Game 39 Recap – Florida Finishes Flames 6-5

Period One

The first couple minutes were back and forth with no real opportunities. That would change quickly as Lance Bouma checked Aaron Ekblad behind the net. Ekblad tried to make too much happen and passed the puck perfectly to Matt Stajan who hammered one high blocker side to put the Flames up 1-0 2:42 into the first period.

The lead wouldn’t last long as play went back and forth for about a minute before Florida dumped the puck in to Calgary’s zone. Jonas Hiller attempted to make a play behind the net, but turned the puck over to Brad Boyes who passed to a wide open Jonathan Huberdeau to make it 1-1 4:28 into the game with both goals coming off of very sloppy plays. The sloppy play was further personified by a sloppy penalty by Derek MacKenzie as he shouldered Dennis Wideman in the head 5:10 into the period and the Flames were off to their first power play.

Wideman was apparently fine as he was out on PP1 for the flames. The Panthers had a couple of clears which killed of about about fifty seconds of power play time. Johnny Gaudreau attempted a slapshot that was blocked by Erik Gudbranson which lead to a two on one for the panthers, but they couldn’t even get it to the net as the Flames would do what they do best – block the shot instead of preventing the zone entry. The power play ended and the Flames didn’t manage a single shot. Calgary still had possession after the power play had expired, but that wouldn’t last long. Florida was able to get it out of the zone and after some harmless back and forth there was a stoppage and the first commercial break of the game.

Back from the break Florida gained possession of the puck and quickly entered Calgary’s zone. A backhand attempt was stopped, but Erik Gudbranson got a quality attempt off of the rebound. Hiller managed to thwart it for what might have been the prettiest save up to this point. Calgary had nothing going for them for and Florida was entering Calgary’s zone any way they wanted to. About three minutes after the previous television time out Vincent Trocheck managed to gain the puck in the slot, but Hiller stopped that one between the pads which mercifully lead to another television time out.

After the second break Sean Monahan managed to win the faceoff and wound up with the puck. He skated the puck into the zone and after a few shots by Calgary the puck wound up over the glass and into the netting. It seemed like Calgary might finally get something going, but of course the Flames lost the offensive zone faceoff and Calgary would once again wind up moving backwards for another minute or so. An ill-advised pass from Brian Campbell would get Calgary another faceoff in the Panthers zone and a chance to establish some momentum, but they would lose the faceoff again and Florida would wind up back in Calgary’s zone.

Thirteen minutes had passed and the Flames were very fortunate to be tied, but that would change. Kris Russell made an ill-advised pass to Dennis Wideman which was picked off by Huberdeau. He would pass it to a completely uncovered Boyes who got it past Hiller on the glove side and it was 2-1 Panthers. Florida looked to be the fresher of the teams which is not good considering they had just played the night before in a completely different province. With five left in the period, the shots were 9-2 Panthers.

A bad play by Dylan Olsen led to the puck heading over the glass which meant it was time for the second Flames power play. The first minute went worse than it did for the first power play as they’d actually wind up playing in their own zone for most of it. T.J. Brodie took a shot from the right hand side which was stopped by Montoya, but the puck got stuck under his pad and as he slid his leg backward the puck came loose. It slid backwards and just drifted into the net for a laugher of a goal. Calgary was P.D.O.’ing all over the place. The score was 2-2 with shots being 9-3 in favor of the Panthers.

It took until around two minutes left in the first period before the Flames finally figured out that maybe they shouldn't play in their own zone so much. They managed to keep the puck in Florida's zone for a bit and while they didn't get any shots on net, they did manage to force an icing on a tired Florida team. They wouldn't capitalize though as even with the icing, Florida still managed to get it out of the zone on the ensuing faceoff.

The Flames would establish possession in Florida zone on the ensuing change and got off a few good chances. Jiri Hudler and Gaudreau tried to work their magic, Montoya did his best impersonation of a Magikarp, Brian Campbell would panic and cross-check Giordano, and the Flames would head to their third power play with about 52 seconds left in the period. They managed a few harmless shots on net and the period would expire.

Period Two

Period two would start with the Flames still on the power play. This was the best the Flames had looked up to this point as they'd get a few shot attempts off but couldn't quite get it past Montoya. The penalty would expire and the recurring theme of the puck being back in Calgary's zone would continue. Florida would force yet another offensive zone faceoff.

The Flames managed to gain control of the zone as Florida went off on a change. Mikael Backlund would take a shot which was blocked, but the rebound wound up right back on his stick and he put the puck past flailing Montoya again. That lead would last of less than a minute as the Panthers would get the puck in and Fleischmann got the puck into Bergenheim who was wide open in front of Hiller. Hiller made a decent effort to stop the first attempt, but then he’d put the rebound home past the right pad to tie it up at three.

