TORONTO — The Calgary Flames are scoring goals again.
It’s other areas of the game that are haunting them now.
On Tuesday, the Flames (2-8-1) fell 4-3 to the Toronto Maple Leafs (5-4-1) in the most frustrating of fashions, turning the puck over in their own zone late in the third period and watching as Max Domi buried his second goal of the game to seal the deal.
Penalties continue to haunt the Flames while errors in the defensive zone are costing them.
Sure, they’re scoring more than one goal a game now. There’s improvement there.
But it’s not enough.
“I mean, we’re putting the puck in the back of the net a little bit more but I feel like we were getting chances before, we just weren’t scoring,” said Morgan Frost, who opened the scoring for the Flames with his second of the year. “It’s kind of down to wins and losses right now. It’s nice to see a couple go in, but we’ve got to get something going here.”
It may already be too late for that. Their worst October in franchise history came back in 1995-96 when they collected just five points in 11 games. After Tuesday’s loss, this year’s Flames team is also sitting on five points throughout 11 games with one matchup left in the month on Thursday in Ottawa.
And the cost is making their pre-season playoff ambitions seem like a pipe dream. Every time one issue gets solved, it seems like another rears its ugly head.
Yes, they’ve scored 11 goals in their last three games after putting up only 13 in their first eight, but the Flames have also allowed 39 goals this season. Only the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks have allowed more in the NHL.
“We’re scoring more right now, but at the end of the day you have to keep them out of your net, that’s the most important thing,” said Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “I still feel like there’s issues in games where we’re hurting ourselves.”
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s loss in Toronto:
Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews and Flames forward Morgan Frost battle for the puck on Tuesday.
TOO MANY PENALTIES
Penalties are taking their toll on the Flames.
They took four on Tuesday and while the Leafs managed to capitalize on only one of their power-play opportunities, the time they spent in the box seemed to kill the Flames’ momentum.
“I think it’s kind of been the story the whole year,” said Flames winger Joel Farabee. “I think we take too many penalties and let their top players start to feel the puck and they’ve got some really good players over there so when they start feeling, it’s hard to stop.”
The Flames weren’t penalized for anything especially egregious, but the lack of discipline is clearly costing them. With 133 penalty minutes through 11 games, they’ve spent more time in the box than any other team in the NHL this year.
It’s something they’re trying to address, but it isn’t working yet.
“We have to keep addressing it, I think that’s important for us,” Huska said. “A lot of it is on players and understanding what they can and can’t do on the ice. There’s situations where you’re always in control of your free arm and always in control of your stick.
“We’ll keep doing our part of trying to bring it to their attention, and it’s something we do have to clean up.”
Flames forward Joel Farabee celebrates his first goal of the season on Tuesday.
GOT ONE, FINALLY
There might not be a more emphatic fist-pump this season than the one Farabee unleashed after scoring in the second period.
The Flames winger has been playing well and putting himself in the right spots for chances, but the puck hasn’t been going in. He went to the net hard and got rewarded against the Leafs. Even in a loss it was a moment worth celebrating.
“He’s been one of our best players,” Frost said. “He’s working so hard, not to say he wasn’t before but this is the hardest I’ve ever seen him work.
“He really wants it, he wants to be a difference-maker for this team and I think he’s been doing that in ways other than scoring, but obviously to get rewarded is a nice touch.”
Speaking with the media afterwards, Farabee was more focused on the loss than finally getting his first goal of the season. Fair enough.
But everyone else around the Flames was clearly thrilled for him.
“He did it the right way,” Huska said. “He went to the net hard and that’s typically how you’re going to score goals. Joel’s been there the bulk of the year.”
Flames forward Sam Honzek celebrates his first NHL goal on Tuesday.
A BIG FIRST
Sam Honzek scored the first goal of his NHL career late in the third period. It was a big moment, although the Leafs responding only a few short minutes later with the game-winner put a quick halt to the celebrations.
Still, though, the goal emphasized something that just about everyone who follows the Flames already knew: Honzek isn’t going anywhere.
He spent the vast majority of last season with the Calgary Wranglers in the AHL after an impressive training camp, but he’s clearly taken a step with his game and belongs in the NHL.
“Nothing is guaranteed,” Honzek said. “I want to have that mindset that nothing is free, everything is earned and I want to earn my spot and be here for as long as I can and play continuously this good and bring my best version every night.”
Honzek’s fit in well alongside Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman and has created a lot of opportunities for himself. It was only a matter of time before he buried one.
“I think he got rewarded tonight,” Huska said. “He’s hit the post, he’s been around it the last few games. It’s nice to see him get on the board tonight.”