Post-Game Wrap-Up: Flames beat Chicago for their dads
By Ryan Pike
4 years agoThe Calgary Flames headed to Chicago hoping to continue their winning ways. It wasn’t always pretty, but they managed to grind out a hard-fought 2-1 road victory over the Blackhawks to stay undefeated in 2020.
The Rundown
The opening period was pretty one-sided, as the Blackhawks dictated the pace. the Flames defended reasonably well, but Chcago finally broke through late as Dominik Kubalik redirected an Adam Boqvist shot past Cam Talbot with 31.8 seconds left in the period to make it 1-0 Blackhawks.
Shots were 16-4 Blackhawks and scoring chances 9-7 Blackhawks in the opening period.
The Flames scored early in the second period, 14 seconds into the frame in fact. The Blackhawks couldn’t corral a Flames dump-in off the opening face-off. The puck blooped around to Elias Lindholm, who beat Corey Crawford to make it 1-1.
The Flames pressed later in the period, including a lengthy five-on-three, but they couldn’t bury anything. But they took the lead late in the period, as Matthew Tkachuk jumped on an errant clearing pass, strode towards the net and then fed Lindholm for a one-timer to give the Flames a 2-1 lead.
Shots were 14-12 Flames and scoring chances 15-8 Flames in the second period.
The Flames defended well in the third period, particularly on a late Chicago power play and held on for the victory.
Shots were 8-6 Flames and scoring chances 4-3 Blackhawks.
Why the Flames Won
The bounced back from a pretty mediocre first period and managed to build their game slowly but surely. They were a little bit better than Chicago when it counted.
Red Warrior
Let’s go with Lindholm, with the two goals, but the Flames also got strong contributions from Tkachuk and Talbot.
The Turning Point
Lindholm’s first goal was huge. The Flames couldn’t close out the first period with a clean sheet, but the early second period goal gave them a ton of momentum and energy that carried through most of the period. The go-ahead goal let the Flames win, but the first goal set the table.
The Numbers
Data via Natural Stat Trick. Percentage stats are 5v5.
| Corsi For% | O-Zone Face-Off% | Game Score | |
| Lucic | 66.7 | 70.0 | 0.640 |
| Brodie | 64.7 | 50.0 | 1.125 |
| Giordano | 64.5 | 50.0 | 0.900 |
| Tkachuk | 63.0 | 30.0 | 2.400 |
| Gaudreau | 62.1 | 40.0 | 0.725 |
| Bennett | 58.8 | 0.0 | 0.200 |
| Lindholm | 57.1 | 30.0 | 1.940 |
| Monahan | 56.7 | 40.0 | 0.350 |
| Ryan | 55.0 | 40.0 | 0.390 |
| Backlund | 55.0 | 25.0 | 0.155 |
| Dube | 51.7 | 55.6 | 0.275 |
| Hamonic | 50.0 | 10.0 | 0.200 |
| Hanifin | 48.5 | 10.0 | 0.400 |
| Kylington | 43.5 | 50.0 | -0.150 |
| Andersson | 42.9 | 50.0 | -0.075 |
| Jankowski | 42.1 | 0.0 | -0.100 |
| Rinaldo | 31.3 | 0.0 | -0.300 |
| Mangiapane | 28.6 | 0.0 | -0.515 |
| Talbot | — | — | 2.350 |
| Rittich | — | — | — |
This and That
The Flames swept the dads and mentors trip.
The lines got dramatically shaken up after the first period.
Up Next
The Flames (23-17-5) are headed home. They host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
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