Calgary Flames @ Colorado Avalanche, 3-17-10, recap & analysis
The Avalanche could do a lot for their playoff chances (and a fair amount for everyone else’s) by beating Calgary tonight
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Calgary is on the Western Conference bubble at 3 points out and 9 points behind the Avs. (That’s 10 points really given that the Avs have the tie-breaker in leading 8 points to 1 against the Flames on the season.) While it is conceivable to imagine the Flames come back on a 7 point deficit in 12 games, 11 points in 12 games is a near impossibility. If history is any guide, a win shouldn’t be too hard for Colorado tonight. Fun fact to know and tell: all four games between the Flames and the Avalanche thus far have been won by Colorado 3-2.
One thing I was pleased to see was the effort and focus after the Avs grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory against Vancouver.
A friend of mine had mentioned to me after the game about how everything was fine; that the Avs would coast into the 6th playoff spot, and that would lead to a showdown with Vancouver. I replied that losses like the one suffered against Vancouver mean one of two things for a team late in the season. Either the Avalanche would refocus and make big strides to gain the division lead or at least the 4th or 5th playoff spot, or the Avs would entirely collapse and lose ground… possibly missing the playoffs entirely. In the tight West, there was no way they would coast to 6th.
After 3 games, the former scenario appears to be true.
I agree that 3 wins against 3 inferior opponents does not mean the Avalanche have become dramatically better, but the dominating style in which they won each game suggests so. The Avs have played more in the Offensive Zone in the past three games than they have in any game since the Olympic break. But now they must play a desperate team that endured a heart-breaker in their last game against Detroit. A win here would convince me that the Avs could contend for the 3rd seed.
1st Period
Right out of the gate in the second minute on a Dump and Chase, Ales Kotalik puts a falling T. J. Galiardi into the boards. Boarding 2:00 Penalty. Avalanche get the early chance.
On a good clear by Matt Stajan, Rene Bourque pursued the puck to center ice where Kyle Quincey was corralling the puck, Quincey falls down and leaves Bourque with a breakaway. Wrist shot glove side. Shorthanded Goal Calgary 1-0. Quincey gave up the chance by falling down as the last defender and Craig Anderson failed on the breakaway. Hope he’s not rusty with the day off.
Colorado can’t generate a good power play before or after the shorthanded goal. Kill. Calgary kept it along the boards very well so the Avs couldn’t get any shots.
1st five minutes, Calgary and Colorado are playing an even game except one crucial defensive mistake the goalie could have made up for. A terrible situation to do that in too: on the power play with everyone deep in the Offensive zone.
Curtis Glencross wins a battle along the back board to the right of Anderson, passes to Jamal Mayers skating behind the net, sets one out in front for Eric Nystrom; easy one-timer through the five hole in the crease. Goal Calgary 2-0. Great positional awareness by Nystrom, Ryan Wilson was pinned along the boards by Glencross and John Michael Liles had to pursue Mayer, so Nystrom went to the net and waited for the puck covered by an attacker.
2nd five minutes, once again this looks like anyone’s game everywhere on the ice except the scoreboard. Calgary has only had two really good plays and they both went for goals.
After the second goal the Avs suddenly look like they can’t find their legs. They are not skating well and Calgary is beating them to the puck in the open ice.
On a fairly good pressure by the Avs, Wilson chases down the puck in the left-side circle and fires on the net to a diving Chris Durno. Shot blocked but on the play Jones runs into Nystrom who falls on top of Voska Toskala. Goaltender interference? 2:00 Penalty. Durno never touched Toskala. Awful call and no excuse. After the play, Durno and Steve Staios are called for roughing, 2:00 minutes each. Durno’s penalty is served by Darcy Tucker.
3rd Five Minutes, Avs and Calgary are playing even any more but it’s back and forth. No really good chances but now the Flames are on the power play.
Avs put together a nice kill against one of the worst PP units in Calgary. Just like God intended.
In a sign of frustration, Wilson picks a fight with Mayers. Wins the fight… maybe it will give the Avs some fire. Worth a shot.
This game is starting to get chippy. The Avs are getting physical and the refs aren’t calling it. Tough to tell who it would favor since these are both smaller teams.
The last couple minutes continue to showcase back and forth play with each pressure lasting about 30 seconds and sometimes including shots. It has the feel of two evenly matched teams going at it, but then again Calgary has the two goals.
End Period.
There have been exactly three good scoring chances this game (two by fourth lines).
On two of them, Calgary scored goals, on the third the Avs were dealt a goaltender interference penalty. I’m not complaining about the refs… I did that earlier. I’m trying to tell you how close this game is. Even down two goals the Avs are restricting Calgary’s offense to low -percentage shots. Calgary, conversely, is playing keep-away on offense and skating better.
2nd Period
Avs have decided against the Dump and Chase early in the period, opting for the work in. No luck yet, as the Calgary is keeping the puck away from Toskala. The price is some long shifts for their top two lines early in the period.
