Certain teams have certain motifs, a history of playing a certain style and delivering an expected dose of entertainment at the Saddledome.
The Coyotes have never been one of those teams. You see that twisted dog head at the top of your season ticket pile by the phone and you almost dread the four hours you’ll be giving up in short order. But that wasn’t the case tonight, as the Flames pull a come from behind thrilling 5-4 win at the saddledome on Sunday night.
On The Line
The Flames played a solid game against Minnesota on Saturday night, a win that the team hopes is a sign that their woes on home ice is over. A win would get them back to .500 again and send them on the road with a good note.
The Flow
A typical Coyote Flames game at the Dome to start the first with literally nothing happening. The Flames get a goal from the fourth line which always helps and hold the lead into the second.
The second period was an odd one. The Flames dominate the period despite being shorthanded four times, once down two men for two full minutes. Matt Stajan gets an odd interference penalty for playing the puck. The Coyotes score back to back goals to take the lead but the Flames storm back with goals from Iginla and Cammalleri to take the lead into the third.
The third period was all Phoenix to start with the Flames possible exhausted from having to play back to backs with only 19 hours between face offs. Phoenix pushes the play and gets rewarded turning a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead and the game looked very much over. Calgary looked to have nothing left in the tank, but then shockingly found the gumption for two late goals; by Iginla and Glencross to turn sure defeat into a win.
Three Stars
1. Jarome Iginla: Certainly not a two goal night that the captain will save for his retirement night footage as both goals were more good bounces then good shots, but he’ll take it.
2. Raffe Torres: The ever abrasive Torres scored two fairly pretty goals on the night to pace the visitors.
3. Jay Bouwmeester: Was very noticeable on the night, played 28 minutes, picked up an assist and had five shots on Smith.
Big Save
Joey MacDonald made some key saves but the most interesting save of the night came in the first period when Hudler slap passed the puck out front to Jay Bouwmeester who tipped the puck to a quick moving Smith who got a shoulder on it.
Big Hit
It looked like another game where you’d be hard pressed to find a hit that was worth mentioning, but Curtis Glencross helped me out with a stiff shoulder into Chris Summers in the Coyotes zone late in the third.
The Goat
The guy has a pretty good game overall, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever picked a guy as the goat and a star in the same game. But how can you not pick on him for booting the puck into his own net?
Mr. Clutch
I liked Lee Stempniak’s game tonight. Two assists, plus two and noticeable every time he was on the ice. Good effort from a guy that most of considered unneccessary on the Flames roster this season.
Odds and Ends
Have to wonder what’s up with Roman Cervenka. Scratched on Saturday night and then reinserted but on the fourth line tonight and only playing 2 minutes. Hurt? Unmotivated? He’s clearly not build for that role, and doesn’t fit with those players, yet he did find an assist? … The other side of that discussion is Sven Baertschi playing much better in his second game back. He had a couple of great passes, and looked much more comfortable with the puck on his stick. … I’m not the Blake Comeau basher that many on this site have become. I like his physical brand of hockey and he has good speed. I will admit though, that he struggles on a line with offensive players because too many plays die on his stick, and that was obvious again tonight in playing with Hudler and Baertschi. But as a fourth liner I like the guy on the team. … So what was with that Stajan penalty? Is there a rule where you can’t touch the puck when you still have a skate in the penalty box? If so then it’s a good call, but if not, very very odd. … Hopefully that gets Iginla going on a streak as the team could really use him to fill the net. They weren’t pretty goals, but maybe that will chill him out enough to get his offensive game back …
Next Up
The Flames hit the road, with their first stop in Minnesota against the Wild on Tuesday night. 6pm start on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Glencross – Cammalleri – Stempniak
Tanguay – Stajan – Iginla
Baertschi – Comeau – Hudler
Cervenka – Begin – Jackman
Giordano – Bouwmeester
Brodie – Wideman
Butler – Smith
MacDonald
