Calgary arrived in Dallas at 4AM to finish their five game road swing. A win would help them salvage a road-trip with six overall points. Not so bad given the two game loss debacle early in the week. Last time these two teams met Calgary was embarrassed, actually that’s seems to be the case for the Flames every other game.
Calgary jumped out to the 1-0 lead off a PP goal from Tanguay–his first in 16 games. Before that Iginla settled scores with Ott, the NHL’s new brand of ‘tough guy’. By tough guy we mean players who run for cheap shots but will never fight unless they outclass their opponents. Not a chance Ott would fight Godard or risk being knocked out. Same with Smith (less the knock out part). But he found a partner with a willing Iginla in a draw (or marginal win for Ott if you count throwing punches while a players is on the ice.) Seems every team has their coward. Ours would be Phaneuf–oh wait–he fights.
Brain Farts Continues for Flames
Did we go back in time? Wasn’t in Anaheim a couple of nights ago that the Ducks scored 15 seconds into the second period? Turns out this was Dallas but the result was the same. Goal in the first 16 seconds after Warrener got his slow-self burned on the wing–Cujo was unable to save the short-side shot.
In fact, stupidity continued for Calgary, just like in Anaheim, they took penalty after penalty. They didn’t pay for it in the second but they did in the third. Conroy, taking his usual per game hooking penalty, went to the box 3 seconds into the third. Initially things turned in the Flames favour with Tanguay scoring his second of the game off a pretty move against Modano. That’s a short-handed tally for the apparent trade-bait…….(Should we keep him and dump Huselius?)
Not long after, however, the Stars tied things up on a shot that really should have been caught by Cujo who was stuck deep in his net during the blast from the point. Calgary tried to pour it on for the rest of the third looking to extend their 2 period shot total beyond 7. They managed to hit the net 11 times with solid forechecking lead by the top two lines.
Despite a renewed urgency in the third the top line of Langkow, Iginla couldn’t get things moving due to close checking and air-tight Dallas D. That was until 2 minutes left when Langkow broke down the wing to negate an icing, threw the puck with a backhand to Iginla in the slot, and Iggy scoring his 38th. 3-2 Flames, just like that, their 4AM and brain farts were covered up by another two points.
Notes: Primeau is looking good during his time back, but apparently he has a broken finger. Sarich got five teeth pushed in after taking a puck in the face–he saved a sure goal upon his return. Huselius was benched in the third and was replaced by Nilson.
