Is this hockey team in trouble? Deep, deep missing the playoffs trouble?
A Detroit Red Wing victory on Monday night pushed the Flames out of the playoff picture setting the table for Olympic night at the Saddledome; a night where people would cheer Mr. Iginla and then the team empassioned team in red would get to business in their last quarter push up the standings.
Nope.
Truth be told the Flames were fine on the try index in the first 30 minutes of play, but where once again plagued by their complete inability to convert chances as they meekly slipped into the night in a 4-0 setback to the Minnesota Wild. The goal scoring issue has hounded the club from December 1st on, and it no matter how many changes they make things seem very very broken.
Maybe Darryl Sutter will remove the remaining 11 Calgary Flames in June and completely start over.
On The Line
Everything. The Flames simply don’t have enough games left on their schedule to piss a way a contest to a division and conference rival. They had things under control half way through but the second Wild goal almost seemed like a white flag event to the local club. “We can’t score more than one. We are done.”
The Flow
A tentative first period that had the Wild carrying the play in the first ten minutes, a push that resulted in no scoring. Calgary started to wrestle things away in the second half of the first only to have a Jay Bouwmeester cough up lead to a two on one and a Wild goal to close the period.
Calgary came out hard in the second and had a big shot and chance advantage for most of the second period. Pucks left in the crease behind Backstrom, rebounds shot wide, good chances fired straight into Backstrom’s pads or chest protector. The game ended on a three on two that had Daymond Langkow loose a check and that was essentially the game. A Koivu laser made it even more obvious a few minutes later.
The third was a sleep walking mess that featured bobbled plays, icing calls on powerplays and a listless effort. The only goal was a mop up counter by the Wild to complete the insult.
Three Stars
1. Mikko Koivu: Bronze medalist hit twine to put the game away and added an assist to pace his club.
2. Andrew Brunette: Slow skating vet just gets it done season in and season out; goal and an assist for the Wild.
3. Niklas Backstrom: Kiprusoff’s caddy in Vancouver didn’t have to be great, but did stop 29 shots for the win and a shut out.
Big Save
Who cares? Kiprusoff was good early and Backstrom was quietly solid all night. Neither guy blew anyone away in this contest.
Big Hit
Cory Sarich was in a snarl all night playing the body and trying to get under the skin of Wild players. And speaking of under the skin, he caught super pest Kyle Clutterbuck trying to find a seam in the third, knocking the Wild player on his butt with an open ice hit.
The Goat
Jay Bouwmeester. Got the Wild rolling with a brutal indecision give away to close out the first period, but then continued to fight the puck “Chris Pronger” style for the rest of the night.
Mr. Clutch
Ian White. The best of the worst for the Flames tonight. Solid in all aspects and created more offense than any other player on the ice. Never gets mentioned when the Phaneuf trade comes up on TSN or Sportsnet, but a good addition to the Flames.
Odds and Ends
As I mentioned in the opening, this team is in trouble. A whole new team but the same old scoring problem, and it’s not going away. It’s in their heads now and that’s a big problem for all the Sutters. How do you fix that if 50% roll over of a roster does little? … Can only assume that Steve Staois arrival in Calgary will mean the end of Adam Pardy as a regular in the Flames lineup. He hasn’t had a great season, but you almost hate to see his development stalled. Time will tell I guess. … With only two back to back games the rest of the way, how much will Vesa Toskala play in a Flames jersey? Seems rather extravagant unless they play him four or five times down the stretch. …. Mikael Backlund didn’t look out of place again tonight, as the young player centered Calgary’s best line with Rene Bourque and David Moss. Lots of play around the net and chances down low, at least in the first half of the game. He stays.
Next Up
Friday night the former club of coach Brent Sutter comes a calling at 7pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Hagman – Stajan – Iginla
Higgins – Langkow – Kotalik
Bourque – Backlund – Moss
Nystrom – Mayers – Glencross
Regehr – White
Giordano – Pardy
Bouwmeester – Sarich
Kiprusoff
