The table should have been set.

One team resting in Los Angeles waiting as the two local clubs beat the tar out of each other before the Flames had a chance to feast on the Ducks.

Instead, much like the tuckered Flames beating the Kings on Sunday night, the Ducks playing their second game in as many nights scored early and then late in beating the Flames 4-1 on Wednesday night.

On The Line

Another chance to get back to .500 on the season and take a step towards some of the consistency the club will have to show if it is to show the early season top of conference hype was well placed.

The Flow

A typical slow start for the Flames gives the Ducks the jump and with it a two goal lead. The Flames show more life in the third period but can't get the equalizer when Shean Donovan takes a late, untimely penalty that the Ducks used to salt things away.

Three Stars

1 – Andy McDonald – The Ducks' hotest scorer of late scored the game winner on this night and had several other good chances.
2 – J.S. Giguere - The better goalie on this night. Came up big with the Flames pressing in the third period down a goal.
3 – Jarome Iginla –  Six shots, a goal and a fight ... the captain seems to have his spark back.

Big Hit

Todd Fedoruk planted Daymond Langkow into the corner boards on a night with many a good bump including Petr Sykora getting stood up by Bryan Marchment.

Big Save

This game could have easily been tied up in the third period when Marcus Nilson took a Stephane Yelle rebound and was stoned when J.S. Giguere got a pad out to thwart the chance.

The Goat

Once again ... special teams in what seems to be a repeating theme this season. The powerplay scored once, but failed to get the team on the board despite the night's first three chances. On the other side of the puck, the Ducks feasted on the Flames for three powerplay goals.

Mr. Clutch

Young Ducks. The ducklings were a factor in this one either scoring goals in the case of Joffrey Lupul or working the puck along the wall and in traffic like Corey Perry.

Odds and Ends

Shouldn't be hard for Darryl Sutter to justify Philipe Suave's first start as a Calgary Flame tomorrow night in Phoenix, despite the urgency in getting the road trip back to .500. The game certainly wasn't Miikka Kiprusoff's fault in any way, but he also wasn't the difference and well, Sauve has to start sometime. ... Jarome Iginla drilled a puck off the goal post behind Giguere midway through the third period in what could have been the game tying goal and his second of the period. ... The captain also dropped the mitts in the second period with former Flame farmhand Travis Moen. Call it a draw with Iginla losing his balance after switching to his left and throwing a haymaker. ... Roman Hamrlik and Dion Phaneuf were in a virtual tie for the team ice time lead on the night with both over 25 minutes. Craig McDonald brought up the rear with only six minutes of ice time, his linemates Jason Wiemer and Byron Ritchie had only eight. ... Late powerplays gave the Ducks a big move on game shots, erasing a 6-2 third period lead for the Flames to 13-6 final for the hosts, and an overall 31-26 edge. ... Only four Flames forwards managed more than one shot on goal on the night, and shockingly, Jasom Wiemer with only eight minutes of ice time was one of them. Iginla, Tony Amonte and Marcus Nilson were the others. Where, pray tell was Steve Reinprecht, Daymond Langkow, Shean Donovan, Chris Simon and Chuck Kobasew? ... Darren McCarty missed his second straight game since getting his bell rung in Dallas. Other Flames injuries included Matthew Lombardi and Robyn Regehr, who could be back in the next week.

Next up – Phoenix Coyotes, Thursday October 17, 2005.  7:00 pm MST.

Lines

Amonte-Reinprecht-Iginla
Simon-Langkow-Kobasew
Nilson-Yelle-Donovan
Weimer-Ritchie-MacDonald

Hamrlik-Phaneuf
Leopold-Warrener
Ference-Marchment