Two nights ago it was
Jarome Iginla, making up
for an inexperienced Calgary
defence and single
handedly disposing of
the Edmonton Oilers.
Tonight, another star
player, Colarado forward
Peter Forsberg, took
advantage of that same
inexperienced defence in
leading the Avalanche to
a 4-2 victory over the
Calgary Flames.
The Forberg show
began in the first
period when last year's
playoff points leader
took advantage the home
squad's last change.
The Flames were
pinned in their own zone
with a mismatch of personnel;
Calgary's fourth line
against Forsberg, when
the latter put on a
clinic before putting
the puck high blocker
side past Roman Turek,
after making three
skaters look silly.
In the second period
it was more of the same
with Forsberg scoring
two more times to pace
the Avalanche to a 4-0
lead after two periods.
First Forsberg played
keep away in the Calgary
zone until his mates
could complete a line
change. Finally with a
full complement on the
ice, Forsberg fed the
point then out dashed
Calgary's Martin Gelinas
to the slot and beat
Turek with a tipped shot
that coasted over his
blocker.
Late in the second
Forsberg took a break
away pass, and beat
Turek short side sending
a parade of ball caps on
to the ice.
The red hot Avalanche
were coming into the
game with five straight
wins, and an eight game
unbeaten streak despite
key injuries to captain
Joe Sakic and former
Flames defenceman Derek
Morris.
The Pepsi Center had
been quite comfortable
for the Flames in the
recent past with the
club unbeaten in their
last seven visits, many
of those with Forsberg
not present.
Give the Flames
credit in this one, they
didn't roll over.
Down 4-0 after two,
the visitors rallied the
troops to badly out play
the home side in the
third period, scoring
twice and carrying a
shot advantage to the
tune of 17-8.
The Flames third
period marksmen were
Jarome Iginla and Craig
Conroy, both of whom
managed to keep their
production streaks
alive.
The loss keeps the
Flames in last place in
the Western Conference,
one point behind
Columbus, and two points
behind both Nashville
and Phoenix.
The win moves the
Avalanche into 5th place
in the West as they
continue to chug up
towards their rightful
place in the West's top
three or four.
