Post-Game: Flames pummeled by pesky Penguins

The Calgary Flames returned home from a two game road trip and, unfortunately, brought their defensive troubles back with them. The Flames were extremely leaky defensively and didn’t get strong goaltending en route to a 9-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Flames got off to an energetic start in the opening frame, but the visitors opened the scoring. With a crowd of players in the slot, Sidney Crosby approached the Flames net from the side and – with Mike Smith covering the bottom 80% of the net – chipped the puck into the small space between the crossbar and Smith’s inside shoulder. It was a shot that maybe 5% of hockey players could make, and it made it 1-0 Penguins.

With Mark Jankowski in the penalty box, the potent Penguins power play converted. Evgeni Malkin’s shot from the top of the circles was tipped by Patric Hornqvist past Smith to make it 2-0. With 52 seconds left in the period the Penguins made it 3-0, as Noah Hanifin and Travis Hamonic both covered the potential pass recipients on a three-on two. Bryan Rust went “Okay, I’ll shoot it then…” and buried a big rebound that Smith spat back out. Shots were 14-10 Penguins in the first period, while chances were 8-7 Penguins.

Just 77 seconds into the second period the Penguins extended their lead. The Flames defenders got a bit lost in their own end and Smith booted out a rebound into the slot, so Phil Kessel grabbed it and buried it to make it 4-0. A little while later Hornqvist scored on another odd-man rush, opting to shoot from the face-off circle and his shot went through Smith to make it 5-0.

The Flames managed to generate a power play after Kessel was called for slashing, but they couldn’t generate anything and Kessel snuck behind the Flames defenders and scored on a breakaway coming out of the penalty box to make it 6-0. That spelled the end of Smith’s evening, as David Rittich came in to mop up.

Jack Johnson added a late power play goal, beating Rittich over his shoulder to make it 7-0. Shots were 15-13 Flames, scoring chances were 9-8 Flames.

Jake Guentzel redirected a Sidney Crosby wrist shot past Rittich midway through the third period to make it 8-0 for the visitors. James Neal beat Matt Murray with a knuckleball shot with two minutes left in regulation to make it 8-1, but that’s all the locals could muster.

Matt Cullen scored on the very next shift to make it 9-1. Shots were 14-9 Flames and chances were 12-7 Flames in the final frame.

On most nights, teams have their hands full with the Penguins because they’re a stacked hockey team.

On this night, the Flames played well below the standard they’re capable of playing at and the Penguins made them pay dearly for their sloppiness. Their defensive play wasn’t great. Their power play looked iffy. Their penalty kill gave up a goal. Smith’s rebound control and general comfort level between the pipes seemed off.

In short: the Flames lost because the Penguins were much, much better than them.

We’re stretching here, but Noah Hanifin led the team in shots. That was notable.

Three Flames were not on the ice for an even strength goal against: Dillon Dube and Garnet Hathaway.

The third Penguins goal was probably the back-breaker here, as the Flames had a chance to get to the intermission down only a pair of goals. Instead, they made their hill that much steeper to climb.

The first goal was a great Crosby shot. The second goal was a power play tip (against a scary-good PP unit). The third goal was one the Flames, as a team, really couldn’t afford to give up given the situation they found themselves in.

This was Travis Hamonic’s first game back after missing eight games after fracturing his face in a fight on opening night. He wore a plastic facial shield and was generally fine.

At least it wasn’t pretzel night…

This game saw the Flames lose by the largest margin of defeat since Jan. 5, 2012, when they lost 9-0 to the Boston Bruins – Chris Butler was famously minus-7 in that game. It’s their most one-sided home loss since Dec. 4, 2000, when they lost 8-0 to the San Jose Sharks.

The Flames (5-5-0) practice tomorrow, then prepare to play the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals on Saturday night.