5 THINGS - FLAMES @ KRAKEN
The Flames look to get back in the win column tonight when they square off with another divisional opponent
Video: The Flames are right back at it tonight in Seattle
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GAME DAY VIDEO
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'We Need to Be Better' - Weegar
Say What - 'A Really Good Test'
Projected Lineup
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
2022-23 Head-to-Head Stats
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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Elias Lindholm (32)
Goals - Tyler Toffoli (14)
Kraken:
Points - Andre Burakovsky (28)
Goals - Jared McCann (16)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 19.5% (23rd) / PK - 80.7% (10th)
Kraken:
PP - 21.2% (19th) / PK - 68.9% (31st)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 55.74% (3rd)
High-Danger Chances: 52.10% (13th)
Ducks:
Shot Attempts: 52.35% (7th)
High-Danger Chances: 49.47% (19th)
Moral victories don't count for anything in the standings.
But when you consider the litany of 'good' in last night's loss to the Oilers, you can't help but think... Isn't that what we envisioned of this team? What we all thought they were capable of with the group they've assembled?
Isn't that what it's supposed to look like?
The Flames out-shot the Oilers 47-22, which included a 24-4 barrage in the third period, but couldn't solve Stuart Skinner for a second time. Connor McDavid's powerplay goal at 7:28 of the final frame stood as the winner, as Edmonton survived a late onslaught and took the season's final installment of the Battle of Alberta, 2-1.
Mikael Backlund scored the Flames' lone marker and struck iron with only four seconds left in regulation.
A heartbreaking end to a night where the better team lost.
"It's a tough loss," Backlund said. "I thought we didn't give up a whole lot, but at the same time, we've got to bear down and score."
It certainly wasn't for a lack of trying from the homeside, who had six additional minutes of offensive-zone time, an 80-26 shot-attempt edge, and a scorching 43-16 fusillade in scoring chances (including 16-6 from the high-danger areas), 5-on-5.
You could argue they could have been more selective to make life on the Oilers puck-stopper just that more difficult. But regardless of where you stand on that, facts are facts - and the numbers, both in quantity and quality, were staggering.
"It's tough," Backlund said. "It would have been a great feeling to score there, but it's almost worse hitting the posts then them making saves.
"A lot of posts and bars right now. I don't think it's bad luck or anything, it's just the way it is right now. We've got to keep shooting, create chances. We've got to score more than one to win."
Despite facing only 22 shots, Jacob Markstrom was excellent. Of note, he made two incredible stops off Leon Draisaitl in the second period that were labelled for the twine. Both were the product of the patented cross-seam feed that he, Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have perfected over the years, but were ready perfectly by the goaltender as he moved across and kicked out the left pad.
Video: Toffoli on tonight's clash with the Kraken
Forget the made-for-TV movie starring Katherine Barrell and Evan Roderick.
This is the REAL 'Tale of Two Christmases.'
While the Flames roll into the Emerald City on the tail of a back-to-back set - their second in five days - the hometown Kraken are only now emerging from their turkey-filled holiday, having played just once in the past week.
Seattle entered the NHL's festive break with a 6-5 shootout loss to the Canucks on Dec. 22, snapping a modest two-game winning streak.
Daniel Sprong tallied a pair, Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and an assist, and Martin Jones made 32 saves for the Kraken, but a five-point night (plus the shootout winner) from Vancouver's Elias Pettersson was too much to overcome.
Pettersson scored his second of the game with only 1:20 to play in regulation to force overtime.
"We're here to win a hockey game and we didn't do that, so that's disappointing," Kraken Head Coach Dave Hakstol told reporters. "We'll look at not only line combinations, but exactly what we did in the third period, and there's a couple of things we have to do better. We have to do better when we've got a two-goal lead. That's a game we should be able to close out."
The Kraken - who got contributions from all four forward lines and entered the night with a sparkling 11-1-1 record when leading after two periods - had a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
The shootout loss drops the Kraken's record to 7-2-2 against the Pacific Division and 12-4-4 against Western Conference opponents.
They're now 4-5-1 overall in their last 10.
However, after finishing dead last in the Pac8 last year, the Kraken have made significant strides and enter tonight's divisional clash in a playoff spot.
"Last year, Vegas was supposed to be the favourite and ran into all the (injury) trouble and now Vegas IS the favourite," Flames Head Coach Darryl Sutter said of the ultra-competitive Pacific Division.
"Seattle gets goaltending and they come along.
"I've said it before: Five teams could make the playoffs in this division."
Jones has had the bulk of the work between the pipes this year, appearing in 23 games and putting together a 14-5-3 record, along with an .888 save percentage and a 2.99 goals-against average. Philipp Grubauer, meanwhile, has a 3-5-1 record in 11 games, along with an .882 save percentage and a 3.30 goals-against average.
Video: 'They play hard and they play fast'
SUCCESS IN SEATTLE:
The Flames have made two trips to Climate Pledge Arena since Seattle began play in the NHL in 2021, winning on both occasions. The Flames were victorious in an offensive showdown, 6-4, on Dec. 30, 2021 during their first-ever trip to Climate Pledge. The Flames out-scored Seattle 3-2 in a five-goal third period, with goals from Andrew Mangiapane, Matthew Tkachuk and Noah Hanifin to knock off the Kraken. Calgary also won its second trip to Seattle, 4-1, in April of last season. Hanifin recorded four assists in the April meeting, while Jacob Markstrom put up a .964 save percentage and turned aside 27 shots, earning First Star honors.
KRAKEN HUNTER:
Elias Lindholm has recorded five points in five career meetings against the Kraken over his career. Lindholm had two assists in their first meeting back in November, tying him for third in points against the Kraken this season among all skaters, and is also tied for second among skaters to only face the Kraken once so far in 2022-23. He is currently second on the Flames in career points against Seattle, trailing Nazem Kadri, who scored in the clubs' first meeting this season, and has six points (2G, 4A) in four career games against the Kraken.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Flames were involved in the Seattle Kraken's first-ever trade. On July 22, 2021, the Flames acquired forward Tyler Pitlick from Seattle in exchange for a 2022 fourth-round pick.
Calgary is one of only two franchises the Kraken have made multiple transactions with. The Flames have made two trades with the Kraken in Seattle's short history. The only other team to make multiple trades with Seattle is Washington.
Stick tap to Flames Communications Coordinator Jordan Bay for compiling these notes.
Follow him and the Flames PR team @FlamesPR on Twitter for more.
Flames - MacKenzie Weegar
There were simply no passengers last night. Just varying degrees of good and great.
MacKenzie Weegar, in particular, played perhaps his best game as a Flame.
The blueliner is still on the hunt for his first goal as a Flame, but if the Battle of Alberta was any indication, he's close. Real close.
Weegar finished the night with two shots, four hits, and a sparkling 76.60% possession rate (36-11), and was a best on the defensive zone, breaking up plays with an active stick and breaking the puck out with authority.
Video: Weegar on tonight's battle against Seattle
Kraken - Matty Beniers
The 20-year-old scored the winning goal when these teams last met back on Nov. 2, and currently leads all rookies in goals (11) and points (25) in 32 games this season.
While Beniers has been on the quieter side lately with only a pair of helpers in his last five games, the 6-foot-2, 178-lb. pivot is as explosive as they come, and can blow a game open at a moment's notice.
Jacob Markstrom on the first game back after the Christmas break:
"You carry that (momentum) with you for sure. We had a nice skate this morning and nice few days break with the family and everybody's excited to get back in there. I thought it showed today, but it's still a loss. Our division here is tight and we can't lose these tight games."
