In a game that featured an almost snail pace performance, the Calgary Flames couldn’t muster the offence needed to pull off a victory in their season opener. Things looked tentative early as the team quickly dropped behind 0-2 in the first 8 minutes. Cocky Daniel Briere and his fist pumping actions scored twice, including the game winner, to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 win.
There was no sense of real urgency translated to quick and clean hockey. Calgary struggled to make small decisions and suffered terrible neutral zone and defensive turnovers all game long (which eventually cost them the game).
Although Calgary did managed to take the play to the Flyers in the 2nd and 3rd, it still seemed as if things were moving a touch slower than usual. Perhaps early season jitters? Luckily the team did manage to claw back into the game thanks to special teams.
Daymond Langkow scored power-play goals in the second and third periods. Kiprusoff made 23 saves on 26 shots and wasn’t tested often. Langkow’s second power-play goal of the night at 12:46 of the third period tied it 2-2. He beat Biron stick-side on a cross-ice feed fromAlex Tanguay. Dion Phaneuf’s assisted on both goals.
The Flames don’t have long to pull their act together. Overall, the small mistakes cost us the game, which in a sense is OK considering it’s the first game of the season with plenty of time to adjust. On the other hand, if they don’t get it together fast they’ll be behind two games quick with Vancouver on Saturday.
Let’s hope for a better overall effort and a more refined game for the victory emerges.
