Flames struggling against some of NHL’s biggest stars
The standings showed the Calgary Flames entered the game just five points back of the Colorado Avalanche. Their game Thursday night suggested they are an ocean apart.
CALGARY – The standings showed the Calgary Flames entered the game just five points back of the Colorado Avalanche.
Their game Thursday night suggested they are an ocean apart.
It’s been a humbling week for these Flames.
A 4-2 loss to the Avs on Thursday was preceded two nights earlier by a 6-3 drubbing at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Both losses demonstrated just how far the divide is between a Calgary team hoping to make the playoffs, versus teams hoping to make long playoff runs.
In both games the Flames held their own in the first period, only to see the hosts succumb to visiting superstars who imposed their will and skill.
Two nights after William Nylander broke the game wide open with a hat trick, Nathan MacKinnon combined with Martin Necas to flip a similar switch.
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By night’s end, MacKinnon saw eight of his 16 shot attempts hit the net. The league scoring leader earned the primary assist on three straight second-period goals, including one of Necas’ two goals on the night.
The top trio, with Artturi Lehkonen, had 21 of the Avs’ 34 shots on goal.
Dominance.
“When you look at the last two games the biggest issue is … their top players,” said Ryan Huska, whose club had just four high-danger scoring chances, compared to the 16 Colorado had.
“I don’t think as a group we handled them well enough.
“We have to find a way to be harder, better players against other teams’ top players. Especially in our building, they shouldn’t be able to come in and get three points like (MacKinnon) does tonight.”
This isn’t about a team whose star goaltender is starting to wilt under the pressure of a playoff race, or tire due to excessive play.
Dustin Wolf wasn’t his spectacular self in either game, but these losses were more about a team in front of him that, at times, abandoned the defensive structure that gives them their only hope.
The Flames simply don’t have the offensive skill to make up for the sort of mistakes they made this week.
“Those are two good teams that if you want to go deep in the playoffs those are the teams you’ve got to beat,” said MacKenzie Weegar.
“I don’t want to say it’s a setback, because I believe in this group. We can beat these teams. But I thought we just had two tough games we couldn’t find a way to win.
“We’ve got to find that commitment to play hard defence and cause them to make turnovers and we go have fun. I thought the last two games it’s been reversed.”
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Sure has.
Too many odd-man rushes, and too many penalties to kill.
Too bad, as the Flames saw this week as a wonderful opportunity to try proving they can, in fact, hang with the big boys.
They’ve done it plenty of times this season by employing a disciplined, hard-working approach that had meshed well with stellar goaltending to keep them in the final wild-card berth heading into Thursday’s action.
It’s a demanding style with very little margin for error, as the absence of even one of those three ingredients can lead to being outclassed like they were this week.
Combine that with the increased intensity and desperation most teams play with in the final 30 games of the season, and it’s being made very clear the Flames will be in tough to stave off Vancouver. The Canucks are now two points ahead of the Flames for the final spot.
“I think they were kind of almost replica games where we had a good start and the game kind of got away from us in the second period and not able to recover,” said Wolf, whose club allowed Cale Makar and Lehkonen to score in the opening five minutes of the second frame to take control of the affair.
“It’s a very skilled group over there, especially their top line, so if you give them opportunities they’re going to make you pay. They took advantage of some turnovers and mistakes we made.”
The question now is whether these Flames have the ability to rebound against Seattle Saturday, or go into the 4 Nations break losers of three in a row and four of their last five.
“The key thing for me is how you respond,” said Huska.
“We have to make sure we are at our very best before our last game prior to the break.”
Expect Friday’s practice to be brisk, and the lessons to be pointed.
“I wouldn’t say humbling,” said Jonathan Huberdeau, whose goal to open the first-period scoring was the team’s fourth 5-on-3 goal in their last three games.
“We try to work as hard as we can. Tonight was not our best game, but we know we’re capable of more. More jump. We are a little flat right now. We’re not winning the battles and we make it easier for them.
“We’ve got to stay together. We want to end on a good note, especially at home.”
