Can you write a negative game story after a win? Do you excuse a complete lack of discipline that lead to nine shorthaned situations and two two minute five on threes? Do you look past another game that featured a complete collapse in just a handful of minutes leading to three goals and what looked like a sure loss?
Sure you can, and you should when the team manages five straight goals including four in the third period to win where they never win, but do by a shocking 5-3 margin on Thursday night.
Some solid penalty killing, some sketchy five on five coverage down low and a knock kneed powerplay, but five more goals in a great comeback that could do a lot for team confidence in the grand scheme of things is PPV well spent.
On The Line
A great chance to build off the win over Washington the other night and string together their first back to back wins of the season. With that would likely come a playoff spot, and some momentum in the West. Lose and the doubts, the media and the bandwagon all start to wobble again.
The Flow
A decent start for the Flames, they managed to have a quiet first five minutes and looked to be putting together a solid road game. Penalty trouble; first a double minor for high sticking to Daymond Langkow then a full two minute five on three when Matthew Lombardi took down Jason Arnott shorthanded, but amazingly they survive scoreless through one.
The second period much like most second periods this season featured a short term high impact collapse that pretty much wrote the game story. The Predators scored three second period goals in just over two minutes to set a new mark for history, leaving the Flames in the dust. A late goal by Jarome Iginla added some intrigue to the rest of the period and the third.
The final period started much like the first with the Flames getting in all kinds of penalty trouble and lucky to stay down just two as the period pushed on. Then it inexplicably happened, Calgary turning the tables and erasing a two goal deficit instead of blowing a two goal lead of their own. First Jarome Iginla pounced on a Jim Vandermeer rebound, and scored his second of the game, setting the stage for David Moss tying the goal about 90 seconds later. From there Calgary had the pressure controlling the play and causing the 55% capacity crown to go silent for the first time in the night. With just under ten to play the Flames were given a powerplay, managed to gas the first minute and a half but then went ahead when Phaneuf fired a shot at the net towards Ellis’ chest only to have Mike Cammalleri tip it down between his legs. Flames lead. An empty net goal from Jarome Iginla salts it away and leaves this writer’s agape. Wow.
Three Star
1. Jarome Iginla: Not a great first 30 minutes but the Iginla of old reemerged with three goals to lead the Flames back to an improbable come from behind victory in Nashville.
2. Miikka Kiprusoff: Gave up three goals on three shots in the second period, none to be defined as easy, but was unstoppable at all other points of the night including almost four minutes five on three.
3. Jason Arnott: Strong all night on the boards, scored a goal, added an assist. Is a much more complete and mature player than I ever expected given his start in Edmonton.
Big Save
The Flames likely had Kiprusoff tested more on their own powerplay than they did down a man in the first as the Predators broke out twice on two on ones and hit goal posts. The first bar banger left a juicy rebound out front that Ryan Suter jumped on only to have Kiprusoff get a glove on it and send it over the bar.
Big Hit
No big hits in this one to be honest as they spent more time bumping into each other rather than inflicting pain. A good pile up occurred when Nick Tarnasky landed in a heap with Mark Giordano behind the net on an icing call, a play that likely should have been a penalty under the new rules.
The Goat
I was all over Craig Conroy for this one, but he did redeem himself in the second half of the game. He was soft on the puck, weak down low, bad in his own zone, and in the box twice for stupid penalties. But then he drops the puck at the line starting the comeback on Iginla’s first. He finishes the night +3, with two assists, and deadly in the face off circle. So no goat tonight.
Mr. Clutch
Jim Vandermeer. Really wanted to give the guy a star but statistically it just didn’t work. With the team down and out Keenan moves him up front on a line with Jarome Iginla. He goes to the net, handles the puck down low, and stirs it up all over the ice. In the third it’s his shot to the net that gets Iginla his second and starts the comeback. Solid all around game.
Odds and Ends
Another guy that played very well? Wayne (don’t call him Keith … don’t call him Keith) Primeau quietly played yet another solid game. Guy does whatever is asked of him. A great quiet leader for this team. … Matthew Lombardi left the game with what looks like a shoulder injury when he slammed into Jason Arnott in front of the net. The impact didn’t look like that big a deal, but he clearly favoured his one arm and left the game for observation. In his place Dustin Boyd took his ice and did well, picking up an assist and missing a sure insurance goal by a slight healing of the puck. … Speaking of Boyd, one of the biggest success determiners this season for Calgary is support scoring and the group of Boyd, Moss, Bourque, Glencross et al getting to the 15 goal mark and giving the Flames a balanced attack. Through seven games Bourque, Boyd, Lombardi and Conroy all have one goal, while David Moss has two. Glencross has yet to light the lamp. So far so good. … Funny how Jarome Iginla can turn a slow start into a great start in one night. From two goals in six games (read 26 goal season) into five in seven (closer to 60). More importantly, hopefully the result gives him a push that has him light it up in Phoenix on Saturday, a place he almost always seems to dominate. … The Preds out shot Calgary 38-27 on the night but things were pretty even after the first. They generated a lot of shots on four minutes of two man advantage. … The Flames grabbed hold of 8th spot in the west with the win, and moved to .500 with a chance to move over on Saturday night. Two wins can sure put lipstick on a terrible start to the season. … Will Eric Nystrom get another shot this season? I don’t have a problem with Prust and I like his jam but surely he will get a look now that Boyd may be needed up the roster.
Next Up
One of the two blackout games on the season with the Flames in Phoenix to play the Wayneotes with nary a Calgary television camera to be found. Get that radio cranked up at 7pm MST.
Lines (To Start):
Bertuzzi – Lombardi – Iginla
Bourque – Langkow – Cammalleri
Glencross – Conroy – Moss
Prust – Primeau – Boyd
Phaneuf – Vandermeer
Regehr – Sarich
Aucoin- Giordano
Kiprusoff
