The Calgary Flames tried to go up against the behemoth that was the Colorado Avalanche and fell just short, losing 4-2.

It’s a Team Game – Despite being down to their fifth option at top 9 centre the Flames started quite alright. They were pressing more often on the forecheck, but not at the level I would call it risky. It wouldn’t end up mattering – the Avalanche broke the tie on a triple screen. After that the Avalanche really took charge in the start of the second, pressing hard until they eventually scored again. Calgary did end up getting a rebound goal and a deflection off Jonathan Huberdeau’s head, but without that elusive third goal the Flames have a hard time closing things out. They really do have the structure of a strong defensive team – they just have been lacking some pop offensively, last evening being no exception.

Corsi King – MacKenzie Weegar (53.04%) and the Matt Coronato (51.71 per cent) line all went about shot attempts equally. The top line was the only one that earned more than twenty shot attempts. After the first period this seemed like a tall task, but the line never faltered or lost momentum. The opposite was the case for the Flames fourth line – who eventually had to get their ice time limited because the depth of the Avalanche attack was too much for the Flames.

Taken By Chance – I thought that was one of the better games from Morgan Frost (44.18 SCF% || 66.12 HDCF%) since the trade. He was more effective moving things through the neutral zone – I do think, however, that the wingers can do a better job on the breakout. That being said, I still believe this was a step in the right direction. The Flames kind of owe it to find him a spark to the same extent they’ve been force feeding Yegor Sharangovich (40.05 per cent || 35.16 per cent). Mind you, at this point I don’t expect the offence to magically fix itself. If they miss the playoffs with this roster for the second straight year while the goal has been to compete they are going to have to look into some major changes.

xGF% – This game and this situation is further evidence Calgary needs a better centre option as well. With Backlund injured and Zary suspended the Flames simply do not have anyone else capable of playing top 9 centre in the NHL. It was fortunate Kadri (20.77 per cent) and Frost (41.90 per cent) played as fast as they did today, but it just once again isn’t enough. The hard conversations about how to move forward involve looking at Backlund in a fourth line role, moving on from Blake Coleman (45.78 percent) while there’s still value left, and analyzing whether you want to keep a coaching staff that’s led the team to dead last in goals scored.

In The Crease – The Avalanche found some room high on Wolf, just over the glove, and got an extra one past Wolf. Three goals at 5v5 for Wolf is rare territory, but getting there against this loaded up Avalanche team is still fairly impressive. Especially with a defensive group that doesn’t press too much in their own zone. Weegar gets away with playing this style because he’s so great at transitioning the puck out of his zone off turnovers – everyone else struggles to break the system to disrupt the oppositions cycle. In return they sacrifice their body to block just about anything – that goes for 90% of skaters on this team  too.