The Blackhawks continued their journey across Canada on Sunday night in Calgary. They were riding the back of a narrow overtime win against Connor McJesus, as well as Jeff Glass‘ first NHL game and win. Joel Quenneville played favorites and let the Calgary native start in net for the second consecutive game. Patrick Sharp took a seat for the second consecutive game along with Jan Rutta and Gustav Forsling.
These were the Blackhawks starting lines:
Brandon Saad – Jonathan Toews – Richard Panik
Ryan Hartman – Nick Schmaltz – Patrick Kane
Alex DeBrincat – David Kampf – Vince Hinostroza
Lance Bouma – Tommy Wingels – John Hayden
Duncan Keith – Jordan Oesterle
Connor Murphy – Brent Seabrook
Michal Kempny – Cody Franson
The Flames controlled a majority of the first period, but that “prodigal son comes home” feel good story carried on. Jeff Glass stopped 18 shots and the Blackhawks looked to take a scoreless game into the intermission. One might say that they took their foot off the gas just a few feet short of the finish line.
With less than eight seconds remaining in the period, the Flames made a last-ditch power play rush with a long stretch pass. Sean Monohan raced behind the Blackhawks net and got to the loose puck. He quickly dumped the puck in front of the net and Matthew Tkachuk played lumber jack long enough to whack the third or fourth rebound past Glass, with less than two seconds remaining in play to give the Flames a 1-0 lead. This would be the first of two Tkachuk power play goal on the night.
The second period turned into the wild west (of Canada), as the two teams combined for four goals in a matter of five minutes. The first of which was the aforementioned Matthew Tkachuk’s second power play goal. Tkachuk planted his butt in front of the net and tipped a long Johnny Gaudreau shot pass over Jeff Glass’ left toe.
Sean Monahan gave the Flames a pretty comfortable 3-0 lead just a minute after the second Tkachuk goal. Gaudreau was the plate setter on this goal, as well. After the Blackhawks failed multiple times to get the puck out of their own end, Gaudreau found himself with the puck, on the half-wall, with a streaking Monahan on the back door. Gaudreau hit him with a perfect pass, and Monahan was able to tip the puck up over Glass’ right shoulder and the post much line the game winner, later in the game.
The Blackhawks could have packed it in for the night, but they woke up out of their daze and answered less than three minutes later. Following an unsuccessful Hawks power play, a slick little drop pass from Brandon Saad to Jordan Oesterle ended up giving Oesterle enough time to use Ryan Hartman as a screen and beat Mike Smith. The Hawks were not done there, though.
Just a minute after the Oesterle goal, Jonathan Toews cut the Flames lead down to just one goal. Toews redirected a long point shot from Oesterle, but Smith stopped the attempt. Smith left a rebound, though, that Toews shoveled into the net and the game suddenly was not so far out of reach. Shades of the five goal comeback in 2009.
After the second period dust settled, the Blackhawks held possession for most of the third period, but nearly gave up an insurance goal on a late break-a-way by Johnny Gaudreau. Brandon Saad, though, tied the game up late after a Jonathan Toews faceoff win deep in the Flames end.
Say that faceoff stats are overrated all you like, but this was a prime example of how a single faceoff can be the difference in one point or no points. Toews won the puck to Saad, and he used a maze of players and the toe of Travis Hamonic to fool Mike Smith and send the game to overtime.
Less than a minute into overtime, Mark Giordano lifted a long snap shot towards the net, possibly looking for a rebound, but the puck eluded Glass and ended up giving the Flames a win in the final game of 2017.
Pluses
- Jordan Oesterle is making Joel Quenneville look like a bit of a moron. He has been a really nice surprise on the offensive end of the ice and was second in time on ice once again, to only Duncan Keith. Both him and Franson have been some very under the radar surprises, along with Jan Rutta. Maybe Bowman dangles one of these defenders for offensive depth at the deadline.
- The Toews line finally had a reemergence. Both Toews and Saad had a goal and assist each.
- You can not really blame the organization’s fourth string goalie for much. He saved 35 of 39, which should be enough for a win. The fact that the Flames only had one goal on 19 first period shots should tell you enough.
Minuses
- When you come in and spot the home team a 3-0 lead, you’re looking for trouble. They were damn lucky to salvage a point out of this game. Just keep reminder yourselves that this is a middling team, and you have to take a deep breath now and then. It is going to be a long four months until the Regular season ends.
- The Blackhawks power play was, once again, the story of the night. They went 0-2 while the Flames went 2-2; game-set-match.
- Quenneville has pulled back the reins on the fourth line. None of them played over nine minutes.