'EASY GUYS TO PLAY WITH'

Mikael Backlund: Big Advanced Stats Guy.
"I focus on the final score," he laughed following Friday's optional skate before the Flames hosted the Islanders. "Simple stats.
"We get some personal and team stats from our coaches and stuff. Just looking at those, you can tell we've been good together and you feel it, too, on the ice. We want to score more, but we know we've created lots and haven't (allowed) too many chances against.
"Last year, I know we were one of the higher chances for-and-against line. I haven't heard the stats this year, but you can feel it if you play (well) enough, too."

Well, Mikael, allow us to be the refresher - because the numbers are bonkers.
The Backlund, Blake Coleman and Andrew Mangiapane trio has been a force to be reckoned with (again) this year, posting a 67.98% possession rate, a 70.83% split of the scoring chances, 77.78% (!) of the high-danger looks, and a silly, 72.87% expected goal share in more than 81 minutes, 5-on-5.
That's at or near the top of almost every category among lines that have played regularly together, league wide.

The boxcars are even more absurd when you look at the most recent sample after being put back together on Dec. 20 in San Jose. Nearly 72 of those 81 minutes have come in that span, but if you break it down even further - their high-danger split, for example, bloats to a mind-bending 84.21% (16-3).
The only thing missing is the finish.
History tells us that the number is bound to revert back. And if the unit keeps playing like that, it certainly won't be long until it does.
"The chances... There's been a lot of them," Coleman said. "I think we feel good about that. We just keep emphasizing to each other and to ourselves to finish off more of them.
"For the most part when we're out there, we have the puck, we're in the o-zone. Typically, against whoever it is, we're able to dictate the play, for the most part. With that said, we've given up a goal or two that we shouldn't have, so there's still little things that we want to correct and be better (at). They're easy guys to play with. They both play hard, they both compete to make plays and to defend, so it makes my job pretty easy."

Backlund, who scored a breakaway beauty the other night in Winnipeg, leads the bunch with eight tallies (along with 20 points) on the year. Mangiapane is not far behind with seven, and Coleman has six.
"We had some good chemistry from (last year) and the playoffs, so we know what it's like to play with each other," Backlund said. "I got to play most of last year with Colesy, too, and I know what he's like. Same with Mang. We've played lots together over the years and since he established himself as a regular in this league, we've been linemates for most of his time here.
"Just knowing the guys from before helps when you get put back together again. We all work hard on the forecheck - we're relentless on the forecheck, we get pucks back and made it hard on the other team, and that's how we create chances for our team."