The Flames sure picked the perfect time for a Pacific Coast swing. While the city of Calgary is locked in its deepest cold freeze since possibly the last ice age, the Flames are a little more comfortable amidst the balmy beaches of California.
But fail to produce some much needed points on this latest endeavor, starting tonight in San Jose, and they’ll find the return to Calgary exceptionally chilly, no matter what the thermometer reads.
The HP Pavilion has lived up to its billing as the Shark Tank for the Flames. It’s been home to a few massacres over the years, including a 9-1 feeding frenzy by the Sharks almost two years ago to the very day. But the Flames have also enjoyed some giant-sized victories in San Jose, including three straight wins during the Western Conference Finals in 2004.
While tonight’s game certainly delivered playoff intensity and atmosphere it wasn’t the final result Flames fans had hoped for, as the Flames would squander a third period lead and drop the shootout in a highly spirited affair.
On The Line
After a tough loss at home against the Kings on Saturday, a chance for the Flames to bounce right back and pick up an unlikely victory against the streaking Sharks. The Flames will have to find a way to win on the road, and often, if they want to stay in the playoff race.
The Flow
The Flames elected to dress seven defensemen tonight, resulting in a bit of double shifting and odd line combinations. Whatever the reasoning the Flames came out skating well and delivered a solid road period. They got fortunate with a couple of posts in the early going. First it was giant Frazer McLaren coming in on a 2-on-1 and beating Kiprusoff clean but finding only iron. Then Pavelski gloved down an stray puck netside and outwaited an outstretched Kipruoff but somehow missed the gaping net, going post instead. Flames would kill a Glencross penalty and control the rest of the period, outshooting the Sharks 6-4 in the frame.
The Sharks came out hungry to start the second as it quickly became the Miikka Kiprusoff show. The former Shark was stellar again, flying around the crease alternating positional and acrobatic saves. Shortly after the Sharks would ding their third post of the evening the Flames would open the scoring from an unlikely source. Chris Butler would pick up an errant Iginla centering pass and unload a surprising bomb over the glove of Niemi. That goal seemed to lift the Flames, of stun the Sharks, as Calgary limited San Jose’s chances for the rest of the period.
Iginla came out fired up to start the third, sending bodies flying all over the ice, his own and opponents. A good sign for sure from the captain. The Flames would hold steady until they were caught puck-hunting around their own crease, leading to a tap in goal for an uncontested Tory Mitchell. Some tense moments in the final minutes, chances at both ends, but the score remained deadlocked at the end of regulation, and the Flames secured a crucial point.
Wow, what an overtime. End to end action galore. Anyone else think that Cammalleri was going to score on his partial break early on? Unfortunately he had difficulty settling the puck, never able to lift his eyes on net, and ended up shooting comically wide. Then a break. Joe Thornton would score over a horizontal Kiprusoff sending the Shark tank into a frenzy. The refs would confer, and amazingly waved off the goal citing incidental contact. Not a result Flames fans are used to, after witnessing numerous losses with Kiprusoff dumped in the net. Alas it would prove to be no matter, as the Sharks would score twice in the shootouts to grab the two points and end an oh-so-exciting, but oh-so-disappointing contest.
Three Stars
- Miikka Kiprusoff: He was fantastic once again. Deserved so much better on this night, but the Sharks exposed his blockerside in the shootout.
- Brent Burns: Big assist, ended the shootout, and took out Glencross. Big night for the Big defenseman.
- Antti Niemi: Didn’t always look comfortable but certainly got the job done.
Big Save
One minute remaining, and the puck dangerously bouncing around the crease of the Flames, Jamie McGinn picked up a loose puck on the wing and looked to have a gaping net. But Kiprusoff, as he did all game, bailed out the Flames, popping up and swatting the puck away from the open top corner.
Big Hit
Not so much for its impact rather than its impact-fulness, Glencross collided with Brent Burns into the side boards early in the second. Both players would point to the boards immediately afterwards, as they seemed to give way on impact, which left Glencross favouring his leg and forced him out of the game.
The Goat
Lee Stempniak. He’s been heating up, four points in four games coming in. But late in the game he was left alone to finish off a centering pass into an empty net. Skate, to stick, to net. Probably an easy goal in practise, but with the game on the line it slides through his five-hole and into the corner.
Mr. Clutch
Kiprusoff’s best friend. The post. Three posts early helped the Flames stay in the game and led to a point. All fair game though, as the post denied the Flames three times early last game against the Kings.
Odds and Ends
Now that was stretch time hockey. A heated affair that had a little bit of everything. Anyone else feeling those playoff drive jitters and butterflies?… I was livid with the overtime goal. I could tell the ref was contemplating a wave-off right away when he didn’t signal goal, but I’ve been well trained to accept no help from the officiating. The Sharks had not played a penalty free game. And unpenalized to this point, I was ready to lose it over a shady and controversial winning goal. Luckily they made the favourable decision, saving my laptop from a cruel meeting with the wall… Ouch, a loss like that really hurts. It wouldn’t be so bad if the Flames didn’t always find themselves in this position, out of the playoffs and running out of time. More efforts like this one though and they should stay in the race, giving us more ulcers and rapid hairloss into the waning games of the season. Got to admire the intensity tonight.
The Flames, already starting the game with just 11 forwards, lost Curtis Glencross to a lower body injury. Hopefully he’s not out for too long as he’s been one of the Flames’ better forwards this season. At least it may solve the dilemma of who plays opposite wing of Jarome Iginla for the next while. Cammalleri usurped the coveted spot after one game, and they have seemed to retain some of their previous chemistry so far… Recent reports have had Morrison and Tanguay on the ice recently, so hopefully it’s not too long before we see the two veterans back in the lineup.
The rest of this road-trip will define what this game really meant. They need two strong outings, and if they play like they did tonight they’ll collect at least a couple more points and can keep their heads up coming home. Who will be waiting for them? The Sharks, one week from today. Should be a ring-a-ding-dong-dandy!
Next Up
The Flames travel to L.A. for a rematch with Darryl Sutter and the Kings. Thursday 8:30 pm on SNET-West.
Lines (To Start):
Cammalleri – Backlund – Iginla
Glencross – Jokinen – Comeau
Bouma – Jones – Stempniak
Kostopolous – Babchuk – Jackman
Butler – Bouwmeester
Giordano – Hannan
Brodie – Sarich
Kiprusoff
