Valentine’s Day is all about heart, and of course pro sports is all about heart.
For a fan hockey is also about heart, as in heart in your throat as you watch your team go through the throes of tension in close games. Tonight the Flames gave Calgary fans in attendance the feeling of security only to take it away by a much more intense finale then many saw coming.
At the end of the day it all comes down to results, and despite some spotty play the Flames come home with a 7-5 victory in their final game of a three game road trip giving them five out of a possible six points. Ignore style points … mission accomplished.
On The Line
With three points in four games the Flames have a great chance to have a kick ass road trip though their reliance on their goaltender in the first two games of this trip show the true reality. But never mind that, results are results, and if the Flames come home with four or five points the media will back off, the pressure will back off, and with that you have a huge burp of relief.
The Flow
A back and forth period with the Coyotes putting their fourth line on the ice to find a powerplay goal on a deflection to take a one goal lead. The Flames tied it up late when Todd Bertuzzi (he of two early penalties) kept the puck in to give Adrian Aucoin a rebound and a tie game.
Phoenix carries the play early in the second, but it’s Calgary finding the net when Daymond Langkow find the net on yet another deflection to put the Flames up for the first time of the night. The goal itself seemed to be a turning point as the Flames put the pedal to the medal and carried the play. Cory Sarich fired a high shot to put the Flames up 3-1, a goal that may be credited to Rene Bourque who appeared to get his stick up as he rounded the net. The hill continues to be slanted Calgary’s way with Matthew Lombardi following up his own rebound to score his seventh on a Derek Morris giveaway. Seems as though a lack of bodies wasn’t going to slow the visitors down as some good chances short handed eventually ended with a Glencross goal to put the Flames up three after two.
Who are these guys? The Flames think throat in the third and add to their lead when Bertuzzi and Cammalleri play catch with a final pass to Lombardi for his second of the night. And on it goes … Yotes score, Flames score, Yotes score, Yotes score, but easy night on the road for the Flames.
Three Stars
1. Matthew Lombardi: Two very important goals in the second half of the game when the counters seemed to be extraneous.
2. Victor Tikhonov: Young winger scored twice in the third to bring the Coyotes close and make a game of it.
3. Cory Sarich: Calgary’s best defenseman in February jacks up his strong play with a goal and two assists. Guy continues to play strong when some of the team’s stalwarts haven’t been at their best.
Big Save
Eric Nystrom took the puck to the net killing a penalty late in the second, but was stoned by Bryzgalov with a great slide across save. The Flames found vengence soon after when Moss and Glencross on a two on one found Glencross for a short handed goal.
Big Hit
Shane Doan did it all when he caught Cory Sarich heading back to the blueline to bump him off the puck and send the play towards the Calgary net. The rush ended back up on the stick of Doan who scored to reduce the Calgary lead.
The Goat
Phoenix giveaways … you just can’t cough up the puck like that time and and time out and expect to win a hockey game. Youth is youth, it takes time, but you have to be better than that.
Mr. Clutch
Man … Mr. Love and Hate. Todd Bertuzzi takes two early penalties giving grief to many when the Coyotes scored to take a 1-0 lead. But then he starts to build … he gets two iffy assists on goals but then follows up with two great feeds for a four point night.
Odds and Ends
Let me indulge to say my Dad, living in Phoenix in the winter was at the game, and you want to see the guy see a win. But to add to it, I was watching the game in Windermere, and the neighbour out here was shown on the telecast in the first period. Your home is still standing Keith! …. So is Phoenix inferior to the two L.A. teams or was Calgary that much better in this game, because it sure looked like the Flames were twice the team that they were in either of the other stops on this road trip. … Phoenix crowd jumping all over Bryzgalov for his spotty play through two periods, funny how the mighty have fallen. … Through forty the Coyotes had three powerplays, the Flames nothing. Just saying. … Mr. Keenan please notice how well the Flames play when Conroy is in his element on the third line and Matthew Lombardi moves up the roster. Neither guy is a true top six, but Craig Conroy is a damn good third line center. … Calgary jumps over Chicago and to 71 points and now 11 points clear of their nearest Northwest contributor. 11 points? and the Flames lost four in a row? Wow. … Derek Morris put on a good show on after hours, well spoken.
Next Up
Road trip complete, the Flames return to Calgary to take on the Canucks on Tuesday night. A great chance to put another nail a team chasing them. Game time 7.30 pm.
Lines (To Start):
Bertuzzi – Langkow – Iginla
Cammalleri – Lombardi – Bourque
Glencross – Conroy – Moss
Nystrom – Boyd – Roy
Phaneuf – Giordano
Regehr – Aucoin
Sarich – Pardy
