Article content material
Jacob Markstrom can’t win video games on his personal.
The Calgary Flames (7-6-1) goalie did nearly every thing his workforce may have probably requested of him on Saturday evening in opposition to the Vancouver Canucks (7-11-0). He turned away shot after shot. He stopped every thing the Canucks threw at him – which added as much as saving 43-of-45 photographs — and gave the Flames an opportunity to drag out a win from a recreation during which they have been totally outplayed.
Finally, although, there was solely a lot Markstrom may do and the Canucks landed a late knockout punch to grab a 3-1 win.
No one can say the Canucks didn’t deserve it. The Flames have been at their worst, and made no excuses.
“We bought what we deserved tonight,” Flames head coach Geoff Ward mentioned bluntly. “We bought outworked, out-skated, out-competed. Normally what that occurs, you don’t get the consequence you need.”
It was a waste of a sensational efficiency from Markstrom, who actually couldn’t have performed something extra to provide the Flames an opportunity. Neither of the 2 targets the Canucks scored with him in web may very well be blamed on the Swede, and this was a recreation that simply may have been a blowout if it wasn’t for the person between the pipes for the Flames.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
They’ll be bitterly dissatisfied in how they performed in opposition to the Canucks. The Flames have seemed dialled-in on their three-game profitable streak over the previous week, however struggled to maintain up with a Canucks workforce that was clearly motivated to snap the six-game dropping skid they entered the sport with.
From the opening whistle, the Canucks have been the higher workforce. They managed the puck all through the primary interval and have been unfortunate to not be forward. It was an unpleasant opening 20 minutes for the Flames, however they’ve had a couple of of these this season and have usually rebounded.
That simply didn’t occur on Saturday.
Within the second, the Canucks opened the scoring on an exquisite snipe by Quinn Hughes after Johnny Gaudreau turned the puck over on the blue-line.
Sam Bennett tied issues up a minute-and-a-half later to provide the Flames a shot of life, but it surely didn’t appear to spark something for the workforce. The Canucks continued to dominate and it was solely Markstrom who gave them any probability. Shedding Mikael Backlund to a lower-body harm definitely didn’t assist.
All through the third, it was extra of the identical. Extra Canucks offence, extra Markstrom magic till Tyler Myers slotted residence with 14:49 to provide Vancouver a lead they’d by no means relinquish – Brandon Sutter added a 3rd into the empty web.
“To lose the way in which we did, we most likely would have favored to get some extent after your goalie stands on his head however most likely bought what we deserved in that one,” Giordano mentioned. “Marky was taking part in nice all evening, he was holding us in it. We discovered a solution to tie the sport within the second, however you’ll be able to’t flip over the puck as many occasions as all of us did tonight.”
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Finally, the Flames have had a robust week, profitable three-of-four and can get two extra cracks on the Canucks on Monday (8 p.m.) and Wednesday (8 p.m.).
They’ll want extra than simply their magician in web.
“We weren’t good. Energy-play wasn’t good in any respect, execution was off and while you’re taking part in like that you simply’ve simply bought to play easy and we’ve bought to up our compete-level,” Flames centre Sean Monahan mentioned. “We’ve gotta study from that actual fast.”
“I don’t know what it was. Our execution was off, I don’t suppose we have been taking part in collectively at loads of occasions all through the sport,”
GETTING HIS SHOT
The Flames trotted out principally the identical lineup Saturday evening as they’ve been for the final couple of video games, with one notable change.
Defenceman Connor Mackey made his NHL debut in opposition to the Canucks, slotting in alongside Juuso Valimaki within the spot the place Nikita Nesterov has been taking part in thus far this season.
The 24-year-old signed an entry-level contract for this season in March of final yr after ending up his collegiate profession at Minnesota State College. He impressed throughout coaching camp and was assigned to the taxi squad proper earlier than the beginning of the common season.
Whereas the Flames have switched issues up a good bit with their ahead strains, the Mackey-Nesterov swap marked the primary time the workforce has changed-up its defensive pairings this season.
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
Canucks proprietor Francesco Aquilini gave head coach Travis Inexperienced and the workforce’s administration a public vote of confidence a pair hours earlier than the puck dropped Saturday evening.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Aquilini took to Twitter to precise his help for the workforce and to focus on that constructing round a younger group can take time and requires persistence.
“Opposite to what you might have learn or heard, we’re sticking to the trail we’re on: Constructing on our core of younger expertise,” Aquilini wrote. “Development just isn’t at all times a straight line. There isn’t a simple repair, solely persistence, dedication and onerous work.”
The Canucks have been a disappointing 6-11-0 heading into Saturday evening’s recreation and have been on a six-game dropping skid. After shocking many final season, they misplaced numerous key gamers — together with Markstrom and Chris Tanev to the Flames — within the low season and appear to have regressed.
Regardless of that, Aquilini mentioned he nonetheless had full confidence in Inexperienced and GM Jim Benning.
ICE CHIPS
Backlund left the sport within the first interval with a lower-body harm and didn’t return … Elias Lindholm took an unpleasant elbow to the face from Alex Edler halfway by the second interval and gave the impression to be in appreciable ache. Lindholm went to the dressing room for a short while however did return earlier than the top of the interval … Giordano declined the chance to provide the Flames a grade for his or her efficiency within the opening quarter of the season when he was requested on Saturday. “They don’t do letters anymore at school. They do ‘Glorious’ or ‘Very Good,’ ” Giordano mentioned … When Ward was requested the same query concerning the Flames after 1 / 4 of their season, he mentioned the Flames are simply in search of extra consistency. Internally, higher first intervals are absolutely a precedence, too.
daustin@postmedia.com
