It was fitting that the San Jose Sharks arrived on the day Owen Nolan played his 1000th NHL game considering he spent time captaining the team he played for eight seasons. Both teams watched as Nolan received gift after gift for the achievement, which by no means should be underrated. Unfortunately for the Flames it meant the fans were out of it come puck drop and their start was sluggish.
Flames Still Can’t Compete With Elite NHL Teams
The tentative start was goalless until the final minute when Calgary took two penalties, one from Matthew Lombardi for a boneheaded holding the stick penalty. How dumb do you have to be to hold sticks and expect not to be called? The lazy play cost Calgary a goal where, Jeremy ‘I’m going to fake being knocked out so they cancel out a breakaway’ Roenick passed off to Clowe for the first tally of the game.
Calgary’s PK continues to under-perform ranked 27th in the league. Godard tried to get things going after his goal was disallowed (subjective call ruled he directed the puck in with his hand), with a fight late in the third against the behemoth Seminov. Godard ended up neatly in the San Jose bench after the lazy scrap.
Calgary would finally wake up in the second period, but not after they had to kill off Yelle’s penalty from the period before. Special teams were dumpy, this time the PP, ranked 1st for teams playing at home, gave up a short-handed goal after Tanguay whiffed on a pass attempt.
Not too long after on a weak weak hooking call Kiprsuoff was beat from the point on another average looking shot. TO his credit it was tipped, but that would be it as Kiprusoff was pulled for the first time this season.
Calgary had zero fire, the lazy crowd were sleepy, and the only player pushing on the ice appeared to be Godard. The rugged LW had two fights, was thrown out for the instigator (wasn’t happy with a hard hit on the numbers), and had a goal disallowed. None of the lines could get going and Keenan didn’t give them a chance to not wasting any time juggling lines in the second.
Calgary only managed 20 shots for the entire game as they displayed what a disorganized team they can be on odd nights. The entire game was poor and without passion. Langkow managed to break the shot-out bid with two minutes left but it was too little to late. Even though SJ had 1 shot in the third they only needed one (they scored on it).
Calgary couldn’t find an answer to the system SJ provided and the only answer the coaching staff could muster was change goalies and change lines. Hopefully a better showing will come out when the division leaders Minnesota Wild arrive in town. If they don’t turn their play up in a hurry it’s going to be two mega losses at home.
