THE SKINNY: FLAMES VS. STARS - GAME 5
The series is back in Calgary for a critical Game 5
Video: Brendan Parker tees up a pivotal Game 5
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GAME DAY VIDEO
Game Day With Brendan Parker
Pregame Interviews
GAME DAY FEATURES
Say What - 'A Strong Voice in There'
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
Head-to-Head Stats
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LEADING SCORERS:
Flames:
1. Johnny Gaudreau (1-3-4)
2. Elias Lindholm (3-0-3)
3. Matthew Tkachuk (0-3-3)
Stars:
1. Joe Pavelski (3-1-4)
2. Tyler Seguin (1-1-2)
3. Roope Hintz (1-1-2)
TEAM STATS:
Powerplay:
Flames - 11.8% (12th)
Stars - 11.8% (13th)
Penalty-Kill:
Flames - 88.2% (4th)
Stars - 88.2% (5th)
Shot Attempts:
Flames - 58.43% (1st)
Stars - 41.57% (15th)
High-Danger Scoring Chances:
Flames - 50.00% (T-7th)
Stars - 50.00% (T-7th)
They needed a big performance in Game 4.
Mission accomplished.
The Flames took care of business with arguably their best game of the series in a 4-1 victory in Dallas to even the series 2-2.
Rasmus Andersson, Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund all lit the lamp, while Jacob Markstrom was sensational making 35 stops to backstop the Flames to the win.
Prior to the game, the group was vocal on how critical it was to get the win and avoid a 3-1 hole. They backed up their talk in a massive way with 56 shots, a franchise record for total shots in regulation during playoffs.
They were without question the more dominant team and were rewarded for it.
"We did everything we needed last night," Jacob Markstrom said Tuesday after the team arrived home in Calgary. "Most of the games have been pretty similar. Last night, we got the pucks deep and we put pressure on them and thought our zone time was up. I haven't looked at it, but it felt that way.
"We had some really long shifts in their zone and we scored a big goal on the power play as well. It's tough games and you can't get frustrated when it's 0-0 after the first period. I thought we were really, really pushing hard, but we have to stick with our game plan and then you're going to come out on top."
It's been a low-scoring, tightly-contested series, and both netminders have been exceptional.
But just how close is it?
Well, both teams are averaging 1.75 goals-a-game and 1.75 goals-against per game. And the special teams battle see them both clicking at 11.8% on the powerplay and 88.2% on the penalty-kill.
It's that tight.
"We took a step and took home ice back," Tkachuk said. "Now, we want to keep it."
Johnny would not be denied.
Late in Game 3, Gaudreau found himself on a breakaway with the chance to tie the game up but was stopped by Jake Oettinger in an eventual 3-1 Stars win.
Fast forward to Game 4, Johnny found himself on another in the third period and this time was hooked by John Klingberg. The result - penalty shot.
It was old school Gaudreau, with the patent fake shot to open up the five hole and before sliding it inbetween the pads on the backhand past a sprawled out Oettinger to give them a massive 2-0 lead.
"I was just thinking I had a few good looks there throughout the night," Gaudreau said after the game. "He's made some big saves on me. I was a tad nervous there, to be honest with you. I felt like he had my number tonight (Tuesday). I had three, four really good opportunities to put the puck in the net, so it was nice just to find the net there, get us a two-goal lead. Then we added one there in the third and a couple more goals, it was nice."
And the bench was buzzing in anticipation of the attempt.
"Nervous," Rasmus Andersson said with a laugh after the game. "We all know how skilled Johnny is and it was really nice to see him put it in the net and go up 2-0 with, what, 10 minutes left in the game? It was obviously huge and then we just beared down in the end. It was really nice to see it go in."
Jacob Markstrom named as one of the three nominations for the Vezina Trophy Tuesday, alongside Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers and Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators.
He had regular-season record of 37-15-9, and a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage and a league leading nine shutouts. So far he's carried his tremendous play into the post-season with a 1.27 GAA and .952 save percentage.
"I congratulated him today (Tuesday)," Matthew Tkachuk said. "I think a lot of guys did. I think it speaks to the year he's had and I know he's not content with being a finalist for that. I think we all have the same goal with where we are right now and where we want to be."
It's the first time the Swede has earned a nomination for the award and the first Flames netminder since Miikka Kiprusoff in 2006-07.
"Right now, not much," he said when asked what the nomination means. "It's all about tomorrow (Wednesday)."
What the Stars were saying ahead of tonight's tilt:
Rick Bowness On The Defensive Play In Game 4:
"We were on the wrong side of them too many times in all three zones. We were very slow to close on them in the defensive zone which is why they were able to cycle the puck as much. It started with the first shift where our forward got caught on the wrong side and we didn't close quick enough in our zone."
On The Play Of Jake Oettinger:
"Listen, he was the only reason we were in the game. I told the coaches after the game that we just wasted a great goaltending performance. Their guy made some big saves, he didn't get a lot of them but he made some big saves at the right time. Otter was outstanding and so that's why it was 1-0 going into the third and we had some looks to make it 1-1 and then they got the penalty shot. He's a pro."
Tyler Seguin On The Game 4 Loss And Outlook For Game 5:
"They're a good team. They came at us hard from the first shift, they responded well and now it's our turn. They played a great hockey game, and we were off a little bit, and when you're off a little bit against a top-tier team like that, a big favorite in this league, they're going to make you pay. They made us pay tonight. I don't know how many shots they finished with but that's a lot of work for our goalie we need to do a lot better job in front of him defensively."
Video: Klingberg, Heiskanen & Bowness ahead of Game 5
