🔥FLAMES GOAL🔥 Kevin Rooney finds Justin Kirkland who puts the puck into the back of the net! 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL
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Flames Post-Game: Flames run out of steam in Vancouver
Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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The Calgary Flames, fresh off arguably their best performance of the season on Monday night, headed to Vancouver to face a rested Canucks team on Tuesday night. To their credit, the Flames battled and hustled and tried their damnedest.
But the Flames seemed to run out of steam midway through this contest, and they skated to a 3-1 loss in Vancouver.
The rundown
The first period was pretty back and forth, with each team getting some good looks but both netminders looking sharp.
The Flames opened the scoring off a nice rush play. Ryan Lomberg sprung Kevin Rooney into the Canucks zone. Kevin Lankinen made the initial save, but Quinn Hughes couldn’t corral the rebound and Justin Kirkland jammed it into the Vancouver net to make it 1-0 Flames.
First period shots were 12-9 Canucks. Via Natural Stat Trick, five-on-five scoring chances were 10-8 Canucks (high-dangers were 3-2 Flames).
At the end of the second period, Daniil Miromanov took a high-sticking penalty. With fresh ice to open the second period, the Canucks made the Flames pay on the power play. Elias Pettersson parked himself near the blue paint and redirected a J.T. Miller slap-pass past Dan Vladar to tie the game at 1-1.
The Canucks tie it up on the power play.
The Canucks kept pressing and Miller got his second primary assist of the period, setting up Pius Suter for a goal to give the Canucks a 2-1 lead.
Pius Suter puts the Canucks up by 1.
Second period shots were 14-7 Canucks. Five-on-five scoring chances were 7-2 Canucks (high-dangers were 3-0 Canucks).
The Canucks added a bit of insurance early in the third period. With Kevin Bahl battling Jake DeBrusk in front of the Flames net, Erik Brannstrom’s point shot got through traffic (and past Vladar, who probably didn’t see the puck) to make it 3-1 Canucks.
3-1 Canucks.
The Flames pressed late to try to get another goal, but they came up short.
Third period shots were 12-6 Flames. Five-on-five scoring chances were 6-2 Flames (high-dangers were 1-0 Flames).
Why the Flames lost
Let’s get something out of the way straightaway: this was a scheduled loss. The Flames were playing their third game in four days (in three different cities and time zones). And their fourth in six days. And their fifth in eight days. Vancouver had been idle since their game on Saturday.
Were the Flames bad? Nope. But they looked tired. And while they worked hard, they lost a few too many races and puck battles to be competitive in this game.
Red Warrior
It’s a joint award to the fourth line of Lomberg, Rooney and Kirkland. They made a lot happen whenever they were on the ice.
Turning point
The Canucks scored twice in the first 2:38 of the second period and grabbed hold of the game.
This and that
The Athletic’s Thomas Drance had a wonderful observation about Justin Kirkland’s goal.
There's something fitting about Kirkland scoring a goal at the only NHL barn that's got a Costco next door.
Up next
The Flames (8-6-3) are headed home. They’ll host the Nashville Predators on Friday night at the ‘Dome.
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