There are small sample sizes, and large sample sizes, hot streaks and entrenched patterns.
When a hockey fan has a look at the standings and sees the Boston Bruins cruising through a season way a top the Eastern leader board you don’t doubt them at all. Half a season is half a season, you don’t put up 40 solid games without establishing an identity.
It’s so much harder to be objective when the team under the microscope is the home town team. Sure they’re playing well, but how long can it last. Oh there’s that nasty seven game road trip in March they’ll need some padding for that. You just wait until they run into some injuries … and well the list goes on. But 14-4-4 is not a streak, it’s an elite team running through a schedule identity well established.
The Flames added to that identity on Tuesday night at the dome when they refused to get lulled to sleep, pounding the Islanders 5-2 in winning their sixth straight at home and gaining points in 12 of the last 13 games.
On The Line
Great to beat the Sharks, it proves the team can play with the best and be a factor in the West at playoff time. However, if they should come out and drop a stinker to the lowly Islander you give those two points back and tarnish any statement they have made. Add in a four day break between games and wanting Keenan to give them some days off and the motivation was there.
The Flow
The Flames came out as spirited as they could, desperately trying not to be flat against an inferior opponent. Ten minutes in and it was mission accomplished with the Islanders badly out played and the Flames up 1-0 on a Mike Cammalleri powerplay goal. Then the zip from the game was sucked from the game as both teams listlessly plodded their way through the rest of the stanza.
Much the same to start the second, though the Flames caught a break and Rene Bourque put the team up two. Overall the Flames were limiting chances against and moving towards a win, until the third line got caught on a long shift giving up an odd man advantage and the lead was cut in half. Mid period the Flames gassed a four minute powerplay, a set of minutes where they had some chances, but still lacked the confidence to move the puck with authority. After the powerplay run it was the Islanders that found the net tying the score when Jeff Tambellini beat Kiprusoff short side. The goal was unsettling in that it was reminiscent of Kiprusoff when he’s struggling, that is getting beat shortside high, something he’s cleaned up of late. The tie score didn’t last however as the Bertuzzi-less second line struck for the second time in the period when Daymond Langkow found the net on a great feed from Rene Bourque.
All Calgary in the third with Curtis Glencross and Adam Pardy scoring to put things away, and the Islanders thinking nothing but flying home from a terrible road trip. The Flames came in waves and controlled the play the entire twenty minutes.
Three Stars
1. Daymond Langkow: The hottest of Flames just keeps on scorching, scoring once and adding two assists to stretch his point streak to seven games (12 points).
2. Rene Bourque: The addition that just keeps on additioning … Bourque scores his 15th, one shy of his career best, and adds an assist.
3. Mike Cammalleri: Scored the first goal, added an assist, and hit a goal post very very hard as the diminutive winger was quick to the puck all night.
Big Save
I still don’t know how Joey McDonald got over to rob Jarome Iginla on a late second period powerlay by stacking the pads. Seconds earlier Iginla hit the cross bar in what was the Flames best series of chances on the powerplay. … Another dandy was McDonald on Mark Giordano when the latter jumped out of the penalty box and fired a screen shot labeled to the top corner.
Big Hit
Late Cory Sarich caught Jeff Tambellini trying to take the puck to the net, planting the Islander on his derriere in a game that didn’t feature many memorable hits.
The Goat
No goats in red in this game as the Flames were either boring or dominant, but rarely bad in this one. The Islanders as a whole for defensive coverage get a group goat.
Mr. Clutch
I’m going with Matthew Lombardi. He didn’t put up the points to garner a star but was pushing his speed all night, creating chances, and chaos on the ice most times he took a turn.
Odds and Ends
You’d think Michael Backlund would be nervous in his first NHL “official” game but that first shift was better than any he had in the preseason in September. He hit a post (outside of the net) and almost completed a wrap around, plus was decent in his own zone. … Man I wish that guy’s name was Thomas Puck, would be perfect. … Iginla pushed completely off the puck twice on the Flames first period powerplay, the first like he was out weighted by 100 pounds. Somethiung is wrong. .. Langkow with points in seven straight and his season pace is back to Langkow levels this season, however without a whole lot of time with #12. Coat tails my butt. … So now three straight players have been called up and placed ahead of Dustin Boyd in the pecking order in the Flames roster. First Lundmark who went straight to the second line, then Sutter and Backlund who took turns on the third line. … First time in a long time where the Flames have had all three scoring lines going in the same night. … If someone was to tell you a Flame was to score their first NHL goal tonight how many would have assumed Adam Pardy? … When the Flames got rolling in the third it reminded me a lot of the early 1980’s in the Corral when the Jets, Capitals or Rockies came to town. It was just a matter of sitting back as a fan and enjoying scoring chance after scoring chances (yes I was young!). … You know in retrospect Rick DiPietro’s contract doesn’t look that bad now at an average of 4.5 million per season – a decent number for a number one goaltender. The length and his current injury woes add some scare factor though. .. Hate to say it but I didn’t miss Todd Bertuzzi. … One for five on the powerplay but with some chances, still think they need to put a man permanently in front of the net though. Trent Hunter for the Islanders was up to just that on each of their four failed attempts. … Flames are now half way through their schedule with 54 points and an 11 point lead on the 9th place team. With a 25-12 record they should be aiming higher than just making the playoffs, but it’s nice to see some space between the top group and the just trying to get in group given the run to the wire the past few seasons.
Next Up
Next up for the Flames is the super skills display on Sunday at 11AM at the Saddledome. Next NHL action brings the St. Louis Blues to town to face the Flames on Tuesday at 7:30pm.
Lines (To Start):
Cammalleri – Conroy – Iginla
Bourque – Langkow – Lombardi
Glencross – Backlund – Moss
Nystrom- Boyd- Roy
Phaneuf – Pardy
Regehr – Aucoin
Sarich – Giordano
Kiprusoff
