Instead of digging in after a disappointing loss in their previous game and without their number-one goalie due to injury, the Flames fell flat on their collective faces
Coming off a loss to a divisional rival due to a bad start should have snapped the Calgary Flames into focus for Tuesday’s clash with the Minnesota Wild.
If that wasn’t enough, being without number-one goalie Jacob Markstrom due to an injury that will keep him out on a “week-to-week” basis should have ratcheted up their attention.
Instead, the Flames flopped in a 5-2 home loss to the Wild.
On a night so much focus was on the goaltenders, it was the Flames skaters who were overmatched from the drop of the puck, and looked very much like the team that fumbled and bumbled through the first month of the season.
Remember that squad? It was at one point in 31st place.
Coach Ryan Huska may not have the acerbic style of his predecessor, but there was no doubt he was willing to place the blame on those responsible.
“In the first period, our most physical player was probably our goalie,” he said.
A funny line, but Huska was not laughing.
Now, three more thoughts following an awful performance at the Saddledome.
Net focus
Yes, starting goalie Dan Vladar was beat on the game’s first shot, and surrendered a pair of goals 45 seconds apart early in the second period, but don’t pin this result on him.
Nor on Dustin Wolf, who came into the game with a raucous ovation from the crowd, a fanbase wanting to see what the two-time AHL’s top goaltender and last season’s league MVP can do in the NHL.
“It’s never a good sign when you’re swapping your goalies out, and that’s completely on us,” forward Blake Coleman said. “Vladdy was left out to dry early in the game and we shouldn’t have seen Wolfie in this game. That said, he came in and gave us a little bit of life and a little bit of jump but we weren’t able to sustain it.”
Regardless of on how long Markstrom is sidelined, the Flames will learn plenty about Vladar and Wolf. What transpires, and how they are utilized — my guess is Vladar starts Thursday’s game against Carolina — will be an interesting study.
Yet another abysmally slow start
The numbers don’t lie. The Flames can crow about comebacks, but the ongoing trend of trailing in games is a sign of where this team truly sits.
The Flames are up to seven consecutive games, and 13 of 15 outings, in which they have surrendered the first goal. They have trailed at some point in 20 of their last 21 outings. They have owned a lead going into the third period in only four of 25 games.
“It’s not an exact science, otherwise we’d have fixed it by now,” Coleman said. “In my opinion, if each guy takes it upon themselves to be a little bit better early on and have a little more jump … everybody’s got to take it upon themselves to find a way to get engaged in the game quicker and not have to fight back in games.”
The comebacks were masking a major problem, but having dropped two consecutive games in similar fashion had better be a catalyst to change.
“We know we can be better,” captain Mikael Backlund said. “This is the worst start in a long time and hopefully the worst we’ll see for a while. We all know it, it’s been discussed, and now we’re looking forward to next game.”
Solo lapped
While the Flames are evaluating their goaltenders, they also must determine the situation among the defencemen.
After trading away Nikita Zadorov, with Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev also on trade watch, the possibility of a big-time turnover exists. What the Flames have in their current prospect pool will be dissected.
Ilya Solovyov stepped in and, in the words of Huska, “it was a bit of a challenge.”
Disclaimer: All 18 skaters who played should be taking a hard look at their performance, and this is not to single out a rookie.
That said, Solovyov — who collected his first NHL point with an assist — was danced around on the game’s first goal and struggled with Minnesota’s team speed. How he rebounds next game is crucial.
