Flames close out 2019 with an uneven effort

The Calgary Flames finished off 2019 with something that’s become all too common in the latter stages of the year: an uneven effort culminating with a loss. The benefactor on New Year’s Eve were the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.

Following the loss, interim head coach Geoff Ward made an assessment that was pretty much in line with how the team played two nights previous against Vancouver – especially in terms of what was missing.

Ward had similar criticisms of the forecheck against Vancouver.

Once again, Flames netminder David Rittich gave up three first period goals. Once again, the offensive outburst was as much a product of the team in front of Rittich playing tentative hockey. On the first Chicago goal, the defense backed in and allowed Olli Maatta to shoot. Ditto the third goal by Patrick Kane, with the added complication of traffic in front of Rittich. Strome’s goal was also an uncontested shot that the defense allowed to happen.

Ward opted to keep Rittich in the net rather than yank him, allowing his starting netminder to battle through – he was much sharper later in the game. Regardless of who’s in net, the Flames need to find a way to play with urgency early in games. It’s troubling that they were able to find that emotion and focus early against the Oilers – even if Edmonton wasn’t amazing in that game, the Flames took it to them – yet haven’t been able to translate that in two subsequent games on home ice.

The effort was vintage Flames – in a bad way. Ward’s approach to the third period with the Flames trailing was basically exactly what predecessor Bill Peters used to do: shorten the bench and shuffle the lines.

And three Flames players were benched for the entire period.

(Rieder played 39 seconds on the penalty kill.)

The changes seemed to give the team a kick in the ass, but it makes you wonder if they’ll have the same impact if they go back to them on Thursday against the New York Rangers.

That’s right: four different even-strength goal-scoring leaders and five different goaltending wins leaders in the last five calendar years. But if nothing else, at least Gaudreau has been a consistent offensive presence during his tenure in Calgary.