Blown Lead Ends In Loss to Yotes

Phoenix Curse Continues


January 25th, 2002
Rick Charlton

Lowry Drury Iginla
Gelinas Conroy Begin
Niedermayer Yelle Clark
Nichol Johansson Sloan
Lydman Regehr
Boughner Gauthier
Dupont Buzek

curse ( P )  (kûrs) n.

An appeal or prayer for evil or misfortune to befall someone or something. The evil or misfortune that comes in or as if in response to such an appeal: bewailed the curse of ill health.

The Phoenix Curse continues ...

The Calgary Flames inexplicable run of misfortune against the Phoenix Coyotes added another epic tale of yore to it's already impressive library.

To keep each volume unique the Flames opted not for the embarrassing lopsided loss of last week, but this time a snatching of defeat from victory in blowing a third period lead, giving up a late goal and dropping a 4-3 decision in the desert.

The teams took to the ice just as U.S. President George W. Bush took to the stage for his annual State of the Union address.

The Flames sad state of unity led to a very quick Phoenix start as the suddenly hot Ramzi Abid caught the visitors on their heals to put the Coyotes up 1-0 just two minutes in.

Near the end of the period Daymond Langkow doubled the lead to two when he scored his 11th of the season at 19:12 to set the stage for what appeared to be a very common script for the Flames in Phoenix.

This plot, however, had a twist with the Flames running the table in the second period by outshooting the home side by a margin of 15-4 and posting three straight goals to take the lead.

First Chris Drury secured a rebound off a Toni Lydman point shot and flipped the puck past Zac Bierk for his 12th of the season at 10:20.

Just 14 seconds later Chris Clark intercepted an errant Phoenix break out pass and wristed a shot past Bierk for his 8th of the season.

Finally, four minutes later, the momentum laden turn around was complete when Bob Boughner took a Blake Sloan pass and fired a wrister home to make the score 3-2 Calgary after two.

Coming into the third on the strength of a dominant second frame it appeared the Flames were set to end the surreal run of trouble in Arizona, but instead yielded a back breaking goal early.

Mike Johnson got credit for the goal that appeared to just slide by Roman Turek with traffic going to the net just 2:19 into the third.

The Flames settled down to play a solid third but got caught pressing with less than two minutes to play giving the Coyotes a two on one that Abid converted for his second of the night and fourth in two games against Calgary this week.

The curse continues.

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SCOREBOARD

Phoenix Coyotes 4
Calgary Flames 3

1) Ramzi Abid - Comeback prospect continues to impress with two goals. 

2) Mike Johnson - Former Leaf and Bolt scores the tying goal and adds two assists. 

3) Chris Clark - Snaps long goal drought and posts a plus in the loss.

With five minutes left in the second period, Chris Drury won a face off forward and roofed the puck only to find the lightening quick glove hand of Zac Bierk robbing the sniper of his second of the night.

The hit of the game was an inadvertent center ice collision between former Flame Paul Ranheim and Blake Sloand. The collision left both players looking for their respective benches.

Jarome Iginla led all skaters with eight (that's right eight!) shots on goal Tuesday night, but came up empty on all tries. ... Ladislav Nagy led the Coyotes with four shots on goal. ... The Flames took 51% of the draws on the night with Scott Nichol leading the way with 83% (5-1). Daniel Brier of the Coyotes was the most prolific marksman of the regular centers taking 61% of his 21 draws. ... Heartbreak Hotel Phoenix style continues with the loss tonight piling onto two overtime losses last season to the Coyotes. That old Jet karma just won't die. ... As often the case a look at the standings upside down after a Flame loss shows the streaking Jackets only three points back of Calgary, and Buffalo four. Both teams have games in hand. ... Micki Dupont appears to be getting Darryl Sutter's attention. The pint sized defenceman had over 21 minutes of ice time to join Toni Lydman, Denis Gauthier, Bob Boughner and Robyn Regehr in the big boy club ... at the expense of Petr Buzek.

 

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