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|
AP Photo |
| Yelle: Much of the focus was on Chris
Drury when the deal was consummated, Yelle if forcing Flames fans to look a
little deeper. |
TONIGHT'S GAME:
The Calgary Flames finally have their first win at the Pengrowth
Saddledome, though all but Roman Turek didn't exactly do it with style.
The club's 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Halloween
Night gives the club a 1-2-2-1 record at home this season and sets the table for
tonight's matchup with the Derek Morris bolstered Colorado Avalanche.
The Avalanche only have one conventional loss this season,
sporting a 4-1-3-2 record (ahead of Calgary by three points) and are coming off
an impressive pasting of the struggling Vancouver Canucks.
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
-
Don't
pull that stunt
again ... The Flames
can ill afford a
repeat of the flat
first 40 minutes
they displayed
against Buffalo
-
Get
them bounces again
... They could
however do with some
similar bounces, the
Flames scored to
very fortunate goals
in the first period
on Thursday.
-
Enough
already ... deal
Marc Savard before
game time. It's time
to put this distraction
to bed.
BY THE NUMBERS:
Depending on outcomes tonight, the Flames could leap frog both
Chicago and Vancouver
into sole position of 7th place with a win ... The Flames
and Avalanche are tied for 11th in league
scoring with 27 goals in 10 games. Defensively the Avalanche
rank much higher, holding down the the circuit's third best record at an even
2.00 goals allowed per game. The Flames moved six spots in the positive
direction with their shut out against Buffalo, sitting in a tie for 17th with a
goals against average of 3.00. That will still need to improve. ... Neither
Northwest Division team can boast powerplay prowess. The Flames sit 25th,
hitting on only 12.1% of their chances. The Avalanche are worse - 27th with a
rate of 11.3%. The Avalanche have the league's 11th best penalty kill team,
effecient 84.3% of the time. Calgary sits 22nd at 82.1%. ... Not that anyone's
counting, but Toni Lydman has a one point edge on Derek Morris (five to four)
through ten games. Derek Morris has yet to score in a Colorado uniform. Lydman
has scored two goals this season, his career high was six last year.Â
ROSTER UPDATES:
Calgary: The Flames are completely healthy,
Colorado: The Avalanche are without Dan Hinote and Dean McAmmond.
WHO TO WATCH:
Calgary: The ex-Avalanche. Chris Drury and Stephane Yelle center
Calgary's second and third lines. Both players have played huge roles in their
new silks making the deal look very good from a Calgary standpoint. Neither
player has played against a former NHL team before in their careers.
Colorado: The ex-Flames. Dean McAmmond is still sitting out with
a stiff back but Jeff Shantz and Derek Morris will both be on the ice against
Calgary for the first time.Â
QUOTABLE:
"I'm not surprised at all. We always knew the assets that
those guys bring to the table. They're playing up to their abilities. We knew
what they were going to bring to us, and they're proving it." - Greg
Gilbert on new recruits Stephane Yelle and Chris Drury.
"You don't want to be too overbearing when you come to a
new team and try to fit in. But the guys here have been great to Derek and Dean
(McAmmond) and me. They made us feel at home. The quicker that happens, the
easier it is to just get down to work." - Jeff Shantz on adjusting to life
in the Mile High City.
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
The Flames and Avalanche split their season series last in 2002,
with each team winning once and three other games ending in ties.
NEXT MEETING:
The two clubs next meet again on December 3rd in Denver.
