CALGARY, AB — In perhaps the biggest game of the season, Jakob Markstrom fell flat. And that's been typical of his performance for the Calgary Flames this season.
Markstrom allowed four goals on 23 shots in a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday with the Flames fighting for their playoff lives.
His season save percentage dropped to .889 this season, down from a career high .922 in 2021-22.
Markstrom went 37-15-9 in 63 games with the Flames last season and led the NHL with nine shutouts. He also was third in goals-against average (2.22), tied for third in save percentage (.922), and tied for fourth in wins.
He set NHL career bests in wins, games played, starts (63), GAA, save percentage (minimum 10 games) and shutouts. He was so good last season that he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.
Surely it would be a much different story for the Flames this season if Markstrom had even been a little bit better, according to Nick Zararis of Locked on Flames.
"If they had even league average goaltending, a lot of those 15 overtime losses, the 28 one-goal losses - even if you get three of four more regulation wins, that's the difference between making and missing the playoffs. Those one, two, three saves over the course of an entire season.
What in the world happened? A lot of things have to go wrong in order for this sharp of a decline, and the problems in Calgary run deeper than Markstrom.
As Jess Belmost of Locked on Flames adds, the team as a whole has not met expectations, and the dramatic difference in Markstrom's performance compared to last season isn't in isolation from some bad luck and misfires up and down the lineup along the way.
At five on five, the Flames have the second ranked shot attempt differential and a thid ranked expected goals differential. They also have the 31st ranked save percentage.
Truly, another goal or save here and there could have placed the Flames comfortably in a playoff spot.
The Flames aren't quite done, though, as they sit two points back of the Jets with a season-defining game on deck Wednesday in Winnipeg.