What do you do when
you're the last line of
defence for a hockey
team that has seemingly
lost their offensive
touch?
Pitch a shut out. In
a very tough arena.
Against a very tough
opponent.
Calgary's most recent
media Darling, Miikka
Kiprusoff, he of many a
mention in publication
in both Canada and the
United States in recent
weeks, stared down the
Avalanche and their
arsenal of high end
talent to close the door
in a well played 2-0
Calgary Flames victory.
You'll have to
forgive the quiet spoken
goaltender for stealing
a little of that Olympic
focus away from teammate
Jarome Iginla and
opponents Rob Blake,
Adam Foote and Joe Sakic
- as the win comes two
years to the day of
Canada's gold medal
triumph in Salt Lake
City, as he and Swiss
goaltender David
Aebischer stole the
international spot light
in a solid goalie duel.
In a game that very
much represented the
fact that hockey doesn't
have to be high scoring
to be entertaining -
despite a recent general
manager meeting that has
the brethren looking to
change every facet of
the game save the colour
of the puck, both teams
were full marks for
effort in this one.
Kiprusoff was the
difference in the first
period, turning aside
nine Colorado shots,
most of which came on
two nail biting
powerplays.
Early on he tossed
the glove hand out to
snare a shot from Riku
Hahl, and later a goal
post saved his fate but
the score was tied
through one period,
giving the Flames a
chance to settle things
down.
"You have to
make the big saves.
That's how you
win", Kiprusoff
simply stated to
Sportsnet after the
game.
The Flames and Aves
played another scoreless
period in the second
with the visitors
holding an edge in
shots, but the Denver
squad holding the edge
in blue chip chances.
Of particular note
was a great butterfly
save Kiprusoff managed
on Milan Hejduk on a
Denver three on two to
keep the game
deadlocked.
The third period was
another back and forth
affair with the Flames
coming alive in the last
five minutes and getting
some of their best
chances of the night.
First Jarome Iginla
almost swiped home a Joe
Sakic miscue ... later
both Chris Clark and
Steven Reinprecht had
great chances down low
but had the puck slither
just wide of the net.
The game's first goal
was predictably an ugly
one when Martin Gelinas
had the puck bounce off
his torso and past
Aebischer for the game
winner. The Flames had
good pressure and used
the cycle to get the
puck out to Craig Conroy
who reversed direction
and flipped the puck at
the net.
"I was trying to
get my glove up to catch
it, but it hit me and it
went in", Gelinas
told Sportsnet.
Calgary fans got a
very good look at how
important Stephane Yelle
can be to the club's
late season fortunes in
the last minute. The
veteran, returning from
a six week knee injury
fell in front of a slap
shot resulting in a
Chris Clark empty net
goal to put things away.
The win was all
important for the Flames
on many a front.
Number one it vaults
them from 8th spot to
5th, leaping Nashville,
L.A. and Dallas in the
process. Secondly it
ends what was shaping up
to be a dismal road trip
on a great note, moving
the five game juncture
to 2-3-0, a record that
few would have minded
before they set out.
Things don't get a
whole lot easier from
here as the Flames now
head home to take on the
Detroit Red Wings. The
Wings have played in
Edmonton on Monday and Vancouver
tonight, giving the
Flames a possible edge
with the veteran legs
having to slug out three
games in four nights.
For the last word on
the big win tonight, we
once again give you the
game's first star.
"It was a tough
game. We'll probably
play these guys in the
playoffs too."
Now that's the
spirit. For a guy that
can find a shut out for
a team that can't score,
you almost have to
believe him.
