5 THINGS - FLAMES @ HURRICANES
The Flames wrap up a four-game trip tonight in Carolina
Video: Brendan Parker sets up tonight's tilt
NEED-TO-KNOW
ONLINE 50/50
Purchase your online 50/50 tickets for a chance at some big cash!
GAME DAY VIDEO
Game Day with Brendan Parker
Pregame Interviews
GAME DAY FEATURES
COMING SOON: Projected Lineup
Say What - 'Rise to That Level'
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
2019-20 Head-to-Head Stats
WANT TO WIN SOME CASH?!
https://www.nhl.com/flames/community/50-50
Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Johnny Gaudreau (37)
Goals - Andrew Mangiapane (18)
Hurricanes:
Points - Sebastian Aho (34)
Goals - Aho (15)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 22.3% (11th) / PK - 84.2% (5th)
Hurricanes:
PP - 23.7% (8th) / PK - 89.5% (2nd)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 53.87% (4th)
High-Danger Chances: 53.30% (9th)
Hurricanes:
Shot Attempts: 56.50% (2nd)
High-Danger Chances: 55.06% (3rd)
It stung.
The Flames, though, have a great chance to put a tough loss in the rearview and get back to their game tonight when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.
Less than 24 hours ago, the Flames dropped a 4-1 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning, despite a valiant, 29-save effort from backup puck-stopper Dan Vladar.
But goals were hard to come by.
"Sometimes you learn lessons the hard way in this league and I thought we learned a lot of them tonight," said Blake Coleman, who made his return to Tampa and received the second of his two Cup rings earlier in the day. "The last two games, we've gotten looks at teams that are going to be there at the end of the season and when it matters. Now we know what we need to get our game to.
"We didn't match their intensity tonight."
Dillon Dube spoiled the shutout bid late in the third period, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy over the glove for his fourth of the season.
The Flames have now dropped consecutive games after winning the opener to this four-game roadie, 5-1, over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.
A win tonight would send the Flames home with a .500 record on the trip (2-2-0).
"There's a lot of belief in our group," Coleman said. "There are a lot of guys not playing up to their potential the last two games and I think if we get everybody playing their game the right way and playing their game the way they can, we definitely have what it takes to not only hang with these teams, but beat these teams.
"I've seen this team play a lot better - a little bit more desperation and we're going to be fine.
"It's time to look in the mirror after these last two games and really man up (tonight) for what's going to be another really good test for us, another measuring stick to see if we can step up to the challenge."
Video: CGY@TBL: Dube scores in 3rd period
The Hurricanes are playing their first game in nearly a week after overcoming a 4-0 (!) deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4 on New Year's Day.
Brady Skjei and Steven Lorentz led the way with a pair of goals each for the 'Canes, who have won four straight and eight of nine, overall.
Nino Niederreiter, Ethan Bear and Andrei Svechnikov rounded out the scoring, while Frederik Andersen - who tagged in and played the final two periods - stopped eight of nine shots.
"Even though we were down by four, it still felt like if we got one, we might have a chance - which, we did, obviously," coach Rod Brind'Amour told reporters after the game.
It was the second time in team history that the Hurricanes have rallied from a four-goal deficit with seven consecutive tallies, and the first since relocating to Raleigh for 1997-98 season.
The Hurricanes actually out-shot the Jackets 18-9 in the first and 33-16 overall through two periods, but were still facing an uphill climb.
But five straight tucks in the third period - including four in a 3:57 span - sealed the deal.
The Jackets, meanwhile, could only muster a pair of shots in the stanza.
"We were generating all the offence we (needed) - maybe more than any game at the start," Brind'Amour said. "So, we were thinking we were going to score and were forgetting about the other part. We gave up odd-man rush after odd-man rush and you can't do that. You score on the rush in this league.
"It was very uncharacteristic - and that's what was killing us. We were getting so many chances and were thinking, 'Oh, we're going to get one here.' We were giving up not a ton, but the ones we were giving up were too good.
"The second wasn't totally great on that part, but I thought as the game kept going, we hunkered down on that part and like I said, we were getting so much offence, eventually we capitalized."
That's what the 'Canes do.
They're one of the NHL's top possession teams and generate chances at a high rate, resulting in a bloated 3.42 goals per game (7th). They also surrender far less than anyone, with a scant 2.13 goals-against per outing.
It will be a great challenge for the Flames as they look to head home with a victory.
BACK-TO-BACK: The Flames are 3-0-1 in the second game of a back-to-back set this season, with their most recent victory in the second game coming against the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 3 where they won 4-3 in a shootout. Calgary had two back-to-back sets postponed due to the COVID pause in December - against the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators on Dec. 13 and 14. The team was also supposed to play the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 31, 24 hours after facing the Kraken in Seattle.
DID YOU KNOW? Andrew Mangiapane has 98 career points entering tonight's action. Mangiapane looks to become the 70th player to suit up for the Flames to notch 100 points in the Flaming 'C'. The 25-year-old still leads the NHL in goals on the road with his 17 markers. … At 17, former Carolina Hurricane Noah Hanifin become the youngest player to play for Boston College - and a year later, become the only defenceman for the 2015 NHL Draft to start the season in the NHL when he made his debut with the 'Canes against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 8, 2015.
Flames - Andrew Mangiapane
On a night when nothing seemed to go their way offensively, Mangiapane found a way to be an impact player against the Bolts. No. 88 led the charge with five shots on seven attempts - including six individual chances, and one of the high-danger variety.
Mangiapane doesn't have a goal yet on this trip, but you can't keep one of the NHL's top strikers down for long.
Hurricanes - Sebastian Aho
Aho scored twice - including the OT winner - when the teams last met on Dec. 9 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The 24-year-old stirs the drink offensively for the 'Canes, and while he was held off the sheet in Carolina's last outing, he had an impressive run in the six prior - recording 14 points (5G, 9A), along with 24 shots on goal.
Darryl Sutter on lessons from last night's game:
"Very seldom you're going to win 1-0, especially on the road when you're playing teams with a lot of ammo. You've got to check like hell and do your best against them and then you've got to square down on your opportunities. Two of the goals tonight were where we could have shot the puck, but we shot and missed the net, and they came back and scored. Our team doesn't have much room, much margin for those percentages. You have to bear down on them and you have to put pucks there and score dirty, gritty goals. ... That's how you have to play against top teams to give yourself a chance."
Matthew Tkachuk on facing the Hurricanes:
"Carolina doesn't give you much at all. They're one of the best defensive teams in the NHL, especially at home. We have to be ready for a great challenge, but I think that's what we need right now. We need a really strong test to see where we're at and it's a big game to see where we're at as a team going into a few games without a game."
