Are the Flames likely to make the playoffs with their heart and soul captain on the sidelines until late August?
Probably not. However if the Flames get heroics like the display seen from Kari Ramo on all four games on this trip they just might hang around long enough to make it interesting. Tonight Ramo faced 35 shots, giving up two and was named first star in the Flames 3-2 nail biter overtime game in Philly.
The Flow
The Flames were hell bent on showing the world they wouldn’t just fold up the circus and call it a season in the absence of Mark Giordano in the first, taking it to the Flyers and dominating. All four lines forechecked hard and took the puck to the net often. Calgary is rewarded when a Del Zotto turn over leads to a Hudler to Mason to Monahan wrister, 1-0 Calgary. The period ends at the same score but the stanza could easily have ended 3-0 Calgary.
Calgary continues on in the second, looking to add to their lead. The Flyers find their pulse towards the middle of the period, essentially taking the game over, but its the Flames that find the net again, when Emile Poirier sets up Mikael Backlund to make it 2-0 Calgary. For Poirier its his first point of his career. Calgary hangs on for the rest of the period clinging to the 2-0 lead which they ride into the third.
All Philly in the third as the Flyers score twice and have another waved off, a period where the Flames spent much of it on their heels. The last ten minutes featured the Flames getting hemmed in and icing the puck at will, but they hang on and force over time.
In overtime Gaudreau gives the puck to Brodie who takes the line, goes wide and feeds it out front to Jiri Hudler who hammers it past Mason. Flames win 3-2 in overtime.
Three Stars
1.Kari Ramo: Four games on the trip, four game stories from myself, and four times I name Ramo the first star. He’s clearly the best player on the Flames right now. Just stellar again tonight.
2.Mark Streit: Workhorse on the blueline for the Flayers, scores the game tying goal to get his team a point.
3.TJ Brodie: 27 minutes, an assist, and a +1, not to mention several key plays in his own zone. Doing his best to fill the void.
Big Save
In the second period Kari Ramo made back to back saves on Jacob Voracek, the first he saw, a great save, the second he didn’t as he placed his glove in the air and came up lucky.
The Goat
Del Zotto. His first period turnover resulted directly in Sean Monahan’s goal, a brutal read and cough up in the early going.
Mr. Clutch
Deryk Engellend. Way over his head playing with TJ Brodie, but he kept his game simple, moved the puck to his partner or up the ice, and played a season high 23 minutes for the Flames. I honestly didn’t think you could win a game when the dude played close to 20. Impressed.
Odds and Ends
First period reaction to Drew Shore was really positive. No he didn’t create a lot nor did his linemates in Ferland and Poirier, but he played two very astute defensive plays that suggest he will get a long just fine with head coach Bob Hartley. It will be interesting to watch his evolution over the final quarter of the season, now that we know he’s here to stay. … Funny to see Monahan’s first period goal is his first first period goal of the season. Guessing its just one of those funny stat things and not descriptive of either his preparation etc. … Monahan’s goal was his 22nd of the season, matching his out put from his rookie season, something I honestly didn’t expect to see. Given his high shooting percentage and the fact that he was bound to face stiffer competition this year I thought he was due for a peelback on his production. Happy to be wrong. … Sven Baertschi trade. All fans want their draft picks to work out, especially first rounders, but I for one am relieved the Baertschi era is over. I like the guy, and I hope he has marginal success in Vancouver before finding great success elsewhere, but the drama around his play in Calgary was tiresome. I’ve always hated the “coach won’t give the kid a chance” whine from hockey fans. It drove me nuts when it was Dustin Boyd in question and it still drives me nuts in today’s era. Too many players are showing that you get a chance when you do your job to complain about the ones that don’t make it. He was given almost a quarter season for three straight years and couldn’t get it done. Move on. Glad they moved quickly before things soured worse. … Flames win puts them up two points on the Kings, at least temporarily as the Kings play in Edmonton tonight. More importantly it puts the Flames 2 up on the Sharks and within 4 of the Jets, the teams they really have to keep on top of.
Next Up
The captainless Flames head on to Boston to play the suddenly desperate Boston Bruins on Thursday, game time 5pm Sportsnet.
Lines:
Lance Bouma – Mikael Backlund – David Jones
Mason Raymond – Sean Monahan – Jiri Hudler
Johnny Gaudreau – Joe Colborne – Josh Jooris
Michael Ferland – Drew Shore – Emile Poirier
Kris Russell – Dennis Wideman
Deryk Engelland – TJ Brodie
Cory Potter – Rapha Diaz
Kari Ramo
