Calgary Puck

They way the Flames played this one almost seemed cruel.

Get your Provincial rivals all amped up with physical play. Spot them numerous breakaways relying on your backup goaltender to save the day. Spot the Oilers a 2-0 lead. Make Dave Randorf extremely happy.

Then take it all away by putting the game in the team’s wheelhouse, as the Flames put a dominant third period on display out shooting the Oilers 18-5, out scoring them 3-0, and coming from behind for the sixth time this season.

In all seriousness, that was a tough one. The Flames had a good first period, a terrible second for the most part, and needed a dominant third to pull it out.

But having said that, could it get any sweeter for Calgary fans on a Saturday night than yank one away from the Oilers? Priceless.

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The contrarian out there would say the rest of the game went well for Mike Smith.

He didn’t face anywhere near as many shots as the guy in the mask at the other end, but when he did he was decently solid and certainly didn’t look particularly ugly on either of the first two Montreal goals.

But that just isn’t the way it works in professional sports. Number one goaltenders can give up the odd bad goal … in a season. However when they become too numerous, too back breaking, too predictable it eventually becomes the turning point for roles, workloads, and the plan for the rest of the season.

The Calgary Flames badly out played the Montreal Canadieans on Thursday night but a dribbler through the pads in the third period was the difference in a 3-2 Hab’s victory.

With the Oilers coming to town on Saturday night it’s pretty clear who should get the cage; at least I hope it is.

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Up until this three game California road trip the Flames were money when it came to third period comebacks. Five times in the nine victories before they left snowy Calgary behind the Flames had found victory where there appeared to be sure fire defeat.

To some extent, their lucky finally ran out.

A well played game in Anaheim resulted in a narrow 2-1 loss, in L.A. they pretty much led coast to coast, before coming up short once again in San Jose by a score of 3-1, a score that included an empty net goal in a third period that had the Flames pressing hard but not finding the equalizer.

Three well played games but only one victory as the team heads back to Calgary.

At least their starting goaltender appears to have found his legs.

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Compared to a lot of nightmare games in Anaheim over the years, this setback felt more like a win.

No the Flames didn’t get the two points and continue their streak, but for the sixth straight game they badly outplayed their opponent, this time coming up just short of yet another third period comeback.

Truthfully they did complete the comeback, scoring late in the first to cut the lead in half and then tying the game in the third shorthanded when Mark Jankowski scored his first of the season. However, thirty seconds later the Ducks went back in front again and despite out shooting the Ducks 16-3 in the third period and 34-15 from the Duck’s second goal on the Flames just couldn’t pull it out.

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