Battle of Alberta part 2 Ends in Dramatic Fashion
You know you’re a pathetic city when no free agents want to come to your lame hockey town. You know your fans are of the stupid variety when they try to heckle the goalie with ‘Kiprusoff’ after he stones your team. You know your fans have hit rock bottom when your team can’t make it to the playoffs for years and they boo one of the league’s finest. More on why later…..
Most of the media hype going into the second installment of the battle of Alberta surrounded the play of Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. Regehr has the league’s worst minus rating, and Phaneuf is not far behind. How can that be? Has the Flames’ top shut-down D man really gone south? Maybe he’s not hitting as hard, but the fact remains anybody playing with Dion Phaneuf on D will be a minus player.
Take for instance Edmonton’s first goal of the game. After Calgary’s powerplay had just ended, Dion Phaneuf was just finishing his 2 minute plus shift. TWO MINUTES. Nobody in the league takes two minute shifts, but Phaneuf takes it upon himself to suck the time.
The dog tired ‘offensive defencemen’ coasted to the bench and left Edmonton WIDE open for a breakaway pass which they took and promptly scored. On the i ce was Regehr, off the ice was Dion. Minus to Regehr, nothing for Phaneuf. That’s how you rack up minuses.
As for the rest of the Flames, it was a bit of a reversal in the f irst period compared to 5 nights ago when Edmonton was outplaying the Flames. Yet another late goal with 10 seconds left game Edmonton a two goal lead off a brutally weak hooking call. Calgary would face an uphill climb in the final two frames in an attempt to go 4-0 to start the season.
Second period start with the two captain Moreau and Iginla dropping the gloves. Actually it started before when Iginla and Souray went crashing into the boards. Iginla’s stick pushed on Souray’s skate and both went headfirst into the board. Apparently Iginla is now public enemy number one as Souray never returned. So Moreau challenges Iginla to fight, Iginla obliges a nd they ‘go’. We all know Iginla can fight and he throws Moreau around, but the biggest loss was losing Iginla for 5 minutes.
Calgary had extended powerplays but without Iginla they couldn’t much going, even on their 5v3. The 5 for 7 record turned into a 5 for 10 by period end. Add in Dion Phaneuf gafs and blocked shots and you get the idea why things weren’t working.
Calgary did managed to hit the scoreboard with 30 seconds left with a lucky goal t hat bounced off an Edmonton player. Langkow credited with the goal.
Nigel Dawes tipped in his first four minutes into the third to tie the game. After, both teams traded momentum in the third. Calgary did well to maintain down low pressure but didn’t get anything much in chances. Edmonton crashed and banged and their work paid off with the go-ahead goal at 13:30.
Calgary tried to push in the last six minutes but again, Edmonton wasn’t giving up quality scoring chances even though the Flames controlled most of the play. All hope seemed to be lost as the clocked ticked down with the goalie pulled and then the unthinkable happened.
A long floating shot from the point was tipped down my Rene Bourque with 1.7 seconds left in t he game and the Flames tied the game to collect at least one point.
In the OT period Edmonton went straight on the powerplay–which usually means a quick goal–but the PP and Kiprusoff stood tall to save the Flames. That would spell the shoot-out because someone needed to take the W.
Edmonton would shoot first:
Gagne – X
Dawes – Top shelf SCORE!
O’Sullivan – Top shelf score.
Jokinen – Sneaks over the line, goal.
Hemsky to tie – Misses the net
Iginla – no need to shoot
FLAMES WITH the WIN!
The Calgary Flames came from behind and got lucky with a last second game to go 4-0. No time to celebrate, Dallas is waiting at home.
Once a again Barry, an astute analysis. I fully agree with you on Dion, but this team is starting to make me believe!
Just a small aside, I think Iggy is starting to warm up.
Thing with Dion is he leads D men with points…..points but lack of D. Sutter will fix him up I think/hope.
more from Quinn on iginla:
So if Edmonton wants revenge, and since they don’t have any players close to Iginla, I say Calgary would respond by ‘vigilante stuff’ on Hemsky, Horcoff, Khabibulin, and Souray. That’s an equal trade off.
What an assinine statement by somebody I used to admire, Pat Quinn.
What I liked best about the whole deal is Moreau thought he was going to give Iginla a whipping…NOT!
All the more sweeter to dash the Edmonton fans hopes in the last few seconds of the game and then go on to beat their little boys.
Ha ha ha, what a great ending to the Battle of Alberta. It was unfortunate that the Flames could not capitalize on the powerplay despite their outstanding record, but it was admirable to see them scoring during the final seconds of the 3rd. I also appreciated their short handed efforts in OT – great going Flames!
Congratulations to Dawes and Jokinen – for capitalizing in the shoot out and to Kiprusoff for standing tall and getting the victory.
One question though. Flames came back from a 2-0 deficit to win in shoot out. Were I to be the judge, it was hard work on their part and I am not sure why there was only one star selected from the Flames and two from Oilers – I think it should have been the other way round.