The best start of the season finally, only 13 games in. The Flames went back to the bread and butter forecheck that has made them the team they are [were]. Lombardi opened the scoring in the first with a nice feed from Tanguay. But they weren’t done there, Andrew Ference took a low point shot even strength and BYRON RITCHIE! scored off a nice tip. Hard work was the name of the game for the first period, however, stupid penalties and bad special team gave St Louis life with a PP tally late in the 1st.
The second period, however, is another story. For some reason Playfair thinks it’s smart to play a rookie of 2 games on the PK. 5 seconds into the second Friesen goes off for holding and on the ensuing PP St .Louis ties it up after yet another failed clearing. The rest of the period was a bore.
Moving on to the third, scoring chances were slim, but when they did occur the Flames squandered them. The forecheck that worked so well in the 1st was gone in the 2nd and the 3rd. I’m guessing the coach said, “Ok guys, good 1st period, let’s pack her in for the night.” Luckily Jarome Iginla thought better, and continues to carry this team by scoring on the PP after hitting the post on the same shift. The rest of the team needs to pick up their game all around, a full 60 minutes of full Flames hockey has yet to be seen. (Kiprusoff played very well today.)
Dustyn Boyd was sent down today, Prust remains with the team. That meant McCarty (nie fight sticking up for Phanuef) and Lundmark factored into the lineup and Boyd (sent down) and Huselius of all people sat. Huselius hasn’t been producing (nice SO goal though) and the coach sat him. Hope is just a one time affair cause I’d hate to loose him.
Btw, that was the quietest crowd I’ve hard all year, but man, you gotta love that pipe organ. Next up, a hot hot Dallas team visit the Flames, this one will be one TV for a change, 8PM start time.
