So now they show up?
A great start in Washington, a solid two way effort against Phoenix, and then textbook road hockey to win a huge game in Denver tonight by a score of 2-1.
Has Brent Sutter suddenly gotten smarter? Can’t see that. Have the Flames finally understood the plight of their season? Yeah that seems more likely.
Regardless the reason, the Flames gave the city of Calgary a great Easter gift by sending the season at least into Sunday with some serious hope, and not gut wrenching doubt; a much more palpable situation for the consumption of boiled eggs and chocolate bunnies.
On The Line
The script has been pretty consistent for weeks; MUST WIN GAME. Tonight however, there is no exaggeration or hyperbole at all. This is it. Win and they have a shot at the playoffs. Lose and well the math may say they have a chance, but they don’t.
The Flow
A decent back and forth start for both teams with the Backlund led second line the best for Calgary. Neither team had a blue chip chance in the early going, and both were playing careful. Two Calgary powerplays where they generated a few good chances and hit a goal post, but couldn’t get it done. All in all a solid period for both teams, good on the Flames as a road stanza, and good on the young Avalanche not to choke under pressure.
Calgary solid to start the second with some good chances early, including a Rene Bourque end to ender. Then the Avalanche got caught on a line change sending Moss and Dawes in a on a two and one, Dawes made no mistake to put the visitors up a goal. An Avalanche powerplay showed an aggressive Flames PK, and a blue chip short handed chance as the Flames challenged at all points on the ice. The second continued with a strong territorial edge for the Flames as they endeavored to put the boot of their heel on the Avs throat.
More of the same from Calgary in the third, where they withstood an early Avs push and then pushed the game to 2-0 on the back of some solid board work from both Mikael Backlund and Rene Bourque; the new 2nd line. The puck squeezed back to the point and Cory Sarich hammered through the seem, hitting something. Big goal. Some back and forth track meet followed by a run around shift and an Av’s goal that made things a lot more tense than the game was looking. From there the Avs continued to push the issue until with about six minute left the Flames quieted things down.
Three Stars
1. Miikka Kiprusoff: Simply outstanding, especially in the third period when he was at his cat like best moving from post to post and taking away what looked to be sure goals.
2. Rene Bourque: Solid down low all night with Backlund and instrumental in what turned out to be the winning goal. His tip in of a Cory Sarich offering was the winner, but his board work setting up the chance set the play.
3. T.J. Galiardi: This kid scores every time they play the Flames. Brought the Avs close and made the finish interesting.
Big Save
With Colorado on the board and chalk full of energy Brandon Yip was set up on a rush only to have Miikka Kiprusoff slide across and stone him with his right pad. A few minutes later he was back to rob Stewart on a point blank one touch on the goal line from behind the net.
Big Hit
Robyn Regehr caught Stastny trying to squeak in down the boards and planted him with a solid shoulder on sternum body check into the glass.
The Goat
Really a goatless game as both teams played their hearts out. If you are dead set on hanging horns on something then I guess the Flame’s powerplay would be the target. Some good chances, but zip for three in a game where a goal would have made the outcome much more secure.
Mr. Clutch
Flames defense corps as a whole. They moved the puck between themselves and up the ice with great speed all night, setting up a transition that kept the game out of the Flame’s zone for the most part. Solid hockey.
Odds and Ends
Interesting play in the second period when they started Iginla from the backend at the far blueline on a draw just outside the Avs zone; almost like a shot gun formation on hockey. Outside the box anyway. … How many tired defensive zone faceoffs will Backlund win down the stretch? Kid is on quite a roll, a really exciting nugget to take into next season. With Bourque and Backlund (a player that I was humming and hawing over the Mr. Clutch pick) forming a very astute second line, the Flames do have the makings of a pretty decent roster next year. What is the kid? 40 points? 50 points? His production at this point suggests the 40 range, but I’d bank on higher. … The Flames had the shoot at all times and from all angles approach to the game that was reminiscent of October when they scored often and won just as much. Tell me the lesson has been learned for as long as the intrigue remains in the season. … All in all a solid road game for the Flames. They didn’t really have a lapse of any great magnitude; a very businessman-like effort to pick up the two huge points. … So five games for the Avs, four games for the Flames and all tied up in the standings. What a finish!
Next Up
Sunday afternoon, the Flames take on the Chicago Blackhawks in Chicago at 1pm Calgary time on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Hagman – Stajan – Iginla
Bourque – Backlund – Kotalik
Dawes – Conroy – Moss
Sutter – Nystrom – Mayers
Regehr – White
Giordano – Sarich
Bouwmeester – Staios
Kiprusoff
