The playoffs are just under 3 months away from starting. Tonight, however, that sense in the air, from the game day skate, was that this was as close to mid May playoff encounter as the National Hockey League would see at this point in the season. Games just 9 days apart made to feel as if they were 2 consecutive games in a series, possibly due to the positioning of the teams, or of the last playoff tussle.
On one side, you had the San Jose Sharks, looking to bounce back after last Tuesday’s dominance by the Flames. The Sharks, backed by the confidence of an unfathomable 11 month regular season regulation winning streak on home ice. The Flames, strictly with confidence after the shellacking they took in Game1 of this series a couple months ago, clearly the turning point of the year at that time, winning 17 of 23 games since that Game 1 loss.
On The Line
As a result of all the buildup and background, it seemed like a lot more was on the line then just 2 points. Was San Jose’s loss last week an anomaly, or, for any remaining doubters, are the Flames about to be sent back to earth now that they enter Northern California? Was Calgary’s unspectacular victories since last Tuesday, against two of the weakest sisters in the league a sign of things to come, or were they looking to Game 3 of this season series all along? But in the end, San Jose’s winning streak, and continued confidence, were the secondary stories to two points.
The Flow
Let’s say this from the outset, one of the most entertaining games of the season. As a Flames fan, also one of the most encouraging and one that makes even the most cautious of Flames fan say “Well if…”. The actual game itself started out as poorly as possible for the Flames. Before Peter Loubardias could get through all the cliches he heard from the Flames and Sharks about it being imperative to get a good start, Ryan Clowe pounced on a play started by an Adam Pardy turnover behind the net in sustaining a big hit, and made the game 1-0 San Jose after a mere minute of action with a quick snap shot over the glove on Miika Kiprusoff.
The Flames looked rattled, but continued to grow in confidence through the period, and kept up with the Sharks through the remainder of the period. The game turned a little cautious, one penalty aside, and the shots ended 9-8 Calgary after the first.
The second started out well, Adrian Aucoin’s innocent shot sneaking though, and David Moss and Craig Conroy banging away in front of the net. Conroy’s persistence pays off with a hard earned goal. The two teams, even and exchanging chances, were now tied on the scoreboard. Good pace, good chances, the game was turning into a back and forth affair. As in past years, one wouldn’t think that suits the Flames style, and Joe Thornton seems to confirm that, by taking advantage of the back and forth play and holding and firing on a 2 on 1 chance, putting the Sharks up 2-1. Then, the middle of the second frame, the penalty parade began, seeing players from both sides ending in the sin bin, the Flames down 2 men at one point. The pesky, forechecking Flames powerplay holds its own, and crucially kills the penalties, preventing San Jose from a seemingly insurmountable 2 goal leads. Miika Kiprusoff reason #1 and #1a while this was the case, making the spectacular, routine and solid saves when called upon. Not a team to sit around this last 25 games, the Flames take full hold of their opportunity on the powerplay…Mike Cammalleri finding a wide open Daymond Lankgow in front of the net…and the buttery soft hands of Lankgow deftly deflects the puck gracefully into the top corner of the net. A beautiful goal, and more importantly, knots the game again even. The 2nd continues with more frantic end to end play…but unlike some games where frantic play is a result of sloppy play, this game was solid for both clubs, with skill shining though for both teams. The Flames unlucky that a pass destined for Rene Bourque, deflected off a Sharks defender and instead of finding the back of the yawning Shark net, hit the cross bar and bounced away. The shot totals considerably up by the end of the period, mainly thanks to the powerplays, going into the 3rd. Regardless of how that 3rd period was to turn out, casual fans could easily see that the Flames were not a step below San Jose, and could match them blow for blow.
Continued back and forth play in the 3rd…the Flames PP failing to convert early, but then once again shutting down the high octane Sharks variation midway through the period. Joe Thornton sent what appeared to be a deflating blow on that powerplay, blasting a shot that on first glance looked to go in. Play continued, as the next whistle was a very sloppy Sharks change, resulting in a too many men on the ice call. All eyes were fixated on the replay screens from earlier in the shift, and the final verdict was a double ring ceremony…the puck off both posts, and out. The Flames powerplay proved fruitless, but a couple minutes after, an innocent Dion Phaneuf shot from a tough angle below the dot, glances off a Sharks’ defender’ Mark Edouard-Vlasic, and gets past a pickled Evgeni Nabokov’s stretched pad. Jubilation on the ice and the bench for the Flames. The final 4 minutes tick nervously away, and the status stayed the same…Flames win, 3-2 in a classic.
