Detroit 3 Calgary 1
Well, we all knew the other shoe would drop eventually.
Calgary had started the season with an embarrassment of riches on offence, leading the league in scoring in spite of a lackluster beginning to the season from a few of the Flames’ big guns. But it had to end–and in the last two games the Flames’ offensive production has dried up, and now is the time that we all look to the Iginlas and Jokinens on this team to start carrying their share of the load.
And the lack of offensive punch was the story of this game, a frustrating affair in which the Flames managed very few quality scoring chances and dropped a 3-1 decision to a Red Wings team that appears to be finally rounding into form. Give the Wings credit; they played a stifling defensive game, especially in the third period. But the lesson of this game is clear: the Flames cannot rely on Curtis Glencross and Rene Bourque to do all the heavy lifting. This team will need thirty goals from Iginla and Jokinen if they are to finish the season as well as they’ve started it.
On The Line
Redemption after a tough loss to Colorado in which a lot of things went right but the scoreboard went wrong. Not to mention that given the backloaded schedule, it’s critical for the Flames to amass as many points as they can while they are relatively rested between games. It only gets tougher from here on in.
The Flow
One silver lining: Calgary has done a good job of opening games with jump. Tonight was no different, as the Flames came out with a solid forecheck, firing three quick shots early on an unusually-sharp-looking Chris Osgood. The tide would turn late in the period, with the Wings taking it to the home squad a little bit–in fact, only a last-second save from Miikka Kiprusoff kept the game tied as the teams went to the dressing room.
The second period was… a little ugly. The Flames managed just two shots on goal through eight minutes, and were being outskated and outworked at both ends of the ice. And just because hockey is like that sometimes, the Flames would open the scoring on just their third shot on goal in the period, with Daymond Langkow the beneficiary of some solid power-forwarding work from Rene Bourque. However, the Wings would tie it up just moments later on a wrister from Brad Stuart that Kiprusoff maybe should have had–and they would go ahead 2-1 when Pavel Datsyuk stripped Curtis Glencross in the neutral zone, resulting in a transition goal for Thomas Holmstrom. In the end, the Flames offered a brief glimmer of hope by scoring first, but with the shots 23-13 for Detroit, a 2-1 deficit seems about right.
In the third, the Red Wings put on a clinic in an art form that has eluded the Flames of late: protecting leads. They clogged up neutral ice, disrupted Calgary’s entry into the offensive zone, kept the puck outside the face-off dots and blocked the shooting lanes. They didn’t press a great deal–even when they were on the power-play–instead opting for a solid if slightly soporific road period with the lead, and though the Flames were skating better than in the first two periods, they never really looked all that dangerous. The only goal of the period would come with 40 seconds remaining, an empty-netter from Kirk Maltby that resulted from a very strange breakout strategy from the Flames’ defense.
Three Stars
- Kris Draper: This guy does everything He ended the night with one assist, on the goal from Brad Stuart–but he was also instrumental in leading the way on Detroit’s solid defensive effort in the third period.
- Dan Cleary: No points, and just one shot on the night–but did anyone else get the feeling that Cleary is the grease in the Red Wings’ engine? Drew a penalty in the second period, had several good scoring chances and moved his feet all night.
- Rene Bourque: Langkow’s goal was all Bourque, as the upstart forward continues what is looking to be a solid campaign. He was the only forward who looked at all dangerous for Calgary, and but for an undisciplined third-period penalty, a nearly flawless game from the Swedish Chef.
Big Save
Miikka Kiprusoff definitely had to make the harder saves tonight, and two in particular stand out. One came in the dying seconds of the first–the other came in the second on a close-in shot from Justin Abdelkader (which has to be one of the more interesting names in hockey). The save wasn’t pretty; the aftermath saw Kiprusoff rolling onto his back and praying that the puck was in his equipment. But in this business, results count, and that one preserved the scoreless tie. Kiprusoff is giving his team chances to win; they just have to take advantage of them.
Big Hit
Not many massive hits in this one, but give the nod to Justin Abdelkader, who halfway through the third period ran over Mark Giordano in behind the Calgary net, erasing the nimble defender, who earlier in the game had eluded a similar hit from Kris Draper.
The Goat
There are a number of candidates here–the offense as a whole? Iginla, for yet another game where he looks a little slow and disinterested? But I’ll hang the goat-horns on “mental toughness.” Not only did the Flames fail to bear down and work their way back into the game after giving up the lead, they appeared to lack confidence moving the puck out of their own zone. The Maltby empty-netter was the result of a play where no-one seemed to want the puck–but it was hardly the first instance in this game.
Mr. Clutch
There are some nights where I think “Mr. Clutch” should be re-named the “Cory Sarich Award.” On this night it was Sarich who, after joining a shorthanded rush and putting a Dustin Boyd pass off the goalpost, showed his underrated speed by hustling back and stick-checking Todd Bertuzzi to break up a two-on-one the other way. Just in case there was any doubt at all, it was also Sarich who hustled back in the third period to break up an attempted wrap-around by Henrik Zetterberg, who was working with a wide-open cage.
Odds and Ends
Brent Sutter was experimenting with a few different looks from his forwards, including–briefly–Iginla with Dawes and Jokinen. It looked like an interesting combo, one that might at least merit a longer look… Boyd got a turn on that top line as well, and eventually Sutter even gave Bourque a try. Is he looking for the magic ingredient that will finally make Iginla and Jokinen click?… The Red Wings had a strange game injury-wise, with Todd Bertuzzi being cut by an errant skate from Rene Bourque, and Brad May being injured by a Red Wing stick while sitting on the bench…. The Red Wings have had a tough start to the season, but have looked a little better of late, and tonight showed why at the end of the season they will be in the mix. Teams that have figured out how to play good defense in the “new NHL” are bound to be successful, and it’s one major ingredient that Calgary still (in my view) lacks. Hopefully they can figure it out.
Next Up
The Flames are on the road next Wednesday to take on the 6-3-5 Dallas Stars. Game time is 6:30 on TSN and the Fan960.
Lines (To Start):
Glencross – Conroy – Iginla
Moss – Jokinen – Sjostrom
Dawes – Langkow – Bourque
Prust – Boyd – Nystrom
Phaneuf – Regehr
Sarich – Buowmeester
Giordano – Kronwall
