So much for the
underdog!
Much has been made
about NHL parity over
the past few days with
talking head after
talking head suggesting
each series up for grabs
and some clubs, like the
Flames easy money to
upset.
Not in game one on
night one, as the four
hosting clubs marched to
victory, including the
Vancouver Canucks to the
tune of a 5-3 victory
over the Calgary Flames.
Coming in, if someone
was to suggest that the
Flames would score three
goals in GM Place in
game one I would have to
assume a victory, what
with Miikka Kiprusoff
manning the cage in the
Calgary zone. But this
was no ordinary night.
Similarly, if one
suggested the Flames
would strike twice on
the powerplay then add
an even strength goal
from fourth liner
Krzysztof Oliwa, once
again I'd assume
imminent success.
Instead it was the
Vancouver Canucks who
managed to connect on
almost every chance they
were given in scoring
five times - four with
the man advantage and
once with an extra
attacker with a man
advantage to come - that
turned the tide in a
bizarre return to post
season play for the
Calgary Flames.
"I thought our
top players had a
jittery night",
said coach Darryl Sutter
after the game.
"And we still
almost won", he
hinted to the opposition
to gain an inch in a
series that is still
likely to stretch a long
way.
Truth be known the
Flames were the better
club five on five,
though the five on five
stretches in this game
were few and far between
and totaling very little
on the time clock.
All told the Flames
were two for 10 on the
powerplay while the
Canucks solved the
unsolvable Kiprusoff
four times on six
chances.
And Kiprusoff wasn't
that bad.
The Canucks built a
two goal lead early in
the game when they
converted back to back
Ville Nieminen penalties
in the first five
minutes on just two
shots to forge ahead
2-0.
First Martin Rucinsky
got a piece of a point
shot, with the puck
bouncing past Kiprusoff
on the deflection.
Minutes later the
Canucks struck again
when Sami Salo fired a
bullet through a screen.
Two goals, two shots,
and no chance for the
Calgary goaltender.
The Flames climbed
back into things when
they turned a Vancouver
too many men on the ice
penalty into two
powerplay goals in 28
seconds when Chris Simon
and Oleg Saprykin hit
the board.
The game essentially
changed back to
Vancouver's favour for
good when the Canucks'
scored a fluke goal on yet
another powerplay.
Brent Sopel brought
the puck out of the
corner and tried to
center a pass to Daniel
Sedin, but the puck
glanced off of Jordan
Leopold's skate and into
the net.
"We need to get
our feet moving, we
simply weren't good
enough", stated
Calgary captain Jarome
Iginla, who truth be
known, didn't file his
best game of the season.
In a series picked by
many to be tight, Marcus
Naslund out-dueled
Calgary's leader, and
Dan Cloutier was better
than Kiprusoff, a
bang-bang trend that
can't continue if
Calgary wishes to carry
this welcome back party
another round.
But with that said,
all the pressure still
sits on the Canucks as
they attempt to avoid a
Calgary split in
Vancouver before play
resumes in Cowtown on
Sunday night.
A Flame win on Friday
will go a long way to
forgive an forget some
opening night jitters.
This upset story may
just have a few more
chapters.
Â
