Things went from bad to worse early for the Calgary Flames on their road trip – falling by a score of 6-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It’s a Team Game – This game went bad for the Flames early. Max Domi got a juicy rebound and roofed it early – a sign of things to come later in the game. Dustin Wolf kept things close in the first period as the Leafs attack just kept coming in waves. Naturally, the next team to score was the Calgary Flames, even though the high danger chances in the first were 10-1 in favour of the Maple Leafs. That was just 5v5! It was as close as Calgary would get because when the second period hit the penalty killing fell apart. The Leafs scored four times, three times on the power play, and ended Dustin Wolf’s night early for the first time this season. To start the third the Leafs would score their sixth and final goal, allowing themselves to cruise the rest of the way with next to no fear. Even while giving the Flames time and space around the edge of the attacking zone they still couldn’t penetrate the crease front. No time to think about it – the Rangers are on Tuesday.

Corsi King – The Flames leaders in least amount of shot attempts against were their fourth line – Ryan Lomberg (65.67%) on top. Defender was Joel Hanley (64.29 per cent) which really encapsulates how Calgary struggled in this game. It’s not just this one though – since the start of February the wheels have been off. Outside of a hot January from Nazem Kadri (58.11 per cent) and Jonathan Huberdeau (59.18 per cent) the offence has been dead last in the entire National Hockey League. This team is a long ways away from the 5v5 play Darryl Sutter had them play – and the special teams faltering as bad as they have hasn’t been a help either.

Taken By Chance – We’ll start with the smaller section – the positives. Only four players achieved more than one high danger look together. Huberdeau (46.22 SCF% || 38.13 HDCF%), Kadri (49.59 per cent || 43.76 per cent), Pospisil (45.19 per cent || 43.76 per cent), and Kevin Bahl (58.74 per cent || 59.73 per cent) all got to three high danger chances, the forwards all surrendering more than four against on the other side of the scales. The roughest day at the office was for MacKenzie Weegar (34.72 per cent || 11.39 per cent) who saw eight high danger chances against at 5v5. The defenders, as a whole, have been quite terrible at moving the puck out of their own zone. Many unnecessary turnovers and a lack of execution on their zone clears.

xGF% – When is Yegor Sharangovich (50.02 per cent) going to get things figured out? Him being forced into a centre role when he doesn’t have anything going on the wing is less than ideal. His extension, all five years of it, have yet to kick in and he’s one down season away from that contract having massive negative equity. He keeps getting put in positions where they need him to produce – overtime, late in games, power plays – but it’s been a long stretch of nothing. One goal in his last 12 games is not acceptable. I do believe coaching effects have started to come into play in massive way, but regardless someone needs to figure this out before they miss the playoffs, don’t get to the bottom ten, and thus forfeit their desperately needed draft pick to the Canadiens.

In The Crease – Not a banner night for anyone in the Flames blue. Wolf was beat over the shoulder quite consistently in this one – the Leafs lethal shooters had his number. It was sad because it was Wolf’s shot to showcase to the Toronto media why he deserves the Calder trophy – running away – and it ends up being the single worst outing of his whole season. I guess that’s just the way she goes. The crazy thing is Dustin Wolf still saved more value than he was expected to let in at 5v5. The penalty kill was where most of the goals occurred. 2.64 expected goals against with two getting behind him – only 40 minutes of play.