The Panthers would get a few zone entries, but nothing too exciting came from them. The Flames would answer by gaining the zone and they would get a few decent looks with Ladislav Smid firing a couple from the point, but the Panthers were able to stop both attempts. Florida would turn the puck over in the neutral zone and the puck would wind up on Monahan’s stick for what could be considered a half-break away, but the Panthers forced him towards the corner. He had an opportunity to shoot, but made an ill-advised pass to the slot which lead to a turnover. Sportsnet aired a graphic that stated that the turnovers were 16 to six in favor of the Panthers which certainly seemed accurate. After some back and forth action the play was blown dead which lead to the first commercial break of the second.

Back from the break the Flames wound up back in the Panthers zone. Bouma would feather a pass to Brodie at the middle of the blue line. He'd wind up for a slapshot and the puck trickled in on Montoya who really should have had it. At this point in time everyone had to be wondering why the Panthers hadn't made a change as he'd allowed four goals on 12 shots, but the Flames would certainly take it.

The Panthers would attempt to respond and would get the puck in deep on the Flames which was starting to become a recurring theme. The Flames managed to keep them to some harmless shots and were able to get it out and finally seemed to seemed to be playing a bit more evenly. They still weren't getting possession anywhere near as frequently as the Panthers were, but at least they were holding them to harmless shots. Whether that was due to Florida suffering from fatigue or the Flames finally coming alive was hard to tell.

A few moments of harmless play lead to the second television timeout of the period. The Panthers would win the draw, but the Flames would wind up taking control of the puck in Florida’s zone. Joe Colborne would fire the puck on net, but his attempt was blocked and Florida would ice the puck. Florida seemed to be a little bit afraid of making the break out passes preferring to dump the puck out of their zone at this point, though that was certainly excusable when the goalie allowed a third of all shots to get past him.

Calgary had yet another good opportunity as they would hold the zone for about a minute and a half. Giordano made a good play to keep the puck in twice and Colborne managed to get the puck to Gaudreau in the slot, but it was tightly covered and Florida stopped him and cleared the puck for a change. They weren't able to establish any possession and it would wind up back in Florida's zone again and Montoya was forced to stop play. Wideman got a nice shot off the faceoff which Montoya was able to stop with the blocker and Florida would get the puck out.

For a moment the tides had turned and it was Florida that couldn’t get anything done offensively. After another television timeout, the Flames would wind up in the Panthers zone once again. Montoya was recovering after a save and the puck drifted to the right side of the blue line. There wasn’t a great opportunity to be had there, but that didn’t prevent Deryk Engelland from taking a shot from the point that could best be described as comedic – he elevated the shot maybe two inches off the ice and wound up missing the net entirely.

The Panthers got the puck into Calgary’s zone and Calgary tried to respond by making the breakout pass, but it would lead to an icing call. The Flames would win the faceoff, but Jussi Jokinen was able to take the puck, throw it back to Gudbranson who got the puck to Hayes who had nobody around him. He took a shot from around the center of the blue line and Hiller was either partially screened or just completely missed it. The puck got past him and it was once again a tie game.

The Panthers would win the faceoff and gain the Flames zone yet again. They would get a few decent looks before the Flames would get the puck out. This time they were actually able to get into the Panthers zone and maintain possession. They had a few decent opportunities and forced Trocheck to take a poor holding penalty with 21 seconds left in the period. They would get a few chances on the power play before the period expired.

Period Three
The third period kicked of with the Flames still on the power play once again. It would take them a while to get anything going on the power play, but they would finally get things started with about a half a minute left. After a few passes they were finally able to get it to Wideman who got a decent look, but Montoya was able to hold on to stop play. The power play would expire with the Flames getting two shots on goal.

The Panthers would get the puck into the Flames zone and really didn't get any decent looks, but Bouma took a phantom roughing penalty which really appeared to be a slashing penalty on Stajan. The Panthers had their first power play of the game, but the Flames were able to shut them down. They only had one attempt which came from an odd angle from Campbell and really had no chance of going in on any goalie not named Montoya.

The pace really started picking up as the two teams exchanged chances back and forth. Neither team was able to keep the puck in their opponents' zones which lead to numerous breakouts. Hiller finally put a stop to all of that which lead to the first television timeout of the third period.

Off of the timeout the Flames managed to gain possession and establish the zone. Giordano took a shot that took an odd bounce of the end boards and Montoya made a good play to get the puck away. Florida had a chance going the other way. Calgary was able to take thwart that, but they wound up icing the puck. Florida had a few chances off the faceoff, but couldn't get anything on net.

After a few momemts Florida still had the puck in the Flames zone. Campbell took a shot from the point which kind of fluttered extremely awkwardly and wound up bouncing off of Hiller and heading into the net. There was an official review as the puck may have been touched by a high stick by Bergenheim. It was impossible to tell from the video evidence whether or not that actually happened though and the goal was allowed.

