Calgary Flames drop fifth in a row against San Jose Sharks
By Ramina Shlah
The Calgary Flames lost their fifth game in a row today against the San Jose Sharks. At least we already know they’re not making playoffs.
It’s a little more relaxing knowing that the Calgary Flames aren’t making the playoffs. I think every team should try it. But with the Flames not making the playoffs, there may not be as much jump at this point in the season than they would have had.
They dropped their fifth game in a row today against the San Jose Sharks. They were without a few players today due to injury. We know that Sean Monahan and Kris Versteeg are out for the remainder of the season. And so far, Matthew Tkachuk and TJ Brodie are day-to-day.
The Flames lost 5-1 today against the Sharks and lost their second game in about a week against this team. Their last game against the Sharks was probably the signifier that they weren’t making the playoffs. So I’m sure they would have liked to have gotten one back.
David Rittich will get the nod between the pipes tonight which is his first start since Mike Smith came back from injury. He’s had to relieve him twice since he returned. Rittich allowed five goals on 33 shots tonight.
Related Story: Injury updates: Monahan and Versteeg out for rest of season
Let’s see how the Flames got to that 5-1 loss tonight.
First period
Surprisingly enough, Tanner Glass had the first good scoring chance for the Calgary Flames in the period. Later in the period, because it’s the Flames, we had another cluster of goals against. With some nice passing plays, especially one from Chris Tierney, Brenden Dillon made it 1-0 for the Sharks.
About a minute later, Brent Burns had a bit of a weaker shot which deflected off of Jannik Hansen and in the net. 2-0 less than midway through the first period. Ohhhh boy.
A few minutes later, Michael Stone with a rocket of a shot from the point with quite a few screens from the Flames, and they get the game within one! That’s a third line goal!
This period ended 2-1 for the Sharks with the Flames outshooting the Sharks 11-9 (are we surprised).
Second period
Calgary Flames
The first line consisting of Johnny Gaudreau, Sam Bennett, and Curtis Lazar had a good chance early in the period but they couldn’t make anything of it. A few seconds later, a nice play by Chris Stewart (I know, right) who got it to Micheal Ferland and went on somewhat of a breakaway. With a slash on the breakaway, the Flames would go on the powerplay.
On the PP, the Flames had a great chance led by Mikael Backlund, but with one too many passes, they couldn’t capitalize. No goals on the powerplay but they had three shots and three scoring chances.
Shortly after, the Sharks would on the PP with a call to Rasmus Andersson. That PP didn’t last long from a good shorthanded chance by Michael Frolik and Nick Shore in which Frolik got hooked. So we’ll have some 4on4 hockey for 1:15.
Right as the Calgary Flames went on the powerplay and Andersson came out of the box, Gaudreau had a great pass to Dougie Hamilton who, of course, ripped it off the post. The puck went the other way and with some confusion around the bench as Andersson was going back to the bench and a poor line change happening, the Sharks got a shorthanded chance and Evander Kane made it 3-1.
The Flames kept the pressure after their powerplay ended, but the Sharks answered back with pressure of their own. Kane almost got his second of the game but Rittich came over to make a great save.
The Sharks went on the powerplay and had a good chance right off the faceoff. But shortly after, after some scrums, we’d get some 4on4 hockey in the dying minutes of the period. The Flames ended the period on the powerplay, but they couldn’t make anything of it. This period ended 3-1 for the Sharks.
The Flames outshot the Sharks 17-14 in that period.
Third period
To be honest, I didn’t feel like writing about the game this period. We already knew what the outcome was going to be, but let’s get on with it.
Chris Stewart had a good chance early on (again, I know right) to potentially get his first goal as a Flame. Shortly after, Brett Kulak had a good pass to Frolik who ripped it off the iron.
Midway through the period, the puck bounced right to Justin Braun who went towards the Calgary Flames net and made it 4-1 for the Sharks. Two minutes later, a shot from Joe Pavelski which deflected off of Kane and it’s a 5-1 game for the Sharks. That’s now six goals for Kane in two games against the Flames this season. Sounds about right.
There were a couple of fights this period with Hamonic and Kane going at it and Garnet Hathaway and Brendan Dillon.
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This game ended 5-1 with the Flames outshooting the Sharks 38-33. This is the tenth straight game that the Flames have outshot their opponents. Man, this season sucks.