Robyn Regehr tracks down the puck in the slot and fires a beautiful pass all the way to the opposite blue line to a breaking Nystrom. Nystrom goes forehand to the gloveside but Andy doesn’t let this breakaway in. Avs finally get a break on a big play.
1st five minutes, had some good pressure by both teams but few good chances. The only good chance was Calgary’s. Calgary is playing aggressively but cautiously; like they have a good lead they won’t risk but still want to control the pace.
On a work-in right side, Paul Stastny Hooks Stajan going by. Hooking 2:00 Penalty.
Calgary works the puck in left side of Andy along the boards. A good win by Bourque sends the puck back to the left side points, moved to the right point, fire-in by Mark Giordano. Save. Rebound on the back side by Bourque, PP Goal Calgary 3-0. I remember yelling at the TV “put him into the boards” when Rene touched the puck, and if they had Bourque might not have gotten back into the play in time.
2nd Five minutes, Avs finally find a little fire down by three. This is less time than Vancouver took to beat Colorado the other night. Maybe some anger will turn into something.
The ice is beginning to open up. There have been a few good rushes since the 3rd goal. Most prominently, Chris Durno snagged the puck out of the air on a breakaway but couldn’t beat Toskala on the far side.
During a rush by the Avs down the right side, T. J. Hendricks skates behind the net and Darcy Tucker and Scott Hannan go to the net. While Matt Hendricks has the puck behind the net, Kotalik cross-checks Hannan in the crease. Delayed Penalty. The resulting play on the delay saw a shot from Durno from the left circle, Save, Rebound, to Chris Duron, Goal 3-1 Calgary. The play was reviewed to see if the puck crossed before the whistle.
3rd five minutes, Avs have taken control of the pace while the Flames keep control of the score, but it is back to a 2-goal deficit.
On the rush by Galiardi, Staios puts the puck into the right corner and Galiardi pushes Staios out of the way. Staios falls down and slides into the boards Boarding? 2:00 Penalty The refs have blown two easy calls and both against the Avs.
What a boring penalty kill, just like I like. Kill. The only interesting point was a turnover when the Avs had numbers and opted to ice the puck for a line change.
Final five minutes, All Avalanche. They have control of tempo and are pressing the issue. The only Question: is it too little too late?
End Period.
The Avs have certainly stepped up the energy, but they dug themselves a big hole. They will need all the energy they can muster to dig their way out.
3rd Period
Avs still have the energy from the previous period to open this one. They are spending double the time in Calgary’s zone in the opening minutes. Calgary is reeling, partly because of Colorado’s energy and partly because of cautious play.
1st five minutes, Avs are dominating play. As I type this, they are on a 1:30 pressure in which they’ve gotten a line change while pressuring. About the only thing they aren’t doing is generating quality shots or a high number of shots. They will need one or the other.
On a failed rush down the right side boards, Ian White tries to clear by lifting the puck down the ice, Delay of Game, 2:00 Penalty. Reckless.
Avs on the PP spend a remarkable amount of time setting up two plays. Both end with a pass across the ice into a defenders’ leg and out of the zone. Kill. Not the best zero-shot kill by Calgary, but a zero-shot kill nonetheless.
2nd five minutes, the Avs looked like the better team but playing against a team that’s playing all defense. They should have more shots and scoring chances.
Niklas Hagman receives a perfect pass from a player off-camera (nice work Altitude), breakaway, Stastny slashes him as he shoots, Save. Slashing 2:00 Penalty. Stas had no choice.
Andy had to be on top of his game but he got the penalty over. Kill. The crucial save came in the closing seconds on Giordano cutting across from right to left against Andy flailing both legs out.
3rd five minutes, Calgary looks like they intend to put this game away and the clock is getting too short for the Avs to have much hope.
On a loose puck in front of Andy, Milan Hejduk picks it up and Stajos stretches to trip him. Tripping 2:00 Penalty. This is probably the last chance for the Avs.
Calgary actually gets a good rush in the middle of two good Avalanche pressures. Still a no-go for the Avs. Kill. Calgary should play trap for the rest of the game.
Timeout Avalanche, they had to use it but the game is already over.
Messy Goal coming out of the Timeout. Hejduk wins a battle along the board on the left side, moves the puck down behind the net to Chris Stewart, who passes back left side to Stas, shot, save, rebound to driving Hejduk, Goal 3-2 Calgary. Maybe the Avs have some fight in them yet.
The final pressure finds the Avs in front of Calgary’s net unable to get a stick on the puck. A pass back to the point in the closing seconds can’t be handled.
Final five minutes, Avs get a goal but it’s too little too late, and a Calgary team focused on defense gets themselves a 3-2 win in the series.
End Game.
Once again we find that hockey, like all sports, is a game where it doesn’t matter if you are the better team for a longer period of time. It only matters if you make your opportunities count. Neither team was especially good offensively for extended periods of time, but Calgary made the most of their chances.
