Calgary Flames

Calgary Flames Game Day: Round 2, Game 4

Well that wasn’t pretty.

In the Calgary Flames’ worst game so far this season, the Edmonton Oilers completely steamrolled the Flames, handing the road team a 4–1 defeat. Now looking at a 2-1 series deficit, facing the best player on the planet burning at supernova levels, the Flames are in must-win mode already.

A win puts the series back to even with a best-of-three remaining on home ice. A loss and things start looking seriously dire.

Round 2, Game 4

Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers

Rogers Place

7:30PM MDT

Lineups

Calgary Flames

Based on Monday’s optional skate, Chris Tanev skated yet again, but remains a question mark for the team. Lines will be updated.

Edmonton Oilers

Lineup has yet to be determined. The expectation is that the Oilers will keep the same lineup as Game 2 and 3.

Series so far

TeamCF%xGF%SCF%HDCF%SV%
Calgary Flames58.5%58.3%57.9%59.6%86.2%
Edmonton Oilers41.5%41.7%42.1%40.4%89.3%
All stats at 5v5 via Natural Stat Strick

The Calgary Flames still hold the edge statistically, but the Oilers took a big chunk of that back after Sunday’s game.

The Oilers raised between 3–4 percent in all categories, including a 5% jump in HDCF% at 5v5. The Oilers played like the better team the whole game, but a large portion of that is due to Connor McDavid.

At 5v5, McDavid has been on the ice for 10 GF and 4 GA. Compare that to Elias Lindholm who has been on the ice for 3 GF and 6 GA at 5v5 and it’s clear McDavid has been the Flames’ biggest problem.

If there is a way to slow him down, Calgary needs to find it immediately.

Players to watch

Edmonton: Mike Smith

Mike Smith was terrible to start Game 1, and bad to start Game 2, but since then has been nearly unbeatable. Case in point:

As if Jake Oettinger wasn’t enough, the Flames are getting goalied yet again.

Calgary: Johnny Gaudreau

The Oilers best player has been their best player, time for the Flames’ to be theirs too. Gaudreau has been strong this postseason, but the team needs someone to drag them out of their rut. Gaudreau is the perfect candidate.

He had his seven-game playoff points streak snapped on Sunday, I don’t expect that lasting longer than a game.

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