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Flames
Torch the WingsÂ
Gelinas
Ousts 2nd Straight
OpponentÂ
May
3rd, 2004
D'ARCY
MCGRATH
Maybe
it's time we start to
take these guys
seriously.
Seriously.
The
Calgary Flames put a
stake through the last
of their era long
"curses" in
finally ending a playoff
series at home,
defeating the Detroit
Red Wings for the second
straight game by
identical 1-0 scores,
this time in overtime,
the hero, Martin
Gelinas, of course.
Ironically,
the last time the Flames
eliminated a team on
Saddledome ice was May,
1989 when they beat the
Chicago Blackhawks in
game five to win the
Campbell Conference
Trophy. Tonight the
Flames advance to the
final four and a chance
to snag that trophy yet
again.
If
only club management
could have worked this
into a bumper sticker -
"we'll be out a
while, but when we come
back, we'll come
back".
This
spring the Calgary
Flames simple refuse to
follow the script.
Climb
out of a futile period
in club history by
staging a gutsy yet
unsuccessful attempt in
the playoffs, an
experience that acts as
a building block for
future seasons.
Instead
the Flames have ousted
the Northwest and
Central Division
champions in a total of
13 games and now await
the winner of a the San
Jose / Colorado series.
Unbelievable.
Just
a few days ago the
Flames were coming off a
disheartening game four
loss at the Saddledome
to these very same Wings
while the Sharks were
seemingly cruising by
the Avalanche and
licking their chops at
an anything but rested
conference final
opponent.
Not
so fast.
Instead
of the repossession of
Cinderella's glass
slipper, it appears the
Flames have made
arrangements for an
elaborate lay away plan
that has them
maintaining said
footwear for at least
another couple of weeks.
Hell they may buy the
damn thing.
The
game itself was a
classic - the Wings
doing their best to hang
in and force a game
seven at home in Hockey
Town in front of an
awaiting captain Steve
Yzerman, the Flames
looking to put the stiletto
through their
temple and call the
thing a series.
The
Flames had the better of
the chances through 60
minutes of gut wrenching
hockey though both teams
could have won the game
a dozen times over with
the chances seen both
ways.
There
was Jarome Iginla
shoving off a defender
and almost ending it
with six minutes and
change left on the
clock. Or, how about
Miikka Kiprusoff, author
of back to back shut
outs to win the series
having a simple shot
bounce off him and
skitter just wide of the
net with just four
minutes left to play.
The
game ended when Jarome
Iginla brought the puck
out of the corner and
fired it towards Detroit
goaltender Curtis
Joseph. Craig Conroy
picked up the rebound
and put it on net but it
hit a skate and
deflected to the far
post and the awaiting
stick of team killer
Martin Gelinas. Gelinas
had a wide open net and
made no mistake in
sending the President's
Trophy winners into a
massive rebuilding and
retirement process that
is sure to see a
different team in
Michigan when the sun
rises on a new labour
agreement.
As
much as savouring this
one is a true delicacy,
one can't help but look
forward to tomorrow
night as the Avalanche
host the Sharks in
Denver.
Here's
hoping the old Rockies
come up with a big one
and force game seven.
Cinderella
looks good at the ball,
but man could she use a
breather.
Â
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