5 THINGS - FLAMES @ ISLANDERS
The Flames open a three-game road trip tonight in New York
Video: Brendan Parker sets up tonight's tilt
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GAME DAY VIDEO
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'It's My Style' - Big Z's Physical Game
Say What: 'Get Everyone Involved'
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
2021-22 Head-to-Head Stats
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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Nazem Kadri (11)
Goals - Nazem Kadri (6)
Islanders:
Points - Brock Nelson (13)
Goals - Anders Lee (6)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 20.0% (18th) / PK - 81.4% (11th)
Islanders:
PP - 13.5% (29th) / PK - 90.5% (3rd)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 54.36% (4th)
High-Danger Chances: 52.57% (16th)
Islanders:
Shot Attempts: 48.99% (21st)
High-Danger Chances: 48.35% (22nd)
Let's give credit where credit is due.
It could've easily gone sideways.
They could've rolled over and resigned themselves to the fate of that frivolous first period.
While it goes down as a 4-3 overtime loss to the scorching-hot Devils, the group showed gumption in battling back from a 3-1 deficit and securing that valuable single point. What's more, they did it with a short bench - injuries, mounting, and stacking the odds against them.
The quest for that coveted 'full 60' remains evasive. But this - unquestionably - was an important step forward.
"We started on time," said Blake Coleman. "We scored the first goal. An ugly one - kind of the way you want to get it going. Then, the same theme of some lapses in the defensive zone. We're not giving our goaltender a chance.
"It's dragging on too long."
The Flames have now dropped four straight (0-3-1).
Nazem Kadri, Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov all scored, while Jacob Markstrom made 31 stops. The Flames had another rough opening 20, but responded well and out-shot the Devils 23-20 in the final 40 minutes of regulation.
Fabian Zetterlund led the way for the visitors, netting a pair including the OT winner, after Lindholm was penalized early in the extra frame.
Already without veteran stalwart Chris Tanev due to an upper-body injury, the Flames lost fellow blueliner Michael Stone to an undisclosed affliction early in the first period. That led to some mammoth numbers on the shift chart, including career-highs for Zadorov (28:24) and the game's top minute-muncher Rasmus Andersson (28:24).
"They gave it all they had, all they could," said Head Coach Darryl Sutter. "But when you get short on the backend and you're not where you want to be there - and then you're not getting the production from some of the top-end guys - then, it's tough."
On Sunday, Stone was placed on IR, while Nick DeSimone and Dennis Gilbert were recalled from the AHL's Calgary Wranglers.
This is the first of a three-game road trip for the Flames, who will visit the Devils on Tuesday before wrapping up the trip against one of the league's top dogs, the Boston Bruins, on Thursday.
Video: "We had to shorten the bench a lot"
The Islanders had a five-game winning streak snapped at the hands of the Red Wings on Saturday in Detroit.
Lucas Raymond, Pius Suter and Dominik Kubalik supplied the offence for the homeside, while Wings netminder Ville Husso stopped 26 shots as the Isles - who entered the day ranked fourth in goals per game (3.74) - were shut out for the first time this season.
"Give them credit, (the Red Wings) played well," Head Coach Lane Lambert told Cory Wright of NewYorkIslanders.com. "They were taking away time and space, but I didn't think that we played fast enough.
"There's no excuse for it."
The Isles came up on the wrong end of the special teams battle, surrendering a powerplay goal for the fourth straight game, along with a short-handed tally for the first time in 12 outings.
Meanwhile, the visitors went 0-for-3 on the PP and finished the night with a scant 24 shots on goal - a significant departure for a team that put up 22 goals in consecutive wins over the Rangers, Hurricanes, Avalanche, Blackhawks and Blues.
The Islanders outshot the Wings 12-4 in the third - but by then, it was too little, too late.
"We (had) 30 shot attempts in the first two periods and end the game with 63," Lambert told reporters. "We obviously didn't get to our game and move the puck quick enough through the first 40 minutes."
Semyon Varlamov got the start in goal and stopped 22 of 24 shots.
(Ilya Sorokin entered the game briefly after Varlamov was pulled from the game by the concussion spotters, and was tagged for the Suter goal).
MILESTONE WATCH: Jonathan Huberdeau needs one goal for 200 in his career, while both Nazem Kadri and Mackenzie Weegar are only two assists shy of their own milestone. Kadri needs a pair of assists for 300 in his career and Weegar needs two assists for 100 in his career.
DID YOU KNOW? The Flames have not lost to the Islanders in New York since November 28, 2016. The last time the Islanders were victorious over the Flames dates back to March 11, 2018 (5-2 loss in Calgary).
Courtesy of the Flames Media Game Notes | Follow @FlamesPR on Twitter or visit CalgaryFlames.com/GameNotes for more
Flames - Andrew Mangiapane
These are the three guarantees in life: Death, taxes and The Bread Man scoring on the road.
As the Flames embark on their first 'real' trip of the 2022-23 season, it's worth remembering how dominant No. 88 was away from the Scotiabank Saddledome last year.
A team-leading 23 of his 35 goals were tallied on the road, including five game-winners and 15 at even strength.
Must be the room service plush hotel pillows.
Oh, and he also found the net in both meetings against the Islanders last year.
Both were game winners.
Islanders - Mat Barzal
Twelve games in and the high-powered pivot has yet to record a goal. How long can this last for a player that's already racked up 32 shots and found the net 15 times last year?
Barzal has never eclipsed the 22 goals and 85 points he produced in his rookie campaign more than five seasons ago. But aside from the zero in the goal column, the former first-round pick is otherwise off to a strong start, leading the Islanders with 11 assists.
Blake Coleman on snapping the four-game slide:
"You've got to find ways to win games. There's never an excuse in this game. Guys got to dig and find a way. Unfortunately, you come up a goal short in OT. It's just the same old story right now."
