The pinch me moments just keep piling up for a crew that most had sitting near the bottom for the duration of the season.
A big win in San José followed by yet another shut out victory, this time 3-0 in Phoenix, the Flames showed how quick and how skilled they’ve become as there was never really any doubt in this one.
As I said earlier this week, Calgary fans should put aside some beer money for playoff tickets.
The Flow
Any doubts about the Flames in this one were put to bed early when the Flames came out and showed their team speed to track meet their way through a high flying first period. No goals, but they had the Coyotes running from start to finish.
The second was all Calgary again, at least for the first ten minutes as they continued their first period momentum through the 30 minute mark of the game. They were finally rewarded when Hudler found Brodie in the slot for a one timer and a 1-0 lead. From there the Coyotes found their legs however, pushing the game back to Calgary and making it tense until the buzzer.
The Flames play like a veteran squad, and just take care of business in the third. Gaudreau essentially puts things away when he scores on a partial break, then Hudler adds another on a Calgary powerplay. Successful road trip completed.
Three Stars
1.Kari Ramo: Always a nice time saver when you don’t have to change the names in the three stars from night to night. Ramo was the first star in San José, and tonight he does it again though on an evening where he wasn’t quite as busy.
2.Jiri Hudler: Hey look … my second star is the same too. Hudler puts on a clinic with a goal and two assists in the desert.
3.Johnny Gaudreau: Was tempted to leave Brodie in the third spot and leave the three stars the same, but the little guy deserves the bump with a goal and an assist.
Big Save
Loved a lot with Ramo’s game tonight, but likely his most important save came late in the second when he stood tall on the angle with a great save on MacMillan coming out of the corner. The game at 1-0 could have changed greatly without that save.
The Goat
I’d be reaching, but maybe the guys stitching up Josh Jooris could have been a little quicker to get the poor guy back on the ice. Jooris was clipped a minute into the period and missed most of the stanza before returning.
Mr. Clutch
Would be easy to pick any of the team’s big three defenseman, but I thought Kris Russell was exceptional tonight. Lead the team in ice time, and was so solid in his own zone in eating the puck when needed, and moving it quickly up the ice. Seems to have found his groove again after missing a game last week with an upper body injury.
Odds and Ends
Not sure how the masses are feeling but I was sure hoping the Flames would find a way to put another two points in the total after writing that “Flames are in” piece on Friday. Does one outcome make a difference in hard math over 25 games? Of course not, but it just wouldn’t leave a great taste in my mouth. … Sean Monahan played game number 100 in his young career and picked up an assist in the process. Amazing how well this guy has fared given the injuries up the middle and the added attention from opposing coaches. He’s a player. … Have felt for a while that Johnny Gaudreau was doing too much without getting any points, and that he was due for a multi point game. Tonight he does just that with a goal and assist. He continues to show amazing chemistry with Jiri Hudler, who must thank the heavens that Gaudreau showed up as the two seem to be on the same page most of the time. Not sure Hudler found another Flame player in his previous two seasons that was close. … What happened to the five and a game for high sticking penalty? That clip on Jooris was pretty vicious and warranted more than 4 minutes in my mind. … Big love in for the Flames on HNIC after the game with Kypreos, Hrudey and Friedman lavishing praise on Giordano, Brodie, Ramo, Hartley and Monahan. When the media starts to come around you know you’re having a solid start. … The win gives the Flames 32 points on the season, which has them two points back of the Predators and Blues for the Conference lead, and just one point back of Canucks and Ducks for the division lead. They are five points up on Minnesota the club holding down 9th place in the West. Oh and they’re 16 points up on the Oilers.
Next Up
Calgary returns home after a successful 4 point road trip to complete the second half of a home and home against the Coyotes. Game time 7pm on Sportsnet.
Lines:
Curtis Glencross – Sean Monahan – David Jones
Johnny Gaudreau – Josh Jooris – Jiri Hudler
Michael Ferland – Markus Granlund – Paul Byron
Brandon Bollig – Lance Bouma – Sven Baertschi
Mark Giordano – TJ Brodie
Kris Russell – Dennis Wideman
Deryk Engellend – Raphael Diaz
Kari Ramo
