Post-Game: Crowned

Via the NHL

Goaltending was once again the only reason your Calgary Flames were able to hang around tonight. Jonathan Quick had a bad bad night, allowing 3 goals on his first 13 shots against. Karri Rämö, on the other hand, did not, making 41 saves to drag the Flames all the way to the shootout in a game they had no business being in.

However, Rämö and Sean Monahan would combine in the shootout to give the Flames yet another win – a 4-3 final. 

Mike Cammalleri almost put the Flames up one less than a minute in, as Jonathan Quick had to make a nice save on an odd play. Kings rookie Andrew Campbell would then make a pretty nice move, saving a goal by scooping the puck out of the crease as Sean Monahan hovered above it about 8 minutes in. The Flames did control the play early on, as possession seemed to be about 50/50 with the Flames generating the better scoring chances overall. With about 8 minutes left in the period, Cammalleri would dish a nice no-look pass to TJ Galliardi for his 4th of the season off of the post and crossbar and in. A good chance for each team would come the very next shift, as Curtis Glencross and Anze Kopitar would both ring one off the iron. After that, though, things would come off the rails a little bit and the Flames would spend the rest the period attempting to hold the Kings off. Shots were 11-7 for the Kings and attempts were 28-17, all at even strength.

The second period started off with something that’s becoming regular around these parts: Karri Rämö making a fantastic save. (He’d go on to do that a lot this period.)The Flames would thank their goaltender four minutes later, as Monahan would score his 21st of the season. They now play that “Mony, Mony” song when he scores, and I can’t help but note that Sean was approximately -15 when Idol’s version came out. Not much happened between that and the Flames scoring another odd one – Matt Stajan would knock one out of the air after it careened off of Kenny Agostino past Quick to give the Flames a pretty undeserved (to that point, at least) 3-0 lead. Stajan’s now on a 5-game point streak. The three goal cushion was short lived, though – Jarret Stoll would deflect a Slava Voynov (god damnit, I’m playing him in my fantasy finals) point shot past Rämö to make it 3-1. 24 seconds later, Anze Kopitar (god damnit, I’m playing him in my fantasy finals too) absolutely embarrassed Mike Cammalleri whilst walking out from the corner to in front of the net (unimpeded) and put it top ched on Rämö to cut the Kings deficit to one. The Kings would almost tie it up with 20 seconds left in the period, but a couple of nice saves by Rämö would keep the home squad up by one. Shots were 14-6 for the Kings in the frame and attempts were 26-14, all at even strength.

The Kings Corsi% was 62 at this point. However, what came immediately after in the third period made me think that Stoll might’ve been correct. Somewhat inexplicably, the Flames fourth line was able to keep the Kings hemmed in their zone for extended periods of time in the first ten minutes of the period. They didn’t produce any shots on goal, which is obviously bad, but they killed about two and a half minutes, which was good! It got less good when Van Brabant had the single worst giveaway of the Flames’ season around the 12 minute mark: he just casually dished it off to Jake Muzzin, who then proceeded to set up Dwight King for his 15th of the season. Galliardi would just miss a chance to put the Flames up by one again, and we were headed to overtime. Shots in the frame were 13-5 for the Kings, and attempts were 25-12 for the Kings.

Overtime was one sided – Rämö had to make 5 stops; Quick couldn’t. However, it wouldn’t be enough, and we would go to a shootout – where Rämö would make a great stop on Kopitar before Marian Gaborik would score. Hudler would tie it up, though, ripping a shot into the top corner from the top of the circles. Monahan would improve to 5/8 on the season, though, and the Flames would give Karri Rämö the win he deserved.

Karri Rämö did it again, guys. We’re on First Blood, Part MXXVII now.

Dude is an absolute criminal out there lately. Had Rämö somehow played every game this season, Calgary would have 86 points right now and be battling for a wildcard spot. Brodie and Galliardi (1+1) also had good games. 

See above. Damn. Quick was also very poor on the night.

Yet another game the Flames probably had no business hanging around in – also, yet another game where Karri Rämö stole it for them. If this is his true talent level, well, then we’re in for a treat. We’ll see where he’s at when he hits 3000 ESSA, but for right now you should enjoy some of the best goaltending we’ve seen in a decade. Monahan’s also the first guy to get 21 since, you know, that dude.

The Flames’ last home game is on Friday versus the Jets.