Walking into Nashville after concluding the year of 2008 in winning fashion against the Edmonton Oilers, the Flames were hoping to get a good start to 2009. But when you consider how the Flames played against the Oilers (read, they weren’t dominant) the signs that a regulation loss is coming were starting to rear it’s ugly head. Watching most of this game, you’d think that loss was coming tonight, but the comeback kings that the Flames have become of late, pushed them to have points in ten straight games. But be forewarned.. especially with the Blackhawks coming up.
On The Line
With a few games in hand, but the Canucks slowly gaining some ground, the Flames need a win to get as much space between themselves and the rest of the division before other teams start to get more ducks lined up.
The Flow
The first period wasn’t half bad for either team. The Predators started out with a flurry of opportunities, but Miikka Kiprusoff held the fort. It wasn’t until midway through the period before the Predators would get on the board as Jared Smithson scored on a familiar target roofing a shot over the shoulder of Kiprusoff, one Predator who always seems to have success playing the Flames. But the lack of confidence in their offensive abilities was very apparent. Curtis Glencross would return to his great play taking a nifty back hand pass from behind the net by Matthew Lombardi and bury the puck topshelf in a very pretty last minute goal.
The second had zero flow whatsoever. Interrupted by four straight penalties to the Predators, it was the worst thing that could have happened to the Flames as the lack of urgency that the Flames power play is known to exhibit caused the Flames to stop skating and took them right out of the game. Martin Erat, JP Dumont, and Jason Arnott would combine to get the Predators back in the lead in the second as Erat sprung out of the penalty box got the puck back to Dumont who set up Arnott for the easy tap in.
There were comments in the game thread about the Mastercard commercial where the coach walks in, and doesn’t say a word. Perhaps a telling comment. Because as Calgary came out in the third they slowly started to get their skating legs back under them. As the period wore on the Flames started to generate more scoring opportunities, hemming the Predators in the defensive zone for longer and longer shifts. Twelve minutes into the final frame, Todd Bertuzzi put a puck behind the net to a waiting Daymond Langkow who flipped the puck behind Nashville goaltender Dan Ellis, who’s desperate flailing put the puck into his own net. The game was tied. Then with just 23 seconds remaining in the game, Bertuzzi would take control of a bouncing puck off the stick of Craig Conroy, walk in and fire a puck over the shoulder of Ellis for the game winner.
Three Stars
1. Daymond Langkow: Langkow was absolutely incredible today. Scoring the tying goal, and contributing an assist on the game winner, PLUS absolutely creaming the second best faceoff team in the NHL by winning 90% of his draws!
2. Todd Bertuzzi: Far from being his best game, but he did set up the tying goal and scored the winning one with mere moments left in the game.
3. Dan Hamhuis: The young shut down defenceman was making life very difficult for Jarome Iginla. Not an easy task for anyone, but he played a stellar game against the Flames captain.
Big Save
Not a huge number of big chances at either end, other than the flurry of shots that Kiprusoff faced early in the first period, but the one play that stood out in my mind as being a big save type play was Eric Nystrom without a stick timing a block perfectly to get the puck out of the zone. A kid playing with an immense amount of confidence.
Big Hit
Was there any hitting in this game? While there were a few hits, there was absolutely nothing that stood out as being a big hit. Fairly odd considering the strange rivalry between these two teams.
The Goat
Without a doubt the play of the Flames power play. It nearly cost them the game because it totally sucked the life out of the Flames in the second period. For tomorrow’s contest I suggest they turn the power play into a shooting gallery. Just fire the puck and skate.
Mr. Clutch
Eric “I’m awesome” Nystrom and his play on the penalty kill are very deserving of this title this afternoon.
Odds and Ends
Good for the Flames to get the win this afternoon, because I’m not so convinced that tomorrow’s game is going to be a good night for the Flames. The cracks in the armour are showing, and this Flames team is due for a loss. That being said, the people who are expecting the Flames to beat the likes of the Sharks, Red Wings, and tomorrow’s opponent, the Blackhawks, have to take tomorrow’s game with perspective.
The Blackhawks are proving to be an elite team this season, BUT, if the Flames don’t win tomorrow, it doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of winning against a team like the Blackhawks. I don’t expect them to, but considering it’s a back to back, with the appearance of struggles starting to show, it shouldn’t come as any surprise, so don’t sweat it.
The forecast for the Flames netminder tomorrow night is very likely to be Kiprusoff, but I think it’s a good opportunity to play McElhinney. Making that change could very well help the Flames focus and play a simple road game that could end up surprising. Besides, the kid did well against Detroit, so let’s show some faith?
Next Up
The Flames head over to Chicago to conclude this mini road-trip. Game starts at 5PM MT and can be seen on Sportsnet West HD and heard on the Fan 960.
Lines (To Start):
Cammalleri – Conroy – Iginla
Bourque – Langkow – Bertuzzi
Glencross – Lombardi – Moss
Roy – Boyd – Nystrom
Phaneuf – Pardy
Regehr – Aucoin
Sarich – Giordano
Kiprusoff
