2nd on the team in 5v5 scoring chances, forechecked effectively, and was all around the puck seemingly every time he hit the ice. He's making it hard, if not impossible, for Bill Peters to take him out of the lineup when James Neal returns.
5. The defense was quiet
Beyond a couple rough minutes to start the 2nd period, the blueliners were really sound in their own zone. They didn't accomplish much offensively, though. The Flames scored six times and Rasmus Andersson was the lone defender to pick up a primary point on a goal. They didn't contribute to many shots, either, with all but Mark Giordano (five shot contributions) recording as few, or less, than Garnet Hathaway.
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