The Calgary Flames bounced back from a Game 3 loss to the Dallas Stars with a very solid performance in Game 4, powering to a 4-1 victory. It was easily his best game of the postseason and possibly his best overall performance in weeks when you consider the opposition.
Here are five takeaways from the win.
Rolling with seven defenders really seemed to work.
After sheepishly playing the lines after the morning skate, the Flames walked away with seven blueliners (playing Michael Stone in place of fourth-row forward Brett Ritchie, who was on the second row in the morning, fourth row in the warmup and then the press box at game time). After the game, head coach Darryl Sutter explained that it was because he felt his defenders looked tired in Games 2 and 3 (due to Rasmus Andersson’s Game 1 ejection demanding too much of them).
Here’s how the Flames’ overall ice time (all situations) changed for defenders between Games 3 and 4.
| game 4 | game 3 | Difference | |
| Andersson | 20:37 | 24:15 | -3:38 |
| hanifin | 20:34 | 24:03 | -3:34 |
| Tanev | 19:46 | 22:04 | -2:18 |
| Zadorov | 15:58 | 13:21 | +2:37 |
| Gudbranson | 15:58 | 14:25 | +1:33 |
| Kylington | 13:49 | 16:16 | -2:27 |
| Rock | 10:12 | n/a | +10:12 |
The boys who played less made It seemed a bit twisted in previous games and the addition of Stone injected some energy, physicality and someone who has a booming shot and isn’t afraid to use it. Stone recorded eight shots in this game (all in the first two periods) and provided the Flames more or less exactly what they needed in Game 4.
It would make sense for him to stay for Game 5.
Rolling with 11 forwards seemed to really work
The Flames’ forward combinations have remained static through the first three games. With 11 dressed forwards, the Flames mixed and matched heavily with eight of those 11 forwards.
Aside from the top line of Matthew Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm (7:21), Dallas didn’t see any combination of Flames forwards for more than 4:00. Eight different combinations played a minute (or more) of five against five together:
- Gaudreau – Lindholm – Tkachuk (7:21 / 73.2 xGF%)
- Lucic – Lewis – Jarnkrok (3:42 / 35.9 xGF%)
- Mangiapane – Backlund – Coleman (3:15 / 75.0 xGF%)
- Lucic–Lewis–Toffoli (2:43 / 63.3 xGF%)
- Lucic – Jarnkrok – Toffoli (1:43 / 46.6 xGF%)
- Dube–Backlund–Coleman (1:31 / 100 xGF%)
- Dube – Jarnkrok – Toffoli (1:16 / 60.3 xGF%)
- Lucic – Backlund – Toffoli (1:00 / n/a xGF%)
If the Flames stick to 11 forwards, it would make sense for them to stick with Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk (duh), Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman, and rotate Lucic, Lewis, Toffoli, Dube and Jarnkrok in a cosmic gumbo of six finalists. . The first six were excellent, while the last five rotaries were energetic and, at times, quite good. Lucic-Lewis-Toffoli was a really effective pre-control line that gave stars attacks at times.
We’re not saying Ritchie was “the problem,” but removing him basically prevents the Stars from knowing precisely which forwards they’ll see on any given turn and kept them stumped throughout Game 4.
The longest five-on-five time in the series.
It’s no secret that this series has been full of penalties. But the Flames were a little better at avoiding shenanigans, and that probably contributed to their ability to roll lines and keep everyone fresh and involved in proceedings. Not surprisingly, he also contributed to the best game the Flames have played thus far.
The five-on-five time of 41:21 was a series high, just beating Game 1’s 41:15. Game 2 was 40:39 and Game 3 was 38:55. We’ll see where this number ends up in Game 5.
Jacob Markstrom was pretty good, again
Dallas’ young goalkeeper has gotten most of the attention this series, but Vezina Trophy finalist Jacob Markstrom has been exactly what Flames fans hoped he would be: very, very good. Markstrom has allowed only five goals (two in five against five). The Flames have been supporting him with strong defense, in general, but when Markstrom has been called up to make big saves, he has done it.
Jacob Markstrom 🤝 Jake Oettinger
Keeping Game 4 scoreless ❌pic.twitter.com/njjKlHrzUd
— Hockey night in Canada (@hockeynight) May 10, 2022
When will Jake Oettinger’s dam break?
The Flames haven’t been the offensive powerhouse they were at times in the regular season, thanks to Dallas’ defensive systems for that, but they’ve generated a lot. It just hasn’t gone into the net much.
Through four games, his expected goals (all situations) are 15.24. His real goals are seven, a difference of 8.24. That’s insane, and it reflects his 4.67 shooting percentage teamwide, the lowest of any playoff team. (They have also lost a lot of the network). Some of it is Oettinger, and some of it is bad luck. The Flames have outshot Dallas 150-106 and have an expected goals advantage of 15.24-10.93.
If the Flames keep doing what they’re doing, eventually the dam should break. Right? Right?? Right. (Perhaps). Perhaps three goals scored by Oettinger (on 53 shots) in Game 3 are a sign of things to come.
Let’s look again at that penalty kick goal by Johnny Gaudreau
Johnny Gaudreau scores from a penalty 👀 pic.twitter.com/JYeCO0VfZl
– Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) May 10, 2022
It was pretty sweet, right?
Looking to up your fantasy hockey game? DailyFaceoff has the tools you need for daily and seasonal fantasy leagues, including a lineup optimizer, daily projections, and much more. Sign up here for DailyFaceoff tools.
Reference-flamesnation.ca