The Flames are registering high on the effort meter, but it has not been enough to legitimately jump into the heart of a playoff mix
Being a .500 squad by NHL standards will be nowhere good enough to make the playoffs.
As it stands, the Calgary Flames are having a tough enough time pushing above that mark, let alone making it far enough to be a playoff team (and we won’t bother discussing being a Stanley Cup contender).
Now that the Flames have finished their 15-game gauntlet, a couple of things are clear: They’re good enough to compete every game, even against the top clubs. They’re not good enough to be among those elite squads.
During that run, the Flames twice had a chance to be above .500, and lost. They haven’t stood above the even mark since the opening week.
“It's time we take that step and push ourselves into a better spot,” captain Mikael Backlund said.
Can they? Really?
The Flames deserve full marks for posting a 7-6-2 record during the 15 tough games leading up to the holiday break. This is a gritty club that is doing all it can to make up for a lack of high-end talent with high-end effort.
However, Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings provided a perfect example of what the Flames are with their 14-15-5 record.
The score was close was close enough — in fact, it took an empty netter to salt away the game for the Kings — but all things considered, Calgary was well behind the eight-ball, and we’re not just talking about falling behind early … again.
Had it not been for the steady stream of power-play opportunities and Jacob Markstrom’s goaltending, it would have been a lot different story. Check the analytical numbers; the Flames were crushed during five-on-five play by a Kings squad very deep at forward.
End result, the Flames now are 25th in the league based on winning percentage. Sure, they’re only a few points out from a wild-card spot, but all that will mean is a worse draft pick and a couple of home dates while being punted by a Cup contender.
Now, three more thoughts from Saturday’s clash:
Some actual power in the play
Officially, the Flames went 1-for-6 on the power play, and the pessimist can point to failing during a double-minor as a huge issue. Sure, that’s a legitimate thought.
Now, delve deeper. The Kings boast one of the league’s best penalty kills, and the Flames in their 11 minutes and 34 seconds of power-play time scored once, fired 14 shots on goal and actually threatened. They even won 13 of 18 face-offs (which has often been a serious problem).
By no means is Calgary’s power play something to fear, but that was a huge step forward towards actually making opposing teams pay for taking infractions.
By the way, Calgary has scored power-play goals in consecutive games for the first time since a three-game that ended at the start of November.
More early issues
As well as Markstrom played — even his detractors must agree those third-period stops gave the Flames hope for a comeback — the early goal-against bugaboo is a serious problem.
By my count, the goal at 61 seconds by Quinton Byfield (wow, is he becoming a whale of a player!) marked the 12th time this season the Flames fell behind within the first five minutes of a game.
For the Flames to have any hopes of contending for a playoff spot, the deficit issue must be abated.
Goalman continues to shine
The short-handed goal (his fourth of the season, all within the last nine games) and power-play tally collected in L.A. puts Blake Coleman atop the Flames with a dozen goals.
That’s just part of what the veteran forward has been providing this season. While Coleman is doing all he can to will this team into relevance, he is also providing a prime example to the young players around how to play a strong game at both ends of the rink.
The value in professionalism and consistency is key for a team that will be soon enough incorporating more youth.
