Post-Game: Goals galore lead Flames over Wings

The Calgary Flames have had trouble scoring this year. But at least for one night, they found the fountain of goals. The Flames erupted for six goals for the second time this season – all of them at even strength – and played good enough defense that they were able to hang on for a 6-3 victory over the well-rested Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night at the Saddledome.

The game featured five different goal-scorers – four of them past Flames draft selections – as well as a first NHL goal and the first goal as a Flame for a living hockey legend.

If you like “old time hockey” – and by that I mean two teams scoring goals and not playing a ton of defense – tonight’s game was for you!

The Flames were sharp in the first. They were skating. They were back-checking. They were getting into lanes and making things happen. And Mark Jankowski got onto the scoresheet for the first time in his decorated NHL career off a simple play: he went to the net. Jaromir Jagr’s initial shot rebounded off Petr Mrazek and Jankowski, driving the net, had it go into the yawning cage off of his pants to make it 1-0 for the home side.

The Flames made it 2-0 off another simple play. Sean Monahan won a face-off and drew the puck to Johnny Gaudreau in the slot. Micheal Ferland drove the net for a screen. Gaudreau’s wrister was in the back of the net before Mrazek had a chance to register that a shot had been taken. Shots were 15-10 Flames, while scoring chances were 14-6.

The middle frame was a bit more wide open, in that the Flames were enjoying a lead and played a little bit loose defensively. It led to a period of many goals. The first one was Calgary’s: Mikael Backlund held the puck in on an attempted Detroit clear, then fed Ferland for a nice deke and tuck behind Mrazek to make it 3-0.

Detroit made it 3-1 off a power play goal (with Sam Bennett in the box). The penalty kill pressured the point, so they fed the puck to Anthony Mantha (who was screening Mike Smith out front), and he shuffled the puck over to Martin Frk for a no-doubt one-timer. But the Flames answered back just over three minutes later. Backlund stole the puck in Detroit’s zone and chucked the puck to the point to Brett Kulak. Kulak’s point shot was redirected by Matthew Tkachuk to make it 4-1. The Red Wings challenged on the basis of goalie interference, but the goal stood.

But the Red Wings answered back! After a successful penalty kill, the Flames had four tired players on the ice (and Mark Giordano, who had come out of the penalty box). Anthony Mantha fed a gorgeous pass to an unchecked Frans Nielsen for a redirection past Smith to make it 4-2. Literally every player in red seemed surprised that the pass went through. Calgary reacted well, though, as roughly 80 seconds later Gaudreau and Jagr went in on a two-on-one against Jonathan Ericsson and Gaudreau fed Jagr for a tap-in to make it 5-2.

But Detroit answered back – which was a theme in the second – as a shot from Ericsson was booted out to the slot by Smith, allowing Mantha to wrist it through traffic and into the open net to make it 5-3. Shots were 18-7 Detroit but scoring chances were 13-11 Flames.

The third period was a bit more locked down. The Flames seemed content to burn off the clock, though Jagr’s line had a few good chances, too. Gaudreau added his second of the game into an empty net to make it 6-3 and ice this one. Shots 11-8 Red Wings and chances were 12-7 Red Wings – but remember, score effects.

The Flames were a lot better than Detroit at even strength, out-scoring them 6-2 at five-on-five. When your team’s got three lines rolling along that can score, it makes life a lot easier – even if your special teams units don’t quite play up to snuff.

Gaudreau had three points and had his working boots on. He was dangling around players all night long and probably should’ve had more than two goals.

Stick-taps also to Jagr, who was perpetually dangerous.

Honestly? The first goal set Detroit back on their heels, and they never really seemed engaged in the game until they were down by three early in the second period.

T.J. Brodie grabbed the puck after Jankowski’s first NHL goal. Gaudreau grabbed the puck after Jagr’s first Flames goal.

“I didn’t like the way we played with the lead, really. At the end of the second there, giving up chances and goals at the end with two minutes left, we’ve got to nail that down. What I did like, from an offensive standpoint, is when you get guys…we’ve got a lot of guys that got on the board tonight, and that helps.” – Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan assessing his team’s performance.

“I thought Brett Kulak had a great skating game. I thought he made some good plays, held the line, big goal with Chucky there. I thought Ras looked poised with the puck. Didn’t have any panic in his game. For sure a learning curve for him will be the gap that maybe he gave up a little bit in his play, which he’s got a get a little tighter there, trust his feet. But real calm and poised with the puck. Never seemed to be… And that’s a strength of his, and we know that, just his puck play. I thought he was real good in that area.” – Gulutzan on his third pairing’s performance.

Jagr had a ton of praise for Gaudreau after the game.

The crowning moment of my journalistic career:

The Flames (9-7-0) practice tomorrow and begin preparation for the final game of their homestand when they host the St. Louis Blues on Monday night.