Chalk this one up as strange. Calgary needs to keep the wins going. Why? Everyone else in the Western Conference playoff rance are winning as well, only they have games in hand. If other teams keep winning we’re literally out of a playoff spot rather than sitting in 4th. Calgary can guarantee their fate since they play mostly Western teams the rest of the way.

Tonight the Flames were faced with two items of adversity: 1) Kiprusoff faced not one, but TWO penalty shots; 2) Calgary was without two centermen.


Just before puck drop Backlund was a scratch, out due to the flu. We all know that Morrison is out with a knee injury, probably for a few weeks although the team is silent on his condition. Down two C Fred Modin and Brett Carson dressed (seven D men). Both payed under 5 minutes.

Modin looked average and lost his man for the first goal. The bottom line of Modin and Hagman were terrible. Hagman needs to find his game in a HURRY.

The other facet of the game was special teams. Calgary would’ve been on the PP a bit more had it not been for two penalty shot calls both of which were stopped by Kipper. He also faced 40 shots on the night (ref made a bad PS call on the second one IMO.)

Calgary, on the other hand, managed to score two goals on their 4 minute PP in the second period which proved to be the difference. With a short bench Calgary did well to pull out a victory, but you get the sense that if some under achieving players don’t pick up their game immediately the Flames could be on the outside very very quickly.

Every game from here on in is crucial against the teams fighting in the exact same place as Calgary. Nashville is up next Sunday. Go Flames Go!