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Senators 4, Flames 2: Pesky Sens do it again

April 20, 2021, 11:23 AM ET [63 Comments]
Todd Cordell
Calgary Flames Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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A few thoughts from Calgary’s backbreaking defeat to Ottawa:

1. The big mistake proved costly. By and large, I thought the Flames played well. As has often been the case of late, they gave up next to nothing at 5v5. There were very few net-front looks for Ottawa, especially generated from in-zone play, and Calgary did a good job of causing havoc in Matt Murray’s crease. The Flames ran into trouble because they couldn’t convert on the chances they generated in high-danger areas, and they handed the Senators essentially all of their offense on a platter. Juuso Valimaki had a breakout pass intercepted, which led directly to a goal. Noah Hanifin forced a pass while pressured at the blueline late in the 2nd. It went the other way for a shorthanded goal. Even the empty-netter to seal the game was handed to Ottawa. Matthew Tkachuk tripped while exiting the defensive zone, missed the puck on his diving attempt, and the Senators walked into the offensive zone for a freebie. All of their structured, sound, work was erased because they couldn’t avoid the big mistake.

2. Yikes. When you can't score at 5v5, you need to take advantage on the power play. The Flames didn’t exactly do that last night. They had plenty of opportunity, spending nearly eight minutes on the man advantage. Grade A chances were 2-2 in that time (not good) and the Flames allowed the only goal (also not good). The shorthanded goal they allowed was absolutely crushing. Not only did it put them behind, but it gave Senators coaches ~17 minutes to gameplan and make necessary adjustments for defending a 3rd period lead. Coming from behind isn’t exactly Calgary’s speciality so handing the opposition a lead was essentially a nail in the coffin.

3. The chances were there. Calgary had a lot of good looks on the doorstep; and from the guys you’d want/expect. Andrew Mangiapane (7), Elias Lindholm (4), Matthew Tkachuk (3), and Mark Giordano (3) all generated at least three chances. So often there were scrambles around the net with Calgary’s best players there to pounce and they simply couldn’t convert; on a goaltender who ranks 2nd to last in Goals Saved Above Expected, no less. It’s been that kind of season.

4. Juuso Valimaki struggled. I’m not just saying that because his 1st period turnover ended up in the back of the net. He was bad. The Flames spent a lot of time in the defensive zone when he was on the ice, which simply wasn’t the case otherwise. He posted a ~35 xGF%, a ~39 CF%, and Ottawa generated nine of their 15 5v5 chances in that time. That means 60% of the Sens’ chances came with Valimaki out there and he only played ~26% of the 5v5 minutes possible. Yikes.

numbers via NaturalStatTrick.com
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