The story for this game started just before this summer’s draft when Tim Erixon rebuffed any and all attempts the Flames made to sign him to an entry level contract and it was then somehow arranged that a trade was made to send Erixon to the team he always dreamed of playing for: the New York Rangers.
As a result of this summer’s activity, Erixon’s first NHL game played on Saddledome ice was welcomed with a constant chorus of “BOO!” The booing would end up being the only thing worthy of getting the Flames fan faithful into the game, as this one was a snoozer. But to the summary we go!
On The Line
Outside of trying to keep the month of October from sliding into a disparaging start, this game didn’t have a lot riding on it, not with the rest of the Flames current home stand coming against Western Conference opponents.
The Flow
This game was a fast, furious, chippy game to start. There was a definite aggressive tone to the game with two fights in the first period. The Rangers opened the scoring on the power play when Marion Gaborik caught Curtis Glencross sleeping in the slot and fired the luck over the glove hand of the surprise Flames starter: Henrik Karlsson. The Flames evened things up right away, with a heads up play from Jarome Iginla driving to the net and Alex Tanguay to throw the puck to him, and the captain has his second of the season. Then on a Flames power play, former Flame Brandon Prust would be the beneficiary of a terrible play from jay Bouwmeester, who failed to gain possession of the puck, therefore allowing Prust to have a gimmie goal alone in the slot. Then just a few minutes later on another Flames power play, the result of an instigator penalty served up to the Rangers after Cory Sarich gently put Brad Richards down for a nap from behind, Mark Giordano fired the puck through a Brandon Dubinsky screen to even the score, 2-2 after 1.
The second period featured the Flames carrying the play, or rather the Rangers not being able to carry the play because they were short handed a bunch. In any case very little of any importance happened in the second. A very frustrating period for hockey fans in general, because it was mostly just a general display of terrible hockey by both sides.
In the third the Flames decided to play with a little more intensity and as a result honestly seemed to take the play to the Rangers, but the visitors were content to clog up the middle of the ice, and hold on for overtime.
Overtime was much of the same until the last moments of time, when a point shot that missed the net ended up right on the stick of Ryan McDonagh, and in the back of the Flames net.
Three Stars
1. Ryan McDonagh: Despite the fact he scored the game winning goal, he was stopping a lot of Flames chances and was strong in the offensive zone.
2. Henrik Lundqvist: The Rangers were content to let their all world goaltender do what he needed to do to win this game. The overtime winner was likely only speeding up the inevitable, as Lundqvist is the best in the game in the shoot out.
3. Brendan Morrison: Fantastic on the draw all night, and showing some great hands getting the puck into high traffic areas and making things happen.
Big Save
Lundqvist made the biggest save of the night midway through the first period when he stopped a point blank shot from the slot. Bonus marks to Scott Hannan who made his $1MM salary clearing the front of the net late in the third when Karlsson was down and out.
Big Hit
The biggest hit, mentioned above as Cory Sarich putting Richards down for nappy time, was the biggest one for a couple of reasons, and not for the physicality of it. First, the reaction from the Rangers nullified a very good Flames scoring opportunity, luckily they scored on the ensuing power pay, but that was ridiculous. Second, the reaction from Bob MacKenzie of TSN. Checking from behind? Sure it’s a hit that makes contact on the numbers, but it’s far from dangerous, it wasn’t a particularly hard hit, and it was legal. Richards needs to man up, he’s playing hockey.
The Goat
I’m not sure who to blame for the complete lack of competitiveness from both the Flames and the Rangers, but both teams deserve to be taken out back and shot for that pitiful excuse of a hockey game. I have better things to do than be bored out of my mind by players going through the motions.
Mr. Clutch
Without a doubt Lundqvist won this game for the Rangers. When the Flames did finally find a competitive gear, he was there to stop anything the home side tried to throw at him.
Odds and Ends
It can only warm the hearts of all us Flames fans to do heartily boo Tim Erixon tonight. This little child only managed to prove himself further the villain when responding to the media after the Rangers morning skate, claiming to be surprised by the trade and giving a complete BS answer to the questioning of his statement that his agent and the Flames couldn’t work a deal out. It’s blatantly clear that the only thing holding up a deal with the Flames was the fact that they weren’t the Rangers. Flames fans could probably let this go eventually if Erixon manned up and admitted he just didn’t want to play here, his right based on NHL rules.
Interesting decision by the Flames to start Karlsson tonight over Kiprusoff, because it clearly shows a change from years prior where you could count on one hand the number of starts a Flames backup would receive before the month of February, and already, Karlsson has two starts. That bit of encouraging news was tainted a bit given Karlsson’s performance in the first period. The Flames walk away with a point in this one more so because the Rangers were seeming to play for the tie from the start of the second period onward. Any other team, and Karlsson was going to be lit up like Times Square.
Next Up
Next Up for the Flames is a dreaded afternoon game on Saturday against the Predators on Sportsnet West. Game time is 2 PM MT.
Lines:
Tanguay – Moss – Iginla
Glencross – Jokinen – Stempniak
Bourque – Morrison – Hagman
Jackman – Stajan – Kostopoulos
Butler – Bouwmeester
Giordano – Hannan
Smith – Sarich
Karlsson
