Young Stars Fancy Stats: Game Two

General Usage Notes

• Huska still didn’t play with his lines, but he did play with the timing. Instead of rolling four as he did in the previous game, he started playing his bottom six more often at the expense of the first line. Whether Jankowski was tired from having to play in every special teams occasion (which was pretty much the entire second period), or whether Huska was punishing Tkachuk and Carroll for their undisciplined play, the first line didn’t play a whole lot after the second.
• Which was probably for the better. The first liners came out firing at will in the first period – not a single corsi against for 19-77-62 at 5v5 – but died down after. At 5v5, they did all put up a 63.64 CF%, but zone starts nearly 30-40% easier than their peers. They looked great together, but once again, I felt a little underwhelmed with the results. Even though Tkachuk scored, you really expected that they should’ve scored one more.
• This is slightly concerning considering that every other line produced well regardless of circumstances. 88-56-75 got better as the night wore on, becoming the de facto first line by the third period. 60-59-47 were driving possession as always. What’s definitely on view this Young Stars tournament is simply the depth the Flames have at all prospect positions now. It’s looking good.
• The fourth line were the miracle workers. While their circumstances didn’t change (besides the score), they were able to move the puck and score the two goals that dragged the game into overtime. I’m not sure what got into them, as they looked barely alive in the first.
• Defensively, the money pair was Kylington-Dyukov, though their luck was backwards. They both posted over 60 CF% with 10% OZS. The difference came in the goal totals, as Kylington was on the ice for two Flames’ goals and three Oilers goals. Dyukov the opposite, on the ice for all three Flames goals and just one Oilers goal.
• I liked Stepan Falkovsky tonight. Don’t know why.
• The powerplay can’t score at all for reasons that I can’t fathom right now. The team passes the eye test, keeps the puck in the zone, finds open lanes, and shoots. The problem is probably that they’re missing the net by wide margins.
• If you want to take away some positives, all Flames goals came at 5v5.

Star of the Game

For next time

• We have yet to see Riley Bruce, Nick Schneider, Aaron Hyman, Morgan Klimchuk (injury status pending), Justin Doucet, and Mathieu Sevigny this tournament. Some, most, or all of them might slot in against Vancouver, which would probably make it the gongshow of the tournament (I still have Calgary winning).
• Huska: scramble the lines. Just for curiosity’s sake. How would Tuulola look with Tkachuk? Would Kylington and Andersson be a good pairing? It’s the Young Stars tournament, who cares if you win.
• Also, scramble up the powerplay and penalty killing. It can’t hurt, it’s just Vancouver.
• There’s no decision yet about who’s in net for Monday. I really don’t have a preference, but getting another look at Tyler Parsons would be cool. He was almost perfect, minus one gaffe (which was really the skater’s fault).