With the Flames once again on an upward tick, a chance to finally come home after a week, if only for a night, is welcomed, in order to get the first change, and the momentum the home crowd provides.
On The Line
A chance to regain some home mometum, and a chance to pull within 1 point of the divsion leaders, one game removed away from playing those division leaders. A chance to take advantage of a decimated Wings team, mssing top defenseman and the starting goalie Dominik Hasek.
The Flow
The first starts off with a Flames powerplay, the sort of good fortune the Flames were to have all evening. A fairly even rest of the period turns in the Flames favour, a innocent direction at net by Alex Tanguay bounces off two Wings and over the top of a suprised Chris Osgood. Flames fortunate to be ahead, but they'll take it. An entertaining rest of the period, the Wings closest chance being that of a post later in the first. The Flames showing fairly good positional discipline they've tightened up since the closed door meeting in Phoenix.
The second continues with the Flames out front, able to draw a two man advantage. Chirs Osgood keeping the Wings in the game with serveral quality saves. The Wings start to take over the play as the second continues, with slowly piling up the shots on Miika Kiprusoff. By the time the third hits,m the Wings have scaled the shot clock ladder to draw almost even with the Flames, and took it over soon into the third. Wave upon wave of Wings chances were kept out of the net by Kiprusoff. The Saddledome ice certianly helped out with pucks hoping over Wings sticks ready to fire. Another two posts later, and some more white knuckle moments as the Flames do a fair bit of scrambling in thier own zone to keep the powerful Wings down. But the positional play, and commitement to team defence held true in the end, the Flames value for a 1-0 win.
Big Save
Miika Kiprusoff with a tough save from Kyle Quincy in the second. Kiprusoff in full stretch, sliding across the net, keeps the Flames heads up, and momemtum up through the second period. An example tonight of how playoff goaltending needs to be to win those tight games, the first shutout in 70 games for Flames Favourite Finn.
Big Hit
Dion Phaneuf with a second period double hit on Thomas Kopecky. The first, an open ice hit, sends Kopeckey off balance. The mometum carry both behind the net. Kopecky to the ice, and as he slides to the boards, his head pops up like a "Hit em" game at the Stampede, where Phaneufs hip is right there to drive Kopecky's head hard into the dasher. Unlucky timing from Kopecky, if he can remember what time it actually is.
The Goat
Again, you have to wonder what's going on with the ice crew at the Saddledome. Over a week and a half since the last NHL game, and the ice looked completely unacceptable. Teams on both players stumbling and bumbling, bouncing pucks out of nowhere likely helped the Flames moreso with the precision passing Wings forwards out there, but a battle of attriion when it comes to ice is now something fans should be treated to night in and night out.
Odds and Ends
Marcus Nilson moved up to the top line again after Kristian Huseilius again looks as lively as the rink board advertising for the majority of the game. Is Nolan pissed off or what? No prisoners out there with him. James Vandermeer with his first game, getting to play with Dion Phanuef. A few stumples along the way for sure, but chalk that simply up to coverages Flames forwards play, and positions Phanuef usually plays. No nonsenes, exerted his physical side a little bit, and played almost 20 minutes. Not bad. Minutes seemingly taken away from Adrian Acuoin to reach those 20 mins. Detroit's patchwork defense really struggling out there, looking confused at the best of times, and forwards having to do half circles coming back for passes that they usually expect to take in full stride from Nicklas Lidstrom or Brian Ralfalski. Also, witht he calming veteran presence of Chris Chelois early, the remaining players back there seemed to really lack any sort of unified direction. The Wings PP may have suffered the most, as the the two top ingredients which allow both big shots, proper puck moving, and the general threat of thier ability allowing more time and space for the skilled forwards down low, was rendered impotent.
Next up
A matinee in Minnesota. The Flames possibly able to valut into 3rd in the conference with a win over the Wild.. Noon start MST, on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Langow- Iginla - Nilson/Huseilus
Nolan Tanguay Conroy
Primeau Yelle Lombardi
Boyd Godard Nilson