The Flames now trailed 5-4 with 10:31 remaining in the game and in typical Flames fashion they finally started pressing while trailing th the third. For the next few minutes they would get the puck in deep on Florida. Colborne was able to deflect a puck in front on a shot from the point, but Montoya made a good save and Panthers would get the puck into Calgary's zone. Calgary would ice the puck and would have another defensive zone draw.

The Panthers would gain possession as the puck was dropped. The Flames forced the play to the corners, but Smid was unable to get the puck away and Florida managed to chip away a little under a minute of play which the Flames could have desperately used. They were able to get the puck out for a Jokinen shot, but Hiller stopped that one for a stoppage in play and another commercial break with 6:37 remaining.

The puck was dropped and Florida once again won the faceoff, but for once the Flames were able to gain take the puck away and get into the Florida zone. Bouma wound up in front of the net and it appeared as though Ekblad may have interfered with him which lead him to crash into Montoya. Montoya locked Bouma in a headlock and Bouma and Montoya picked up matching roughing penalties much to the dismay of the crowd. It was time for some four on four hockey.

The Panthers got the puck out after the ensuing draw, but the Flames would head back the other way and Byron would break away like only few in the league could. Unfortunately Montoya got the pad out and Byron couldn't lift the puck up enough to pick up the goal. Another television time out was called after play would head back the other way and Hiller stopped play.

Play would resume with about 4:48 to play. After a minute of back and forth play David Jones drove to the net and made a backhand attempt on Montoya. He’d make the initial save, but Stajan was there to pick up the rebound and the game was once again tied at five all. That lead would last all of 45 seconds. Bergenheim was able to force a turnover in Calgary’s zone. Bolland chipped the puck in on Hiller who made the initial save, but Fleischmann was there to pick up the rebound. The score is now six to five Panthers. Hartley is starting to look a bit dismayed at this point.

Play would resume and Calgary would press a bit and force a stoppage in Florida's zone. They'd win the ensuing draw and Jones would draw a slashing penalty on Brad Boyes with 2:28 remianing. They would pull Hiller to make it six two and get some dangerous looking chances, but Florida managed to stop them all. They would manage one clear. They attempted a shot from behind the net which bounced off of Montoya's back and stopped in the crease behind Montoya, but they were able to cover up and it was back to even strength with 24 seconds left and the goalie was pulled.

MacKenzie won the faceoff and got it over to Bolland who made a strange decision to ice the puck. The Flames would win the faceoff, but their attempts went wide of the net. Gudbrandson attempted to clear the puck, but Hudler got a piece of it. Unfortunately the puck went up into the netting and the faceoff was forced outside of the Calgary zone with 5.2 seconds left.

Kopecky would trip Giordano before the faceoff. Unfortunately the refs didn't see it and Giordano would take exception and drop the gloves. He would head off, but it was too little too late anyway. The Flames won the faceoff, but couldn't get into the zone. The clock expired as the Flames fell to the Panthers six to five.

The Possession

The Flames allowed the Panthers to come in to their building tired and completely push them around possession wise. Hiller did not have a good game, but it should have never come to this with as bad as Montoya was playing. This was an abhorrent performance by most of the roster. Everybody was in the negatives.

Stats

Goals –

Stajan (2), Brodie (2), Backlund

Assists –

Bouma (3), Wideman, Jones, Giordano, Colborne, Backlund

Notes

• It’s hard to believe that this was Brodie’s first two goal game given what he’s done for the Flames, but congratulations to Brodie on his first two goal game.
• Jones played well. This might have been his best game of the season thus far. That could still be said even if he hadn’t picked up any points.
• Speaking of best games of the season, Bouma also really stepped his game up. It’s amazing what will happen when somebody isn’t playing with nightmare possession players.
• Backlund had two points tonight bringing him to four in his two games back. Obviously he hasn’t lost a step.
• Unlike Backlund, Smid may still be suffering from some rust. He didn’t look good out there, but then again he isn’t much more than a seventh defenseman at best on a truly good team anyway.
• As good as Backlund played, he and his entire line were completely lost in the third period (as can be seen from the chart).
• While this was a painful game to lose, they definitely didn’t deserve a victory. The only reason they were in this one was because of the poor play by Montoya.
• That said, not having a ready back up probably hurt too. If Karri Ramo is ready, he probably makes it into the game.
• This was supposed to be a schedule loss for the Panthers – a tired team going on the road to a rested home team. Tomorrow it’s the Flames’ turn for a schedule loss and they will likely be forced to roll with Hiller again. This bodes poorly for them.
• With the addition of Drew Shore and the departure of Brian McGrattan one has to ask who is on the outs. It’s starting to look a bit crowded with the forwards and there are multiple choices that would be logical, but this is an organization that hasn’t exactly embraced logic all the time.

Well that’s it. Tune in tomorrow as the Flames take on the Canucks in Vancouver!

by Les Mavus