How many regular season games can you count that really really get played to the level that hockey should be played? It’s a long season, the players can’t possibly bring it to a playoff level night and night out for 7 straight months. But games like tonight make you wish they could.
The Flames, in the weeds from being brow beaten after a snooze fest at the Dome last night with Columbus found the Sutter way again in taking it to Vancouver for most of the game and skating away with a Jamie Lundmark induced 3-2 shoot out thriller. Hockey at it’s best. Amazing game.
On The Line
A team that loses two in a row is under pressure to right the recent wrongs and stop the skid before it becomes a season killer. But when the head coach loses it after the last loss (last night) and berates his team’s character a lot more is on the line.
The Flow
The Flames came out hard, still flushed from the Sutter hammer saw from the night previous and took the play to the Canucks. Some good chances on a Canuck penalty but came up empty. The Flames scored first on an unreal individual effort by Rene Bourque as he beat Luongo coming off the wall. The Canucks tied it when Samuelson buried a great pass out from the corner.
The second was a back and forth affair until a blown coverage by Jarome Iginla, spotting Dion Phaneuf on a pinch left his spot and gave up a Sedin to Sedin breakaway to make it 2-1 Vancouver. Calgary continues to dominate the second in the midst of a second Prust fight with Lundmark right after getting a flukey goal to tie things up. More and more rough stuff to finish the period as both teams continue to have a hate on for each other. Great hockey.
The third period was more of the same but even more of an edge, and an almost dangerous feel to the physical player. Players were hitting to hurt or almost end seasons. No goals scored, but the Flames did sit on things somewhat late with Vancouver carrying the play.
The overtime period had some chances both ways including a Dion Phaneuf bump of Roberto Luongo that saw the puck hit the cross bar and almost end it.
Jamie Lundmark was the hero in the shoot out, with Calgary beating Luongo all three times (Dawes and Jokinen also scored) and retaining first place.
Three Stars
1. Jamie Lundmark: His tying goal wasn’t a thing of beauty but the overtime winner with the Hokey Pokey attack stance and then a backhand roof was epic. Great game for Calgarypuck’s most controversial player!
2. Roberto Luongo: Faced 40 Flames shots as the Flames outshot their hosts in all four periods, but were forced to overtime by the goaltender. Gave his team a point.
3. Rene Bourque: Amazing first goal of the game and several other chances. Took a huge elbow from Lukowich but was unfazed.
Big Save
Kiprusoff simply stones Daniel Sedin on a brother to brother cross ice pass on a second period powerplay. His lateral movement is back. 2004 style.
Big Hit
Brad Lukowich on Rene Bourque was clearly the hit of the game, but why no call for a smashing elbow to the head, and why no mention on HNIC of the elbow? Odd. The fact that they felt it necessary to point out a Phaneuf that didn’t happen on an icing call seconds later is well … I’ll say it again odd.
The Goat
The officials? The league is all uppety about head shots and violence yet some pretty massive hits were let go in both the second and third periods in both directions.
Mr. Clutch
Going to go with a non-game star in David Moss. No points, but some great work down low and a team high eight shots on goal. He’s an effective player again, hopefully it’s a sign of more to come.
Odds and Ends
Rick Rypien can really fight, I’ve seen him take guys apart, but man did Brandon Prust show up and handle a tough competitor. Rypien was cut, but I’d call it pretty even and maybe the best fight I’ve seen this season. The fact that they went again is just gravy. Well done, and perhaps another example of why a true heavyweight isn’t needed. … Message received by the Flames with this gutsy effort. They showed up, took the puck to the net, shot from everywhere, took the man, played the body, rubbed gloves in faces, did it all. But how long will it last? Is this the FIX that puts that lacklustre crap behind them or will they fade back into that enigma that that they’ve been since the lockout? … The Rypien finger in the air as victor of fight two seemed enrage Iginla, completely changing not only his game, but the rest of the team’s game for the duration of the contest. Iginla was taking the man, in every scrum and a real force though he didn’t hit the score board. That’s leadership, and something that Sutter and Iginla need to sit down and talk about. If he plays in a pissy mode the team follows. Was great to see. … Knob at a game with a laser is a bit of story for sure, but give HNIC credit for finding that crazy angle for the recap of the incident. Very cool.
Next Up
Monday night the Flames are back home to host the Colorado Avalanche at 8pm on Sportsnet (pack your jammies!).
Lines:
Lundmark – Jokinen – Iginla Dawes – Langkow – Bourque Glencross – Nystrom – Moss Prust – Boyd – McGrattan Regehr – Phaneuf Giordano – Bouwmeester Pardy – Sarich McElhinney
