A return to basics.
The Flames thought defense first, they kept the puck to the outside, they played hard on the wall … in a word they were damn boring, but boring works to the tune of a 2-1 win over the listing Dallas Stars.
The win keeps the Flames ahead of the streaking Vancouver Canucks, but more importantly they showed they can pay attention to detail and keep their focus from start to finish, a very good sign for the red clan supporters. For the Flames coaching staff it was back the lexicon of defense, and they stayed on book.
On The Line
About as huge a game as the Flames have played in the last two months. The Canucks have applied pressure and the home squad simply had to answer back and start the homestand off on the right foot. A win was key in pushing the lead back to five and returning serve.
The Flow
Three very similar periods in this one. The Flames had good pressure, but couldn’t always get the puck through to create the scoring chances they likely deserved. The Flames powerplay was more of a momentum killer than an adder through the game, but the penalty kill was much improved; five on five the Flames pretty much controlled things from start to finish. A complete effort.
Three Stars
1. Dustin Boyd: I ragged on him on Calgarypuck Radio on Monday, and Timberlake likely had his best game in a month. Two assists, including the great keep in to set up Eric Nystrom for the winer.
2. Marty Turco: The difference through two periods and the reason why the game went down to the wire. The puck handler can also stop the biscuit.
3. Eric Nystrom: Game winner and a huge pk shot block. Great energy player and a huge part of the team’s psyche.
Big Save
Both goaltenders had strong nights with a myriad of saves to select from. In the second Turco slid across to stone Olli Jokinen on a one timer and then a rebound attempt that created a scrum. But Kiprusoff’s glove grab on the Matt Niskanen attempt later in the second was the save of the game.
Big Hit
Chris Conner could not stay clear of Calgary body contact with Daymond Langkow shutting him in during the first period, and then Cory Sarich bombing him in the third.
The Goat
Calgary’s powerplay was just inept, essentially putting the game in risk, only to be bailed out by two support players to find the win.
Mr. Clutch
I thought Jordan Leopold was solid paired with Sarich. He got shots to the net, played the body and kept his game to the quiet Jordan Leopold look that you expect.
Odds and Ends
The Flames improved in a lot of ways, finding their game and putting a complete effort forward, but the powerplay could have been more trenchant. Terrible reads, coughed up pucks, and weak work on the wall kept them from getting things set up and putting the game away. … Without Morrow, Zubov and Richards the Stars are somewhat soporific to say the least, a team fighting hard to stay in games but lack the talent to take them over. … Have to giggle at Mike Keenan. Both Calgary newspapers have Glencross on the first line stories today only to have that trio last 20 seconds before he mixed up the lines. Further line juggling saw the bottom two defense duos mixed up as well, triggering much improved games from both Dion Phaneuf and Jordan Leopold. … Speaking of Leopold, why didn’t Keenan start him like he started Jokinen. The Jokinen eruption when he was announced as a starter was a nice tough, but Leopold was sitting on the bench. … The Flames took the physical play to Steve Ott instead of the other way around, a good game plan against the Star’s superpest. … 41 wins for Kiprusoff putting him eight back of a new record with 13 games to play. Might be tight.
Next Up
The St. Louis Blues cruise into town after a game in Vancouver on Friday, game time 7pm on Sportsnet.
Lines (To Start):
Cammalleri – Jokinen – Iginla
Glencross – Conroy – Moss
Lundmark – Langkow – Boyd
Nystrom – Peters – Roy
Regehr – Aucoin
Vandermeer – Phaneuf
Leopold – Sarich
