Three weeks ago the Flames left Calgary as a very hot hockey club only to stumble on the road in a four game road trip that went 0-2-2, a skid that looked to sink their season.
Redemption came on home ice as the club reeled off three straight wins, and then another in Vancouver to claw back momentum and head into the Christmas break as one of the circuit’s hotest teams. Then comes the road again ….
The Flames a club that started the season slowly, need to minimize skids as they attempt to make their way up the standings and into a playoff spot. That’s why the spotty 40 minute efforts on this six game road trip is not only puzzling but frustrating for the coaching staff and lookers on. Tonight the ugly period came in the second as the Preds built a 2-1 lead to 4-1 and cruised to a 5-3 victory, pushing the Flames record on the trip to 1-2-1 with their toughtest two stops to come.
Ouch!
On The Line
With stops in Washington and Boston to come the Flames needed to right a few wrongs that occured in a spotty effort on Long Island and a blown lead in Ottawa in order to salvage the possibility of a .500 road trip; something crucial to their efforts to hold the momemtum they found on home ice.
The Flow
Very good start for the Flames as they come out strong, generate some chances and cash in when Jarome Iginla pops his 499th career goal on a great set up from Curtis Glencross and Olli Jokinen. They continue to push and garner a few more chances before the Preds steal their thunder late and score twice to take a 2-1 lead to the dressing room.
The second is all Nashville as the Flames get running around, missing checks and letting their hosts run away with things. The Preds are only too happy to capitalize posting two more scores and essentially putting this one away.
An early goal for Rene Bourque in the third makes this one somewhat interesting. Morrison makes it a one goal game with two minutes to play and the Flames yank Kiprusoff for the extra attacker but can’t get established down low and give up the empty netter to salt things away.
Three Stars
1. Sergei Kostitsyn: First career hat trick as the ex-Hab leads the way for the yellow clad warriors.
2. Patric Hornqvist: Two assists and some rowdy play down low.
3. Jordan Too Too: Not very often you see his name on the scoresheet with two assists and not two hits from behind but give the former WJC star some credit.
Big Save
I’ll be the first to admit that holiday road hockey isn’t the same as dialing in from your own couch on your own, but no one I watched the game with could come up with a single memorable save. Some good saves, especially by Rinne in the first and Kiprusoff in the second but nothing that deserves it’s names in lights.
Big Hit
Big pile up in the third with a Calgary player taking the skates out from under Patric Hornqvist who in turn puts the stick to Miikka Kiprusoff. Not much of a physical game given the history of these two teams.
The Goat
Too easy to say the team for its inconsistency so I’m going after the core minus Kiprusoff for just not showing up in the second period. The Predators were up 2-1 so the Flames had every reason to start the period ready to tie things up. Instead they’re outshot 15-4? Unacceptable.
Mr. Clutch
Jarome Iginla didn’t have a great night but the man scored his 499th career goal in an otherwise unmemorable contest so he gets the nod.
Odds and Ends
Very different season of hockey as the Flames once again sputter but don’t lose ground. Last seaon the squad seemed to take two steps back with every misstep but this season they get reprieve after reprieve. I’ve said all along that they need 97 points to get into the playoffs but that might not be the case as club sports stats still has the team at 60% if they finish with 92 points. Now this isn’t to punch too much sunshine up your collective ass as they still need to finish the season 10 games over .500 to make that mark, something that still seems daunting for the currently one game over .500 Flames. … Olli Jokinen played his 1000th NHL game, a huge milestone for any player. Set up Iginla for the first period goal and finished the game at -1. … Have to give Nashville credit for breaking out yellow for home jerseys as I generally like orginality in a world full of copy cats, but yellow? My only yellow team that isn’t cringe-worthy is the LA Kings from the early 80’s.
Next Up
The Flames travel to Washington to take on the Capitals on Tuesday night. Game time is 5pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Glencross – Jokinen – Iginla
Comeau – Backlund – Stepniak
Byron – Horak – Bourque
Jackman – Morrison – Kotsopolous
Hannan – Bouwmeester
Butler – Sarich
Brodie – Babchuk
Kiprusoff
