Post-Game: Crowned

We’ve written a lot on this website this year about the concept of regression. Basically, the idea is this: teams that get more pucks on net tend to score more and tend to win more. So, if your team gets consistently out-shot by the other team and you keep winning, eventually it’ll swing the other way if you play enough games.

And if you’re the Calgary Flames, one of the NHL’s worst possession teams, playing against the Los Angeles Kings, one of the NHL’s best possession teams, you’ll have games like tonight.

God bless (apparently) flu-ridden, shot-riddled Jonas Hiller, because tonight’s game could’ve been a lot worse than it was. The Flames dropped a 5-3 decision on the road to their divisional rival tonight, in a contest that was as important for L.A.’s relevance as a playoff club as it was for Calgary giving themselves breathing room.

As a result of tonight, the Pacific Division and wild-card races are getting pretty damn interesting.

Through the first 40 minutes, tonight’s game seemed like a typical Calgary Flames game this season. They were out-shot in each of the first two periods (11-6 and 19-4) and were lucky to be tied 2-2 through that time. Tyler Toffoli had both Kings goals in the first two periods – one early in the first and one late in the second – while David Jones and Mason Raymond scored just 32 seconds apart in the second period to briefly give Calgary a lead before Toffoli’s late goal tied it 2-2.

The third period featured the Kings going, “Okay, we’re done foolin’ around with you punks…” Dwight King scored just a hair under a minute into the third to give the Kings a 3-2 lead. A few minutes later, the Kings added their own rapid-fire pair of goals – from Jordan Nolan and Tyler Toffoli, completing his hat trick – to make it 5-2. Jonas Hiller departed the game at this point and Karri Ramo was roused from his slumber to man the net for the final half of the third period. Raymond added his second of the game to get things close – and the Flames pulled Ramo to try their patented empty-net magic – but alas, the Flames reaped what they sewed on this evening.

When you get out-shot 45-18 by a divisional rival, on the road, you probably don’t deserve to win too often.

The Flames lost the shots battle, the Corsi battle, the face-off battle and were out-scored at even-strength by a 5-2 margin. To be blunt: they were out-matched and out-played by the defending Stanley Cup champs.

Jonas Hiller made 35 saves, despite his team doing him no favours on his birthday and him apparently having an illness but pushing through anyway. Happy birthday, Jonas. Sorry the rest of the team couldn’t show up for ya.

The Flames (30-22-3) have a day to stew and then need to shake off the loss, as they have another big game on Saturday night, when they host the Vancouver Canucks.