Home ice disadvantage for Flames
ISLANDERS 5, FLAMES 2
The original plan was for the Calgary Flames to return from a three-game road trip and continue the momentum they established by holding their heads above water against the two-time Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and beating two of the worst teams in the National Hockey League.
They were also facing a New York Islanders team that hadn’t won in eight straight games, struggling to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff picture and whose goaltender — Christopher Gibson — was playing just his third NHL game this season.
Two points would have put the Flames ahead of the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference standings and that much closer to a playoff spot in the log-jammed race that will most certainly go down to the wire.
Instead, a 5-2 loss that featured their No. 1 goalie Mike Smith returning after missing 13 games with a lower body injury, means they sit idle at 34-26-10 and continue to have a losing record (14-164) at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
“The problem is we’re getting down a lot at home,” pointed out Flames captain Mark Giordano. “We’re forced to press a lot because you’re down by a few goals. That was the case again tonight. You’re down 2-1, 3-1, and 4-1 … we did a good job of getting some chances but we weren’t getting in front of him enough to take his eyes away.”
And while it’s positive to have outshot the Islanders 52-27 and 19-4 in the third period, outchanced them left, right, and centre, the only numbers that mattered seemed to be the three goals allowed by the Flames in the first period, on just seven Islanders attempts.
Smith, trying to shake off rust, cannot be faulted on all three markers.
Nick Leddy’s point shot with 2:14 elapsed appeared to have been screened while Johnny Boychuk’s shot from the other point just 18 seconds later had some assistance from Troy Brouwer’s stick. Meanwhile, Sean Monahan failed to pick up Jordan Eberle who was able to deposit the rebound off another Boychuck point shot.
In the end, the numbers aren’t flattering on Smith’s return, four goals on 26 shots.
“A couple of those seeing eye singles, the first one off a faceoff … a shot goes off Janks’ foot and into the top corner. The second obviously went off Brouwer’s stick and went in,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “The next goal, they only had three chances in the period. We had to fight back from that and I thought we did for the most part. I didn’t like the start. Our first eight minutes, I didn’t think we were hard enough, the rest of our game, our power play could have bailed us out.
“I think we put up 94 attempts and 50 some shots.”
But it doesn’t change the fact the Flames fell behind early and it cost them.
“For whatever reason, the puck does not want to go in for us easy at home,” Gulutzan continued. “We generate way more (chances at home). We generated 27 chances at home. It just will not go in. Compare that … I think we had 14 or 15 in Pittsburgh. It’s not as easy to go in for us here. You guys can look that up. I’m sure you will.” And here’s some more bad news. The Flames have seven remaining home games, including one massive one on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers (7 p.m. MT, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 960 The Fan) whom they have not beat in seven straight tries.
Then, there’s the health of Matthew Tkachuk who exited the game with 5:05 remaining in the third period after a falling Mathew Barzal collided with him in the corner, which caused him to fall awkwardly and hit his head/neck area.
Down 3-1 heading into the second period, Anders Lee scored 50 seconds into the middle frame on a massive rebound (probably one Smith would have liked to have had back). But, again, Smith cannot be hung out to dry for this one.
Their start? Simply unacceptable.
“You can’t get down early like we did,” Giordano said. “I thought we lost some puck battles the first few shifts but we have to clean up. They got out to a lead and we couldn’t get back into the game.”
Giordano did make it interesting, getting credit for a crash-andbanger in front of Gibson who also had a hand in helping the puck cross the crease at the 7:24 mark of the final frame. At that point, the Flames were completely outplaying the Islanders and had cut the lead to 4-2.
In fact, the visitors did not register a shot in the third period until 9:16 remaining — a passing attempt by Josh Bailey that somehow counted.
Oh, the Flames had chances. Plenty.
Tkachuk had missed a three-onone early in the first period and had another chance along with linemate Michael Frolik early in the second. Sam Bennett slid the puck through Adam Pelech’s skates in the third and couldn’t get the puck past Gibson. Giordano had a completely wide open net, had Gibson totally beat, but lost the puck in front instead after absorbing a slash.
They had three power play opportunities in the first two periods and another 1:25 advantage in third, but nothing was gained.
Gulutzan attempted to swap his lines, deploying Tkachuk with the top line and sent Micheal Ferland with the second line.
Meanwhile, their only goal came from Johnny Gaudreau at 7:23 of the first period, a short-side marker that slipped by Gibson’s elbow.
Garnet Hathaway even dropped the gloves to try to get something going and — just like the Flames the entire game — was pummelled by Ross Johnston, the big man who challenged Ryan Lomberg in Brooklyn last month.
And when Smith finally started to get into a rhythm, making a timely save on Islanders rookie sniper Barzal five minutes into the second and a fantastic blocker save on Casey Cizikas during a shorthanded breakaway with 6:24 left in the middle frame, he didn’t get enough help up front.
Lee scored the empty-netter for the Islanders.
“A deflection and a couple bad bounces but he made some big saves in the second half of the game to keep us alive,” Giordano said. “We had a lot of looks. When we made it 4-2, I thought we had a good chance of getting the next one and getting right back into it. But we couldn’t find a way.
“We have to dig deeper.”