Three Stars
- Miika Kiprusoff: Again, as total a team effort this was, Kiprusoff’s heroics and making both the subtle and outstanding save, was the difference, especially in the second period. Once again, not given enough credit for how his more focused play this season has helped to lift the Flames to the level that they are that. With 27 wins this season already, a franchise record is certainly in reach…ever so quietly.
- Daymond Lankgow: With one of the prettiest tips you’ll see in front of the net, paired with a defenceman on one of his wings, and helped to dig the puck out to Phaneuf for the game winner, another quiet, subdued hero more nights often than not, in the past couple months for this club.
- Craig Conroy: Sheer determination on his goal to stand in, knowing he’s going to get hammered from any which way, but pay the price. Very unlucky to not receive a second goal soon after, with a soft deflection of his own. That energy from a veteran on this team helped calm any and all nerves on the team, and set the Flames up both on the scoreboard, and in their minds, that they were going to be matching San Jose step for step this evening.
Big Save
Miika Kiprusoff with a myriad of saves in the second and third, any of which would not be faulted for going in, and any of which would’ve changed the result, although likely not the style the Flames played or the game itself. The biggest of Patrick Marleau on a partial break…and the resulting scramble afterwards, not once, but twice, although his head was turned the other way on the second chance.
Big Hit
With the game very tight between the two teams, a split between the biggest hit of the night. Milan Michalek’s crushing of Adam Pardy forced the first San Jose goal. Eric Nystrom’s 2nd period hit on Joe Pavelski in front of the Flames bench was just as devastating to the recipient.
The Goat
The schedule maker, for not making this game on a day and time that the rest of the National Hockey League and its fans could have played witness, two great teams going at it.
Mr. Clutch
Dion Phanuef – Lest Flames fans forget, November 11th vs Toronto was the rearguard’s last goal. Tonight, not a classic, but his offensive confidence and awareness to pinch down low in that situation, was the whole reason the puck had the chance to go in..and capped off what was already, in this author’s opinion, a fantastic nights for the men from Calgary.
Odds and Ends
In addition to the first loss for San Jose in regulation in a regular season game in 338 days, also broken was San Jose’s unbeaten string of 17 games with the lead after the first period. Truly remarkable run this team is on..all with not an ounce of false confidence. San Jose looking forward to Detroit instead of taking Calgary serious? If Ron Wilson was still the coach, that may have some merit, but not with Tim McLellan behind the bench. Needless to say, Calgary has big targets on their backs, the Sharks will probably have under 18 losses this entire season, at least two will be thanks to Calgary. The Flames officially the hottest team in the league, sporting a 9-1 record in their last 10. A full 9 points ahead of the Canucks, second in the division, who the Flames have a significant 3 games in hand on. A closer benchmark may be the Wild, with an equal number of games as the Flames played, who are 11 points back. Truly astounding, and the team hasn’t done it with smoke or mirrors. Multiple lines scoring, top lines supplementing that, and outstanding goal tending an in zone play has this team where it is. Two words that shouldn’t be mentioned without serious repercussion for the superstitious folk…division title and injuries. Jim Vandermeer unofficially the best full time defenceman to play full time forward for a game, in the past 20 years on this team. Beating Cale Hulse and Tommy Albelin’s brief stints at the position, not quite a who’s who of Flames defenseman, but an effective 11 minutes of ice time tonight. All in all, probably the best feeling a fan of this team has had all year, and many reasons to be optimistic that this team has that intangible that the past 4 editions haven’t had down the stretch..
Next Up
3 games left until the extended All Star Break. Next, Calgary puts its 7 game home unbeaten record up against the improving Phoenix Coyotes, shutting out the off ice issues with the organization and remaining firmly entrenched in a playoff position and coming off a win this evening. 8pm on the CBC, Saturday night, nationwide.
Lines (To Start):
Cammalleri – Conroy – Iginla
Vandermeer – Langkow – Bourque
Glencross – Lombardi- Moss
Roy – Boyd – Nystrom
Phaneuf – Pardy
Sarich – Regher
Giordano – Aucoin
