The Vancouver Canucks clobbered the Calgary Flames 8-1 in their penultimate preseason game at home on Wednesday evening.
The main casts for both teams were suited up and ready to go.
Despite getting a power play in the second minute, the Flames veterans had some summer rust and clearly needed to get warmed up. They would eventually get adjusted and outshoot the Canucks 7-3 in the first 11:18, but Vancouver scored on their very first shot taking a 1-0 lead. Johnathan Huberdeau had a great breakaway opportunity after a pass from Matt Coronato at the 10:15 mark but was denied by Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen.
Afterwards, for the rest of the period, the Canucks ran all over the Flames, outshooting them 9-4 including scoring three goals in a span of 1:18 that included a shorthanded goal.
The players who led the Flames in faceoffs last season found themselves on a losing battle once again. Nazem Kadri was 2-for-6 (33.33%), Mikael Backlund was 0-for-3 (0%) and Morgan Frost was 1-for-2 (50%)
In the second period, Calgary regrouped and performed better. So good, that Joel Farabee scored a goal for the home side 30 seconds in, albeit that would’ve been called back for offside in the regular season. Unlike the first period, the Flames outshot the Canucks in expected goals and scoring opportunities. They produced the same number of shots on goals, two, in their first power play of the second period as they did in BOTH of the power plays in their first period. It also helped that they didn’t give up a shorty.
The faceoff leaders had also shown improvement: Kadri and Backlund were both 5-for-11 (45.45%) and Frost was 6-for-13 (46.15%) by the second recess.
Unfortunately, two careless goals were given up by Calgary that put the Canucks up 6-1.
Vancouver took only three shots in the final period, but two of them found the back of the Calgary net, sealing the Flames’ night with a seven-goal drubbing.
Close to the end, Huberdeau would collide with the goal post and would need help walking off the ice. Let’s hope he is okay.
Calgary were 0-for-6 on the power play which included giving up two shorthanded goals.
Both goalies Ivan Prosvetov and Devin Cooley played in the game and both let in goals that had no business being in the back of the net.
The penalty-kill went 2-for-4.
Rory Kerins was a bright spot with 5-for-9 (55.6%) faceoff wins in the game and three shots on goal.
The Flames final preseason game will be against the Winnipeg Jets at home on Friday.
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