Flames Takeaways: Season hits new low point after loss to Penguins

If getting crushed in Columbus didn’t make it clear, a pasting in Pittsburgh confirmed it — the Calgary Flames have hit a low point in their season.

Wrapping up an eastern swing with their seventh-straight road loss, a 6-2 spanking by the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday sent the Flames home from a four-game journey with one of a possible eight points.

With their penalty kill in shambles all season long, the Flames have now allowed more power-play goals than any other team (23), after allowing three more on five Pittsburgh man advantages.

On this trip alone, the Flames allowed eight power-play goals on 19 chances, an issue compounded by the fact the team has now gone 22 straight games with three goals or less. Calgary is the first team to score three goals or fewer in 22 straight games since the 2014-15 Arizona Coyotes.

The good news is that the Flames sat fourth in the Western Conference on Thursday for U.S. Thanksgiving, a position that has traditionally translated into a post-season berth for NHL clubs more than 75 per cent of the time.

The bad news is that the two hallmarks of the club — goaltending and work ethic — have been suspect in the two games since.

Not to pin anything on him, but Dan Vladar has now lost six straight road games, with his latest loss coming in a game where he faced a whopping 43 shots. 

After Friday’s loss, Ryan Huska used a derivative of lazy to describe his team’s effort.

On Saturday the Flames started well, but found themselves down 1-0 after the first period.

Things went sideways soon thereafter as they were down 5-0 before Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri scored in the last six minutes to make the score flattering for the reeling visitors.  

Things have taken a dramatic turn since leaving town a week earlier with five straight home wins under their belt.

The focus the next couple of days will be a visit by the Gaudreau family, which is coming to Calgary en masse for a Tuesday night tribute to Johnny and his brother Matthew. 

But we’ll see once the puck drops if the Flames are able to regroup, as these sorts of losing skids have been the team’s undoing for many years.

4 Nations Situation

Saturday marked the last audition Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar will have before Team Sweden and Team Canada brass select their teams for the February tourney.

Both players have played a big role in the Flames’ surprising start to the season, playing integral roles as leaders at both ends of the ice.

Both have been scouted heavily by their respective countries and are both vying to be the sixth or seventh defenders on deep rosters.

Andersson brings a few unique tools, as he leads the league in blocked shots and plays with a chip on his shoulder that was evident in Pittsburgh Saturday when he gave Sidney Crosby a forearm shiver that prompted the Pens captain to later retaliate and chirp the rest of the game.

Andersson crumpled to the ice in apparent pain following a late crosscheck by Crosby that prompted Andersson to carry on a conversation that earned him a ten-minute misconduct for abuse of officials.

He’s always worn his emotions on his sleeve. 

Andersson has led the Flames in points most of the season and his penchant for jumping up in the play was evident in the first period when he took a rebound off the end boards and forced Alex Nedeljkovic to make a spectacular save.    

As a right-handed shot who plays on the left side, Weegar brings a versatility that could give Canada options, not to mention a competitiveness every coach craves.

Team Canada brass have been spotted several times of late at Flames road games.

Mikael Backlund also has a chance at making the Swedish roster, as he’s been a regular with the program, including captaining the team to a world championship for Tre Kronor in 2018.

Rosters must be submitted by Monday and will be revealed Wednesday.

Lomberg elevates status 

Well, there was one Flame who will return to Calgary an even bigger hero amongst fans — Ryan Lomberg.

Despite giving up four inches and 40 pounds to Mathieu Olivier, Lomberg challenged the Columbus bruiser to a fight in response to an ugly hit on Joel Hanley that should have included a game ejection.

A photo of the nasty gash over his left eye went viral Saturday, as did his post-game comments.

“I knew what had to be done for my team and my teammates, and that’s what we’re about here,” said the five-foot-nine, 184-pound winger.

“Whether you win or lose you go down swinging for one another, and that’s the type of teammate I am.

“If I’m the guy that’s gotta do it, and take a nice punch in the face or two, then so be it.”

Costco out of service

Justin Kirkland missed Saturday’s game and is still being evaluated after leaving Friday’s game in Columbus in the opening period with a lower-body injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Adam Klapka.