Last night in Edmonton, coach MacTavish in assessing the carnal damage of a 4-0 setback mentioned that maybe it was a good thing to have happen in the preseason. A good old fashioned butt kicking when the games don’t count could do wonders for putting his pint sized club back on the tracks.
Tonight it’s the Flames walking out that same resolve as the host Vancouver Canucks put a licking on the previous high flying Flames to the tune of 6-1.
Both teams have had winning preseasons to date with the Canucks pushing to 5-0 and the Flames dropping to 4-2.
The Flames finish their silly season sked on Friday night when they host the assuredly angered Oilers at the Saddledome.
Making the Grade
You hate to say it but … well … nobody.
The Flames, especially with a late scratch in Daymond Langkow due to the Flu, dressed a myriad of rooks in this one, but none stepped to the forefront and either put themselves back in roster play or solidified a position.
Work in Progress
Michael Backlund – Same old … not showing a whole lot. The kid is tense and his confidence appears to be shot and will be going home. A silver lining will be the fact that he now understands completely the difference between tier II Sweden, the World Juniors and NHL hockey. Should act as motivation.
Adam Pardy – His worst performance of the preseason. Burned badly in the first period when he managed to not cover the shot or the pass leaving Kiprusoff out to dry. A lazy penalty in the second, and another minus in a learning curve in the making for a guy down to the final cuts.
Brett Sutter – What you’d expect. Didn’t get a lot done on the night, but then who did in this one. Lacked the size and strength to finish a few promising plays.
New Kids on the Block
Curtis Glencross – A few chances, and a great hit after the Canucks’ third goal, but with the sick bug and preseason juggling he lost his linemates from the night before.
Mark Giordano – fairly non-descript evening for the “Russian” import. There were worse defenders in this one ~cough~ Aucoin ~cough~ but he didn’t accomplish a whole lot. Had some great by the bench smack downs to find the file footage.
Andre Roy – Decent hands again, and a good chance in the first. Couldn’t find a Canuck interested in fighting him with the game in the balance.
Jamie Lundmark – “Third verse same as the first” – Violent Femmes 1980s.
Home Grown Assertion
David Moss / Dustin Boyd – gravy train comes to a close for the dynamic preseason duo. Some good shifts in the first, and first few minutes of the second, but like most other players in white they disappeared to the showers from there.
Eric Nystrom – One of the better Flames in his typical abrasive manner. In the Canucks face, going to the net, and causing problems whenever on the ice. Calgary’s Sean Avery.
Ponder Points
After having most of the preseason go pretty much their way, Keenan and Crew now have a black eye to put ice on and think about over night. Chalk it up as preseason, back to back games, and a team wide flu bug? Or were the previous good contests more of an aberration than the game we saw tonight?
Likely something down the middle.
Biggest issue is the play of Calgary’s best, with Dion Phaneuf fighting the puck, Miiikka Kiprusoff looking less than average and Jarome Iginla not managing much past the odd stick handle off the half boards. As the old Taylor Made commercial from the 80s stated, “Find Your Game”. And soon with only one more practice tilt to go.
