Post-Game Wrap-Up: Flames take opening round of the Battle

Round one of the 2019-20 Battle of Alberta went to the Calgary Flames. Aside from a couple lapses, the Flames played a pretty complete game en route to a 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.

The Flames opened the scoring early. Like, on the first shift early. Matthew Tkachuk crashed into Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and dislodged the puck, a quick pass later and Andrew Mangiapane tapped the puck past Mikko Koskinen to make it 1-0 Flames.

The lead doubled midway through the period when Mangiapane drove into the Oilers zone, fending off Darnell Nurse, then fed Tkachuk in the slot for a wrister that made it 2-0.

But the Oilers answered back off a faceoff, as Connor McDavid redirected a Nurse shot past David Rittich to cut the lead to 2-1.

Shots were 11-10 Flames and scoring chances 9-8 Flames in the first peiod.

The visitors passed their lead in the second period. First, Sean Monahan beat Mikko Koskinen five-hole to make it 3-1.

At the end of the period, Elias Lindholm backed the Oilers into the zone and best Koskinen glove side to make it 4-1.

That goal chased Koskinen, with Mike Smith playing the last chunk of the game. Shots were 14-10 Flames and scoring chances 11-7 Oilers in the second period.

Mikael Backlund added a shorthanded goal to open the third period and make it 5-1.

Shots were 9-6 Oilers and scoring chances 5-3 Oilers in the final period.

The Flames were sharp early, scored often, and were generally the better team for the duration. They buried their chances, defended well, and didn’t give the Oilers too much daylight.

Let’s do a joint award to the Mangiapane, Tkachuk and Lindholm line.

Monahan’s goal came at a bad time for the Oilers: immediately at the beginning of the second period (and gave the Flames a two goal cushion). They wilted from there.

Data via Natural Stat Trick. Percentage stats are 5v5.

Smith earned a performance bonus for appearing in this game.

The Flames (20-15-5) head back to Calgary tonight. They practice tomorrow and face the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.

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