What’s it going to take for this team to put together a victory? Three games in and nothing. Things look to be tightening up, but in a short season if all you’re taking from games is ‘positives’ you’re a losing team at the end of the day.
Both teams entered the contest looking for their first victory. Calgary got off to what seems to be their usual start–nice a slow and behind the eight ball. Thankfully they didn’t drop down 3 goals. They waited until the second period before going down two.
Mistakes in the defensive zone, and usually by the vets, are causing this team headaches. Blown assignments, head scratching plays, and the like, combine to hurt the team.
But give credit where credit is due, when the Flames have recently gone down a couple, they somehow crawl back. For a fan base that was largely out of it, Calgary did well to claw back thanks to a PP marker by Backlund who tied it. Tanguay got the team on the board 5 minutes earlier.
No scoring in the third, and surprisingly Calgary generated most of the scoring chances. That would lead to OT, which solved nothing, and then a shootout. There, you need your big guns to at least TRY something to score. Kiprusoff gave the team chance after chance to come out with a victory, but the likes of Iginla, Stempniak, Glencross, all tried the snapshot from the hashmarks. It’s a SHOOTOUT not a shooting gallery.
Eventually Vancouver scored off a pretty deke from Kassian. No Baertschi in the shootout; he was largely a non factor.
So no victory again but a hard earned point. The good news is, if there’s any good news, is that the team finally gets help down the middle where they’ve struggled mightily. Cervenka and Hudler will factor in which means Jones and Begin will come out, Stajan drops to the fourth line, and we get to see a bit more strength at center. Saturday will be the true start of the season and I predict–in fact guarantee, the first victory of the season.
Notes: Roman Horak sent back to Abbotsford to make room for Cervenka. Butler sat on defence and Smith came back in. Next up Edmonton Saturday.
You can bet the coach took notes and will be changing up that shootout order. Really pathetic. DEKE SOMEBODY PLEASE.
A huge welcome to both Cervenka and Hudler! It had been a good overall performance by the Calgary Flames particularly the come back from a two goal deficit. Notwithstanding the opposition’s goal on man advantage, the team demonstrated offensive spirits and the O/T attack was clearly discernable. If fingers need to be pointed then, the goal tending interference on Blake Comeau was questionable. From an observer’s perspective, it had been Burrows who had pushed Blake – but what can one say? Immediately after that Kiprusoff had been pushed into the crease but nobody had seen that either!
Taking these two incidences, one would wonder how an individual has the capability of judging whether a 5 inch puck has connected to the net or not; but simultaneously is unable to see a 6 ft player pushed in the crease?????
On an optimistic closing note, compliments to Tanguay with his two thrillers – one of them courtesy of Glencross who continues to glitter; and to Backlund’s beauty care of the Captain and Kiprusoff. Great effort, boys and Go Flames Go!
Compliments to Mark Giordano who looks awesome in the ATB commercial! You look great, gem.