Flames coach Sutter says the workload for Markstrom is about to increase
The Calgary Flames are about to feature a heavy dose of Jacob Markstrom.
With the Flames spinning tires just outside of the picture in the Western Conference’s Stanley Cup Playoffs chase, coach Darryl Sutter is going to turn to veteran netminder and last year’s Vezina Trophy runner-up in Markstrom in the hopes he can push them over the finish line.
“I think we’ve given up too many goals against. So if you look at it, our save percentage is not where it needs to be. That’s clear. We’ve given up the second-fewest shots in the NHL, so we really should have a better record, but that’s the past and you need to deal with it,” Sutter started.
“We need Marky to get hot. He’s such a great teammate and great guy. Now he’s got to really put his foot on it.”
Darryl Sutter checks in with the media to look back on last night's game and shares his thoughts on the upcoming stretch. pic.twitter.com/nQiIhTvPmi
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 1, 2023
Calgary, with a 27-21-13 record for 67 points and a .549 points percentage, slots five points back of both the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers for each wild card into the playoffs from the West. The Flames are also five back of the Seattle Kraken for third in the Pacific, with the latter having a game at hand.
Markstrom, in large part, will be tasked with backstopping the team’s efforts in closing that gap.
“Absolutely,” Sutter said. “If you’re in a series, that’s how you’ve got to look at it, right? Playing playoff games.”
It hasn’t necessarily gone the way of the 33-year-old netminder, though.
Markstrom is 15-15-8 this season with a 2.96 goals-against average and .887 save percentage through 40 appearances. Among goalies with at least 20 appearances this season, the 6’6″ stopper ranks 33rd out of 50 candidates in goals-saved-above-expected with a -0.7 mark, per MoneyPuck, and is 33rd in wins-above-replacement at -0.11.
“I don’t think I’m going to switch to a righty glove or throw two blockers or three blockers,” Markstrom said. “You have to stick to it and work on details and work on the game and trust it. The goalie position is so much more mental than a lot of people think. It’s the confidence level. You’ve got to start building it in the gym and start building it in practice.”
"We need to get those two points. It's a big one tomorrow."
Jacob Markstrom looks head to tomorrow's battle against the Leafs at the 'Dome. pic.twitter.com/u0b4eixXFU
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 1, 2023
Dan Vladar, his backup, hasn’t fared much better this season with a 2.95 goals-against average and .895 save percentage.
Collectively, Calgary has the NHL’s worst save percentage since February 1 at a .844 mark at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick, and the Flames have surrendered a goal on their first shot faced in eight of 61 games this season.
It’ll be on Markstrom, it seems, to cure what ails in Calgary’s crease.
“Obviously you notice it when you’re back there and you don’t want it to happen but you know when it happens you’ve just got to move on and try to stop the next one and if that goes in then you’re going to have to stop the next one and so on,” he said. “It is what it is.
“We’ve just got to come up with some saves. If it’s first shot one and two or 40 and 41 or 30 and 31, it’s still two goals. Obviously, you don’t want to start behind and start chasing the game because it’s easier to play with a lead than it is from behind.”
Follow Channels and Categories