With the Flames once again coming out of the blue to salvage two points a few nights ago against San Jose, the team kicks the flip flops off from a mini California break to travel down the Pacific Coast Highway to Los Angeles for a Friday night tilt. One thinks the Flames used one of their bonuses they get awarded in a season, obviously a good start will be paramount against the lowly Kings.
On The Line
Coming off a bit of a break in warmer climates, the Flames have likely their easiest opponent tonight, in the next 8. The next two weeks features Flames opponents currently in the playoffs or on the cusp, so the need to both get a good result and play a complete game against a team with eyes to next season is that much more important given the road ahead.The Flames have 12 goals against the Kings in the last 2, including a wild 6-4 win in LA last month.
The Flow
Well, the Kings, fresh back from a long road trip, put on an exciting first. After an early (and rare, considering the players participating) cycle where the Flames establish dominance, Matthew Lombardi just missing a chance, the Kings go the other way. A smart play by Kevin Dahlman to sneak up and surprise Mark Smith, allows a tap in for an easy Kings goal. Next shift, Jarome Iginla makes his impression, a great cross ice pass to find Kristian Huselius. His fan was beneficial to Daymond Langkow, able to lift the puck over an already sprawled Jason Labarbera. Langkow continues he recent streak against Kings, his 4th goal in 2 games against LA. The Flames fans litters across the Staples centre was silenced when a slick move by 6'6 230 lb Boyle, and a surprising snap shop surprised Miika Kiprusoff. A third goal soon follows, with Ted Purcell getting his first ever goal, a snap shot from the high slot that surprises Kiprusoff. A high flying game, the Flames not playing particularly bad, and the Flames push back, generating chances, and continuing with gritty cycling. Dustin Boyd the beneficiary of hard work from the 4th line, redeeming itself for being on the ice for the first two goals against, with a goal of his own, and a chance soon after just missed by Eric Godard. Stephane Yelle a bit unlucky as a floating puck just misses the yawning cage. 5 goals matches the 5 in the 3rd period the last goal in LA. To be quite honest, the Flames guilty of a playing a zone defense early on, but not a lack of effort or jump, as was shown on the offensive end. After the previous two games against the severely defensively lax LA Kings, you can pardon the Flames for slipping into the run and gun style and expecting that the Flames could match the Kings shot for shot. The second half of the period produced a tighter defensive posture, with the same frantic freewheeling up front.
The second period starts out flying again. A Flames powerplay comes inches away from a Craig Conroy goal. 45 seconds, a low percentage pass and a lackluster backchecking effort from Aucoin turns the powerplay into a shorthanded goal. The turning point tonight. Like the first, the effort is still there, the Kings are allowed far too much room and space in the Flames zone. Derek Armstrong gets a goal, and a lazy Matthew Lombardi penalty results in a Anze Kopitar powerplay goal. For what its worth, the Flames show that once they settle down, the can control the LA zone, the last 5 minutes heavily tiled in the LA zone, with lack of finish from Lombardi, Huselius, and, the worst culprit, Moss, and the score remains 6-2 going into the third. Really tough game to get a handle on, but once again, the Kings allowed too much room in the Flames zone and the Flames not strong enough when the engage with Kings forwards, but the Flames having their own way on the cycle and with puck possession once established in LA's zone. Regardless, the result not looking good after 2, one wonders if Curtis Joseph will see some 3rd period action. The Flames have still had chances, and outshot the Kings by a 27-20 margin.
The third is dominated by the Flames for what it is worth. The Kings not pressing on the offensive end, but the Flames drawing penalties. A goal from Owen Nolan spurs the Flames on further, with many in tight chances that have the slack Kings defense scrambling, and, very fortunate to be still ahead by 3. Full credit for the Flames not giving up, and smelling blood based on pervious games with the Kings. The mountain a little too steep for the Flames to ascend, however, like the San Jose game, the Flames can be credited for not coasting to the final buzzer as they have earlier this year and in past years. Miika Kiprusoff still sharp, saving a mid period Kings penalty shot. Save some more solid Flames chances in the Flames zone, the game ends in a 6-3 loss, the Flames ending with 15 third period shots, for a total of 42 total shots.
Big Save
Jason Labarbera's leg strength keeps out a Craig Conroy in tight chance, on the north side of the goal line, just barely. That would've tied the game at 3, instead, 45 seconds later the Kings extend a lead on a tough goal for the Flames to swallow, but for the Kings, a lead they would not relinquish.
Big Hit
Dion Phaneuf on the receiving end of two hits tonight, one in an attempt to hammer Brian Boyle in mid ice in the first, Phaneuf is the one that falls. In the second, Dion caught with his head down circling behind his own net, and Dustin Brown pastes him with a clean hit. Phaneuf exacts some illegal revenge on Brown with a slash, caught by the men in stripes.
The Goat
Sure, votes may be cast for the 4th line and many players can be pointed out for having less then stellar games, but With the Flames on a second period powerplay and pressuring, only a goal down, a pass up the middle of the ice into the sticks of two Kings, results in a 2 on 1. The culprit, Adrian Aucoin no longer has the wheels he thinks he has, and ends up being a step and half behind the LA player allowing only a weak stick check to a guy bearing down on the goal. 4-2 instead of a good chance at 3-3, and the Flames psyche visibly sags after the goal. Unacceptable play by a veteran who should know not to make high risk play, and, to know his limits in being able to recover from his original error, and not compound the original play by making a second, which is exactly what was done.
Odds and Ends
Perplexing why a balmy climate and a building that houses 2 NBA basketball teams, has better ice than the Saddledome? For all the doom and gloom, the Flames had chances, good chances. It also appeared that Keenan has been slowly reintroducing the cycle, the 3rd and 4th lines using it Well all game. Playing down to the opponent, maybe, but the high flying high risk Kings unintentionally drags the Flames into bad habits, as each Kings goal was preceded, and succeeded, by Kings defensive errors and resultant Flames chances, which, based on past games against the Kings, has given the Flames (tonight a false) sense of security. Owen Nolan, 15 goals. Who cares what he does in the first four months, this guy has come as advertised, and is truly playing for the second season, his recent warm play not coincidentally coming as the days become longer. David Moss did not play the third with a knee injury. While they recuperate his knee, give him some vertigo pills, neo citrin, anything that may allow him to shoot at something other then the crest of the goalie from a point blank chance..tonight, and, ever since Overtime, Detroit Game 6 last year . The scoreline looks like a disaster, but the Flames had more then enough scoring chances and don't need to see the video to understand why and how the Kings were allowed so many chances. On the other end, the Flames had many chances with over 40 shots on Jason Labarbera. With a stronger Ducks team as the next game, one hopes the mentality will not be so lax on the defensive side of things.
Next up
A matinee down the I-5 in Anaheim. 5pm start Calgary time. Back to the drawing board for the Flames a bit. The Ducks playing a Dallas team that also played, and lost, tonight to Dallas. A good measuring stick to see how this team can respond to a game where the overall effort can't totally be faulted, but where crucial mistakes at crucial times, killed the chances tonight.
