Calgary Flames Drop the Game 5-2 to the Vancouver Canucks

Calgary Flames 5 vs. Vancouver Canucks 2

Complete Stats

Scoring

Calgary Flames

1st: None

2nd: 18:36 – Andersson (3), (Monahan/Tkachuk)

3rd: 19:02 – Hanifin (4), (Lindholm/Tkachuk)

Vancouver Canucks

1st: 3:29 PPG – Myers (2), (Virtanen/Gaudette), 6:40 – Myers (3), (Boeser/Hughes), 10:52 PPG – Virtanen (12), (Myers/Pearson)

2nd: None

3rd: 6:14 – Pearson (10), (Horvat/Eriksson), 19:35 EN – Pearson (11), (Horvat/Edler)

Recap

Tyler Myers with the hot hand to start the game for the Vancouver Canucks – getting two goals on David Rittich just a little over 3 minutes apart. Jake Virtanen making it 3-0 for the Canucks 11 minutes into the first period.

After letting in 3/7 of the Canucks shots Rittich gets pulled with Miika Kiprusoff in the dome. In his defence, Brodie skated into his lane of vision at the worst possible moment for the first goal, and the third goal went in off of Hamonic’s stick.

Cam Talbot taking over the goaltending reins for the Flames in the second half of the first period.

Not much happened in the second period – for those who were watching the NFC 49ers vs. Seahawks football game. Rasmus Andersson put the Calgary Flames on the board off of Sean Monahan's shot rebound.

The referees were busy handing out penalties in the second period. With a bad tripping call on Tkachuk. Soon after a 5-on-3 for the Canucks as Andersson and Hamonic sit in the hotbox. Talbot holding fort for the Flames with the score remaining 3-1 to end the second period.

Things get worse for the Flames in the third period – Hamonic in Talbots way who was unable to make a save on Tanner Pearson, making it 4-1 Canucks. Noah Hanifin scores for the Flames, 4-2 with a minute left.

The game ends with an empty-net goal by Pearson for the 5-2 Canucks win. The series is now tied 1-1 out of the four games between these teams. Calgary has two visits left to Vancouver in the new year.

Final Thoughts

Thatcher Demko got the start in net for the Canucks – Markstrom getting a breather after 9 straight starts, and a 50-save game against the LA Kings, had set the bar high. Demko made an early glove save on Hamonic and was able to put a stop to a 2-on-1 in the second period with Andersson out of the penalty box, and Backlund catching speed to stay with him.

Demko had some help, as the Flames get some bad luck. Giordano had Demko beat as the puck slid through the crease in the first period. Frolik had a breakaway chance, but the whistle gets blown with Jankowski caught offside, not able to get out of the attack zone soon enough with a line change of fresh bodies coming onto the ice. Demko was also saved by the post in the second period as Monahan sees all red on his PP shot.

Flame of the Game

Rasmus Andersson gets Flame of the Game. It really looked like he wanted another goal.

What’s Next?

New Years Eve game Calgary Flames vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 7PM MT.

by Renu Sahota