Flames Fall to Blue Jacket Attack
Blue Jackets 3 - Flames 0
Daniel Lemmon
March 18, 2008
Having started their late four game road trip off on the wrong foot
against the remainder of the South East division, the Flames came up
with a gutsy performance in Chicago to give the team a chance at
redeeming themselves if they managed a win in Columbus. But as has
frustratingly been the case this year, the inconsistent Flames were
unable to match the intensity brought against them by the spoiler
playing Blue Jackets.
On The Line
The way the road trip has gone almost everything was on the line.
Desperately clinging onto a playoff position, yet two points out of
first place in the North West division, many of the remaining games the
Flames are playing truly are must win games.
The Flow
The Blue Jackets got a jump start to the game as they came out swinging
and new captain Rick Nash was leading the charge as he got the home
team on the board. As the period continued the Flames were looking like
they were struggling, but at the end of the first they were only down
by one goal with two periods left to play.
As we enter the second period the Blue Jackets continued to throw the
body, continued to provide puck pressure and stymied the Flames at
every chance except for a short blip where the Flames hit two posts in
the same shift, a possible momentum changing shift that was for not.
Once the third started the Blue Jackets completed the take over of the
Calgary Flames as they stormed for two quick goals courtesy of Manny
Malholtra. The Blue Jackets would continue to smother the Flames until
there was nothing left of the husk that was the Calgary Flames other
than smoke and ashes.
Three Stars
1 - Rick Nash - The Columbus captain seems to be rounding into
a more complete player as he ages. He scored the opening goal of the
game and created numerous chances, including the setups on the next two
Blue Jacket goals.
2 - Manny Malholtra - With two goals as insurance, Malholtra
takes second star honours. He played, like the rest of his team, with
intensity and speed that the Flames couldn't handle.
3 - Wayne Primeau - Primeau brought about the only spark that
the Flames had all game. It was his line that generated the only
chances the Flames were able to muster, including the two post efforts.
Big Save
I think you could consider the second post off of a HALE storm drive
from the point as technically a save since after it rang the bar the
puck bounced off of Frederik Norrena's pad and lay a mere inch on the
wrong side of the goal line and was then protected by the Blue Jackets
before a Flame could finish it off. If that goes in, this game would
likely be different.
Big Hit
The Blue Jackets came out hitting and hitting hard, evidence of this
could be found when the Blue Jackets former first round draft pick
Gilbert Brule steamrolled an unsuspecting Cory Sarich.
The Goat
I'm going to go off the board and lay this on the head of the coaching
staff. The Blue Jackets played the exact same game as they one they
lost 1-0 to the Flames the last time these two teams met, and they
nearly won that game. The Flames were ill prepared to deal with the
expectation of speed, intensity, and hitting that the Blue Jackets
delivered. You could have predicted the way this game went and the
Flames didn't see it coming.
Mr. Clutch
It's pretty easy to pick this one tonight. Rick Nash was by and large
the best player on the ice for either team. He was doing it on all ends
of the ice and he did everything that you'd expect from your young
captain.
Odds and Ends
The Blue Jackets are clearly a well coached hockey team. They realize
the situation of the team. Outside of guys like Nash and Zherdev, there
aren't too many other players of substance on this hockey team. So when
you're in that type of situation playing against a more talented team,
there is a simple way you can compete...cut off the time and space and
you limit the effectiveness of talent, and if they're going to burn
you, at least it will be a highlight reel play. So the Flames need to
take a lesson from tonight's game, though, given the way the season has
gone I'll wager they won't remember. They have to use their heads,
generate some speed, and look for the simple plays, because it seems
pretty clear how you contain the Flames, and you better believe the
rest of the West is watching.
Next up
The Flames start a nine game divisional battle royal on Thursday as
they welcome the rushing Colorado Avalanche to the Pengrowth Saddledome
on Thursday night. Game time is 7PM and you can watch the action on
Flames Pay Per View or listen to the Fan 960.
