Flames Murdered in Motown

D'Arcy McGrath

November 25th, 2001

During the recent home-stand the Flames were playing with fire.

Game after game the team's defensive zone miscues and poor coverage were masked by stellar goaltending by Roman Turek, or blown chances by the opposition. On three other occasions called back goals saved their bacon.

As is often the case a team that plays with fire, gets burned, and so is the case with the Calgary Flames.

A very bad second period sent the Flames to their fifth consecutive decision without a victory, as the Flames fell to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.

Of course the opposition deserves some credit, too especially when they lead the league with 20 wins, and have only failed to find eight of a possible 50 points coming into the matchup.

Yet the Flames, not the high powered Wings, were their own worst enemy in this one.

Like previous games on this road trip, weak defensive zone coverage, and colossal cough ups have led to numerous opposition goals - with numerous not being an overstatement for affect. On the trip the team gave up no fewer than 17 goals in four games, for an average of 4.25 per game.

The defensive gates opening have resulted in a team defence slip from first overall to a much less acceptable ninth.

First Igor Kravchuk let Tomas Holmstrom get loose in front of the net to put the Wings up by a score of 1-0. Replays were inconclusive, but Kravchuk may have tipped it by the Flames goaltender, Roman Turek.

In the second period back to back gaffs by Derek Morris erased a 2-2 tie and gave the Wings a fairly easy third period in cruising to their 21st victory of the season .

First Morris lost his check, Kirk Maltby, off a face-off in the Calgary zone. Yzerman fed the puck to Brett Hull who fired a one timer that just missed the Flames cage. As the puck bounced off the backboards Maltby lifted it high over Turek's shoulder to put the Wings up for good.

A few minutes later Morris was caught trying to glove the puck down at the Wings blueline, only to have the puck bounce over his head and into a deadly Wings two on one.

On the play, Igor Larionov fed the puck to Luc Robitaille, and the former King blasted a high shot over a helpless Turek.

The third period saw the Wings patiently playing down the clock, with the Flames unable to mount much pressure. The team's fourth game in six nights may have been catching up to them.

Robyn Regehr scored the other Flames goal in the first period. Brett Hull also replied for the Red Wings.

The Wings outshot the Flames by a 32-21 margin, which included a 12-12 mark after the first period.

 

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