Game Day Notebook - 11.04.24

LOS ANGELES – A lot has been made recently about the Kings’ infamous 1-3-1 trap.

LA blueliner Drew Doughty was asked about it on the team’s recent trip to Alberta, saying that the “frustration” teams feel when navigating the middle of the ice is actually a good thing, “because it means it’s working.”

Indeed, the method – which sends only one forechecker (F1) in ‘deep’, while the other four hang back in a diamond formation – has been effective for them.

But the Flames have found their way around it, winning two of the three meetings head-to-head this year. 

Tonight, though, represents a new challenge, in a building where the Kings give up fewer shots (27.5) and goals (2.43) than anyone else in the Pacific. 

“We've liked the way we've played them at home in Calgary,” said Head Coach Ryan Huska. “We want to see that same effort and a lot of what we saw in San Jose in the second and third periods.

“This is a team that makes it difficult on you in the neutral zone and they're a very good rush team, which something we have to clean up against them, and we want to make sure that we're playing with a lot of pace to our game tonight as well, to make it hard on them. That's what we're looking for, to kind of match what we did in Calgary and bring it here on the road.”

In order to break down the stingy system, the Flames will have to have their details and order and bring a lunch bucket-type effort, without falling victim to the ‘frustration’ the relentless puck pressure can cause.

“They do a really good job with it,” Huska said of the 1-3-1. “That's the one thing and for us, it's making sure that we're set on our forecheck detail a lot of times because they do such a great job of breaking out and they have a lot of options down low and they have a tendency to out-number teams down low. So, if we can be quick and be good with our sticks and our pressure, I feel like we give ourselves a chance to make them play a little bit more in our own zone, based on our forecheck.”

High Praise

Kevin Rooney was rightfully given his flowers after a key shot block late in Tuesday’s win over the Sharks. 

He felt, after a tough bounce against Edmonton, that he “owed it” to his teammates.

Rooney is no stranger to paying the price, but that selfless act sure says a lot about the pack mentality the Flames continue to play with, even with their playoff hopes dashed. 

“We like to see it as coaches,” Huska said. “When you really look at it, we have pride to play for at this stage of the season for our team. But you keep seeing guys put themselves in harm's way with shot-blocks, whether it's Andy (Rasmus Andersson), or MacKenzie (Weegar), or Roons from last game. You see guys do that and, honestly, you have to do it in these games. This is an important part of the year for us because it sets up things down the road, so we want to make sure that we're approaching every game like it’s the most important game and try to do things the right way to allow us to win these games.”

Weegar, by the way, enters the night with 195 blocked shots.

With another strike to reach the 20-goal mark – along with five blocks (easy) to crack 200 – in the final five games, the blueliner would become the first player in NHL history to record both in the same season.

Lineup Shuffle

Blake Coleman is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, so Walker Duehr or Dryden Hunt are likely draw in at forward for tonight’s game.

The team did not run lines during the morning skate, so stay tuned to CalgaryFlames.com for updates on that front during the pregame warmup (roughly 8:15 p.m. MT).

While Coleman is not available, the Flames did get some good news on the injury front this morning, as it appears Oliver Kylington could slide back in on the blueline after missing Tuesday’s game with an upper-body injury.

“It feels alright,” Kylington said after the morning skate. “We'll see for the game, but it feels alright."

While the Flames don’t have anything to play for in the standings, a win for the Kings tonight would officially punch their ticket to the postseason.

Kylington, though, has no interest in letting that happen on their watch.

“They'll play with some desperation, like you said, but we have a game plan and want to follow that through and stop them from not clinching tonight,” he said.

“I think we just have to focus on ourselves, on the effort, the game plan and the execution - and then everything will take care of itself. That's our focus for tonight.”