Calgary landed home for a brief 3 game homestand looking to get back on track with winning ways. The Ducks were in town to play an important NW division game; both teams hovering around 8th place in the West. Lately, the Flames have been unable to put together solid outings for 60 minutes let alone wins at home. The home town crowd eagerly searched for reason to cheer and received one early in the first period as Calgary came out hard capitalizing on a quick shot by Boyd for the early lead. Following Boyd’s goal the team literally fell asleep.
You could see players stretching out on the bench taking a nap as fans in the stands puffed their pillows for the dreamy evening ahead of them. A quiet Saddledome coupled with very confusing and lazy play by the Flames saw them fall behind 2-1 by the end of the first. A minute into the Scott Niedermayer got his first of the season on the PP to put the visitors up 3-1. All the makings of a blowout were lining up.
Half the game was spent coasting around and the team paid with a sizable deficit falling behind 3-1. It took a brief scrap between Phanuef and Moen for the Flames to figure out how to move their feet and forecheck. If there’s one thing the Flames have been doing this season more than others is come from behind.
In a span of 90 seconds Calgary’s top lines managed to apply pressure and score two goals. Iginla netted his 26 and Huselius stole the puck from Niedermayer behind the net to roof one past a phased Giguere. Calgary tied the game and never looked back. Costly penalties from Anaheim for the rest of the game meant Calgary spent 1.5 periods in the Ducks zone. Unfortunately only a lucky bounce, a Jarome slapshot off the chest of Chris Pronger, went in despite all the PP’s for the Flames.
This team will take it, however, and Jarome will take his 27th of the year. Add an empty net assist and that equates to a 3 point night for him and Huselius. Give Calgary credit, they came back and battled hard in a game that saw them yet again display their inability to play a solid 60 minutes of sound hockey.
Next up, Vancouver again on Monday, this time at home.
