Calgary Flames: Three stars of the week November 13-19
The Calgary Flames had a decent week, going 2-1-0. While their one loss was quite the bad game, we still have some players who stood out. Let’s check out the three stars of this past week.
The Calgary Flames had a decent week. They went 2-1-0 to now go 11-8-0 on the year and sit in the third spot in the Pacific division with 22 points in 19 games. It’s quite a tight race right now in the Pacific Division and they could be out of a spot tomorrow.
The Flames this week finished off their season-long seven-game homestand against the St. Louis Blues. They won that game 7-4 and Mark Jankowski had his first two-goal game of his career. The previous game, he had his first NHL goal ever. This finished off a successful homestand going 5-2-0.
The Flames then headed off to Hockey Town to face off the Detroit Red Wings in the new Little Caesars Arena. This was Jaromir Jagr‘s 65th NHL arena that he’s played in. Yes, he’s that old. That kicked off a tie for a season-long road-trip of six games. That didn’t go as planned with the Flames losing 8-2 and a big line brawl breaking out in the third period (the goalies got involved!). This resulted in a one-game suspension for Matthew Tkachuk, something that GM Brad Treliving wasn’t too happy with the decision.
Related Story: Flames Daily - Post-game win, Tkachuk suspension
But they came back from that with a comeback OT win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon. This extended the Flames perfect streak in extra time, going 3-0 in OT and being 2-0 in the shootout.
After a decent week, we have some players who stood out. Let’s check out our three stars of the week for last week of Nov. 13-19.
Third Star
Micheal Ferland
Micheal Ferland keeps proving more and more every game that he’s a first-line winger. And he’s definitely one of the most underrated players in the game. Many people think that he’s mostly just “grit”. But he’s shaping up to be so much more than that.
This week until the Wednesday game against the Red Wings, he was on a five-game goal streak. The longest of his career. While he didn’t get a goal on Saturday against the Blues, he still managed to get a point, increasing his point-streak to six games. In that stretch, he has eight points. In his last nine games, he has points in eight of them.
He’s currently at 12 points in 18 games. Last season through his first 18 games, he was at seven points. Until February 20th of last season, while he was still on the third and fourth line for the majority of the time, he had 15 points in 55 games.
Related Story: First line forward Micheal Ferland
In the final 21 games of the season for him when put on the first line with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, he had 10 points in 21 games. Including seven goals and two in the first game when put on that line. It’s clearly evident that he’s well worthy and talented enough to be put on the first line.
And this past week, he had points in all three games. Including the main pass to Johnny Gaudreau’s breakaway against the Flyers where they opened up the scoring for the Calgary Flames. With four points in three games this week, he gets our third star of the week.
Second Star
Sean Money Hands
When a player gets his first career hat trick, he’ll most likely make our three stars of the week. And all in one period, too! Sean Monahan got his first ever hat trick against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. And all in the second period to tie up the game after the Calgary Flames were down 3-1 after the first period. Bringing them to a big overtime win!
Via Calgary Sun:
“I always give him a hard time he doesn’t have a hat-trick and he’s got like a-hundred-and-something goals,” said Monahan’s linemate, close pal and usual assist-provider Johnny Gaudreau. “And now he got his first one, so I’m really happy for him. He deserves it. He played well.” “Johnny found me a couple times,” Monahan said. “And he’s from here and he’s got a lot of people here, so to put the puck in the net for him, it’s nice. And that hat-trick means a lot to me.”
Related Story: Monahan scores first hat trick in win vs. Flyers
Monahan could have had a hat trick in 2015-16 against the St. Louis Blues. Him and Michael Frolik each had two goals in the game and there was an empty net. Instead of shooting the puck himself, he decided to pass it to Frolik so he could have the hat trick instead. If you looked up the Webster’s definition of “selfless player”, a picture of Sean Monahan would show up.
Unfortunately, Monahan didn’t get any points in the other two games of the week, but before that, he was on a five-game point streak along with linemate Johnny Gaudreau. However, on Saturday, he made up for those games he didn’t get a point in with three goals and an assist. Technically having four points this past week. He’s now at 20 points in 19 games and is at a pace of over a point per game for the first time in his career.
118 career goals for Sean Monahan would rank him sixth in the 2008 draft class.
— Darren Haynes (@DarrenWHaynes) November 18, 2017
Monahan was drafted in 2013.
By draft class, where Monahan's 118 career goals would rank:
— Darren Haynes (@DarrenWHaynes) November 18, 2017
- 2013, 1st
- 2012, 1st (Forsberg, 100)
- 2011, 3rd (Landeskog, 126)
- 2010, 5th (Seguin, 197)
- 2009, 6th (Tavares, 248)
- 2008, 6th (Stamkos, 331)
Four of the five leaders listed went either first or second overall.
Monahan’s also projected at having his first ever 40-goal season. His highest came in 2015-15 when he had 31 goals. With all this and his first ever hat trick, he gets our second star of the week.
First Star
Johnny Hockey™
Was there any surprise that Johnny Gaudreau would be our first star of the week? Gaudreau not only leads the Calgary Flames in points, but he’s third among all skaters in points with 29 in 19 games. The only two players ahead of him are the dynamic Bolts duo of Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov.
In the three games this week, Johnny had seven points and they were all multi-point games. This helped extend his point-streak to nine games – the longest active point streak in the NHL right now and the longest of his career. With his one goal in Saturday’s game and Monahan’s hat trick, their line (all our stars for this week) are one of the highest scoring lines in the entire league.
Line combos who have more goals than gaudreau - monahan - ferland (28g):
— Flame For Thought (@Flame_4_Thought) November 18, 2017
1. TBL namestnikov - stamkos - kucherov (34g)
that’s it https://t.co/wg6kBHVmB2
Via Calgary Flames:
“If you look at the Giroux line in Philadelphia, you don’t have to look any further there, they’re a top line in the league,” head coach Glen Gulutzan used as a reference point for the trio’s new assignment. “I thought they did a very good job and (they’ve) been doing that for about 10 games, that whole line. Johnny, Mony and Ferly have really embraced the two-way hockey and it obviously hasn’t hurt their offence at all. “I think that all three of those guys have committed extra to knowing that they’re playing against the top guys and that they have to do a job and be better defensively and they’ll still get their looks.”
It seems like even though Johnny Gaudreau is one of the best forwards in the entire league this season, there isn’t a whole lot of chatter surrounding him. But that’s alright. He’ll just continue to sneak his way up. After all, Jaromir Jagr even told him he could lead the league in points. And a legend is never wrong.
Next: All repercussions vs. Detroit Red Wings
And there you have the three stars of the week! Fitting that it’s the members of the Calgary Flames top line. Do you think Johnny will continue to extend his point-streak and make our three stars next week too?