A city largely divided on the prognosis for a hockey season can’t be brimming towards optimism with a 4-0 drubbing in Edmonton to start the season.
First lets toss out the obvious platitudes; it’s only one game, there are 81 more to come, and you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater (always loved that saying)
However, it’s hard not to cringe watching the Flames give up too many “big plays” to the young and exuberant Oilers, and fail to find the twine despite directing 37 pucks into Nikolai Khabibulin’s chest.
As Yoda so aptly put, “Do or do not. There is no try”, or in human; it’s hard to take solace in out shooting last season’s 30th place team.
On The Line
Have to start somewhere right? A good start is crucial for any team that missed the playoffs, though I guess a win in Edmonton to start last season didn’t get them very far.
The Flow
Oiler youth carries the day and the play to start the game. The Flames have some good chances in the first five minutes but then momentum and powerplays had the ice slanted heavily towards Kiprusoff in the Calgary cage. A waved off Penner goal was a reprieve, but didn’t last when the Oilers hit pay dirt on a powerplay. A solid Kiprusoff keeps the game close through 20.
A more composed Flames team in the second with a much better start and sustained pressure down low. The dominant start to the period goes south with some successive giveaways in their own zone that somehow avoided disaster. All in all a solid Flames period as they took the play to the Oilers but couldn’t solve booze boy.
Flames come close on a third period powerplay, but a Hagman whiff went the other way with Jordan Eberle essentially putting the game away. Hemsky adds another right after to put it out of reach. Eberle again rounded out the scoring.
Three Stars
1. Jordan Eberle: Not the youngster you noticed through 40 minutes, but had a huge third with two goals.
2. Nikolai Khabibulin: Kiprusoff had the highlight reel saves, but Khabibulin had the quantity. If he wasn’t solid the Flames could have routed things in the second.
3. Ales Hemsky: Scored a goal and was dangerous all night.
Big Save
Kiprusoff simply stoned both Gilbert then Gagner on back to back bang-bang pad saves in the second period to keep the slaughter at bay until the third stanza.
Big Hit
Curtis Glencross had a rough and tumble night; running into the Oiler’s keeper twice (once he lost an edge) and then rookie Magnus Paajarvi much to the Oiler throng onlooking.
The Goat
Is it too early to get on the first line? Probably. But they were forcing the pass all night and were likely the least effective of the four trios in many ways. The big issue were Flame snipers blasting pucks wide on blue chip chances though. These are skilled dudes, making me wonder if it’s “we can’t score” hangover from last season, pushing them to over seek corners. Just thinking.
Mr. Clutch
Miikka Kiprusoff gave up four goals and didn’t have his best lined up for Hemsky’s goal, but was the difference in the first period when the Oilers were riding opening night juice to a great start.
Odds and Ends
Not sure what they were thinking when they called off Penner’s goal in the first. No interference and the net wasn’t off before it was in, nor did the Oiler push it off. Further to that, why would wee White attempt to slow Penner down instead of simply skating past him? Odd play all around. … Always find it annoying when announcers key on shot differentials in a period where one team has had all four powerplays. Shouldn’t there be a shot imbalance? … How about Sutter junior’s finish on the second period scrap with Colin Fraser? Boom. … CBC’s announcer really over used the term saucer pass. A saucer pass is a puck that gets flipped like a “saucer” flat in the air then lands on the blade; not every time a puck is flipped in the air in the general direction of a teammate. … More on CBC stuff; Calgary is missing their top face off guy in David Moss? Mr. Weeks you’ve taken too many pucks to the head. … And more; “Bourque had 27 goals, 31 assists for 68 points”, yep. Or “Brendan Morrison had a great season last year with the Calgary Flames”. On and on, but yes I’ll leave it. … Was an interesting night for the Oilers trio. Hall was the best through two, but Eberle took over in the third. Pjaarvii had a good showing late. All looked solid. … T.J. Brodie was having a pretty solid first game until he let Hemsky go in the third for the Oiler’s third goal. He was moving the puck well offensively and could have easily put up a point or two with a fortunate bounce. Thought Backlund looked pretty solid as well in distributing the puck. Not sold on Morrison at this point. Which brings me to line combinations; Sutter was adamant about giving his top line a chance to gel this season, but he was the guy that moved Jokinen down the roster last season. It’s one game but I don’t see it. … Thought Brett Sutter had a solid game beyond the fight. Very good jam down low. … Jay Bouwmeester sure helped Mike Peca’s case in the second period huh? Yuck. …
Next Up
Sunday, home opener in Calgary against LA. TV Sportsnet. Game time 6pm.
Lines:
Tanguay – Jokinen – Iginla
Hagman – Morrison – Bourque
Glencross – Backlund – Jackman
Meyer – Sutter – Ivanans
Regehr – White
Bouwmeester – Giordano
Brodie – Pardy
Kiprusoff
