Post-Game: Flames out-class Rangers

The Calgary Flames came into Friday night’s game with the New York Rangers needing a win to jump into first place. They looked equal parts composed and hungry in a 5-1 victory over the Rangers at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

The Flames opened the scoring midway through the first period. After a successful penalty kill, the Flames had their lines jumbled up a bit. Matthew Tkachuk collected the puck in the defensive end, skated around the back of the net, and lobbed the puck across the neutral zone. It landed in the Rangers zone, Johnny Gaudreau out-skated a defender and deked out Alexandar Georgiev to make it 1-0 Flames.

But the Rangers tied things up just 70 seconds later during a stretch of four-on-four play. The Rangers entered the zone with numbers and blueliner Neal Pionk entered as the trailer, accepted a pass, and had oodles of time to uncork a slap shot that beat David Rittich low on the blocker side to make it 1-1.

Shots were 13-6 Flames and chances 8-4 Flames in the first period.

The Flames took control of the game in the second period with a pair of goals within the first five minutes.

Following a brief four-on-four sequence, the Flames’ second line went to work with a nice bit of puck movement in the Rangers’ zone. Mark Giordano’s shot from the point was redirected by Tkachuk past Georgiev to make it 2-1 Flames.

A little bit later, a nice passing sequence for the fourth line – plus Tkachuk, subbing in on the trio – led to another goal. Derek Ryan cycled the puck from behind the net to Tkachuk in the corner, and he whipped the puck right to Garnet Hathaway for a quick redirect that made the game 3-1 Flames.

Shots were 9-5 Rangers and scoring chances 5-4 Flames in the second.

The Flames added some insurance in the third period off another nice cycling play by the second line. They won some board battles and funneled the puck to the point. Noah Hanifin’s initial shot was stopped, but Tkachuk fed Michael Frolik for a tap-in to give them a 4-1 advantage.

They got additional insurance off another hungry shift from the second line, as Mikael Backlund’s initial chance was stopped but Tkachuk jumped all over the rebound to make it a 5-1 Flames lead.

The Flames held on for the victory. Shots were 14-10 Flames in the third and scoring chances 11-6 Flames.

They were the better team and they out-worked the Rangers. They created scoring chances, minimized the number and quality of the opportunities the Rangers got, and just managed the game quite well.

Tkachuk was in on every goal the Flames scored. He was emotionally engaged and did a good job managing the puck and using his teammates.

The Flames really grabbed hold of this game early in the second period. Rather than waiting for the game to come to them, as has been one of their tendencies at home, they really used their forecheck and maneuvered the puck well. They generated several good scoring chances, buried two of them, and put it in cruise control from then on.

With Tkachuk’s five point outing, the Flames now have four 70+ point players. You have to go back seven seasons to capture a period when the Flames had their previous four 70+ seasons.

This was the 12th of the Flames’ 13 scheduled games in their retro jerseys. They’re 7-4-1 in them this season.

The Flames (44-20-7) hop on a plane and fly east. They play the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow night in the early game on Hockey Night in Canada. With a point in that game, the Flames can clinch a playoff berth.