|
 Flames
Down Sutter's Hawks
Rick
Charlton
October 07, 2001
Your mamma told you first impressions are everything.
And the first impression Roman Turek is leaving is now one for the
history books.
Turek stopped all 23 shots he faced in a 4-0 Calgary whitewash of
Chicago last night, his second straight shutout and the first time in
the 25 year history of the franchise the Flames have opened with
back-to-back blankings.
It was also the first time since 1993 Calgary has started a campaign
with two victories.
For a team that has basically killed six consecutive seasons with
lamentable October's, this is indeed welcome news.
""Roman has played very well for us," said defenceman
Robyn Regehr . "We've tried to play defensively in the first two
games, but we've had breakdowns. Every time we have a breakdown, he's
been there to bail us out with some huge saves. He's playing tremendous
right now."
After a somnolent first period where neither team stuck their noses
too far out of joint, the Flames opened the second with a bang, tallying
twice in the first 1:43 of the period.
Craig Conroy, playing an impressive two way game all night, deflected
a Derek Morris point shot past a startled Jocelyn Thibault only 19
seconds into the second period.
Dave Lowry added his first of the season only 84 seconds later,
scooping up a large rebound left by Jocelyn Thibault on a Jarome Iginla
shot and wristing home an easy marker into a wide open net.
Marc Savard put the game away at 11:04 of the third on a two on one
with Jarome Iginla, keeping the puck himself and catching Thibault,
anticipating the pass, straying from the near post
Craig Berube finished scoring at 19:09, deflecting another Morris
point shot.
After the Flames had built a 2-0 margin Turek had to be sharp to keep
the Hawks on their knees. Crafty Steve Sullivan turned Toni Lydman
inside out at the edge of the Calgary crease and was able to walk out in
front of the Calgary net but Turek made a brilliant pad save to maintain
the status quo.
Tony Amonte pulled the same move on Derek Morris in the second period
as well, getting room for a close in chance that Turek took in the
chest. In the third, Turek may have had his finest moment with Michael
Nylander on a power play sliding a beautiful cross-ice pass for a
Sullivan one-timer at a seemingly open net. But Turek's pad flashed out
of no where for the save.
For all the feel good that comes out of opening the season with two
victories the Flames would concede they are probably surrendering too
many chances, exposing Turek to more quality opportunities than they
dare over the course of a full season.
But the reason they got Turek in the first place was to provide the
consistent goaltending that Fred Brathwaite wasn't capable of.
So far Turek is meeting the challenge head on.
Marking a welcome change, the Chicago game was one of the first times
in several years that former Flames - or expansion teams - haven't had a
welcome mat thrown out for them at the Saddledome. Ex-Flames coach Brian
Sutter and former defenceman Phil Housley were both stoned in their
return visit to Calgary. Housley, in particular, offered up a microcosm
of reasons why he isn't in a Flames uniform this year. Offensively
dazzling, carrying the puck all night and leading all players with 25.46
minutes of ice time, Housley ended up a minus two with five giveaways.
He was booed relentlessly everytime he touched the puck.
| 
Calgary Flames
4 Chicago Blackhawks 0
