Calgary 3 Colorado 2
Game 1, AS (after Sutter). After making a lasting impression and restoring the legacy for excellence by this city’s pro hockey club for 8 years, the Flames begin the next era on the eve of the new year. Is change going to be embraced? Is the uncertainty that comes along with this particular change, going to tip the balances against a seemingly mentally fragile team? This game isn’t the single barometer for that, but, hope springs eternal that calender year 2011 is a lot more positive then the disappointing 2010 started, and ended for this franchise.
On The Line
A chance to win three in a row for the first time in a long time, and a division rival that they’ve had trouble beating at home the last two seasons, even after being up in each game going into the final frame. If this team wants any chance of climbing back into a slipping playoff race, multi-win streaks are going to have to be the norm, not the exception. The Flames come off a positive showing against the Sabres Monday; after goal 3 seemingly the shackles came off and the team opened it up. Colorado comes off an OT loss to Detroit.
The Flow
The first period start poorly for the Flames, a goalie interference call against Jarome Iginla within the first minute. Shorthanded, Brendan Morrison draws a call, and the Flames powerplay is as ineffective as Colorado’s. The game then settles into a lull, neutral zone play with the odd half scoring chance at either end. The Flames fail to capitalize on another powerplay, and the period ends with 8 shots to 7 favouring the home side.
The second starts off with a Olli Jokinen rolling puck shot that nails Alex Tanguay, standing in front of Avs goalie Craig Anderson, under the visor and on the cheek. As unlucky as that sounds, maybe even unluckier was the fact that the puck didn’t drop into the open net, instead bouncing off Tanguay’s body and dropping wide of the open net. The Flames continue a more aggressive push then they had made in the first period, Mark Giordano getting a good chance as he cruised in from the slot. Giordano was soon the architect of the Flames first goal, making an impressive cross ice pass low to Tim Jackman, who’s one timer found Anderson’s pads, but Tom Kostopoulos was positioned perfectly to bang home the rebound. A couple shifts later, the Flames top line was buzzing. Jarome Iginla found an open Alex Tanguay, who’s breakaway shot was tipped away by Anderson’s blocker. Colorado comes back up the ice on an odd man rush, and Olli Jokinen comes back to smartly clear the puck from the front of the Flames net, right to Tanguay, who crosses the Avalanche blue line, drops it to Iginla, who fires a low hard shot through the maze of skates and into the net. Great play by Jokinen, however on the replay there were some obvious signs of an offside on the drop pass. Regardless, the Flames are up by two. Colorado responds with a solid shift. Matt Hunwick slides in from the point on the backdoor, and Miikka Kiprusoff makes an outstanding blocker and shoulder save. The rebound falls perilously in the Flames crease, but an unaware Adam Pardy manages to deflect it out of harms way with his leg. The teams trade chances as the game opens up again, but then a smart step up at the blue line from Anton Babchuk allows him to strip the Colorado forward, and a bad Avalanche line change allows Jackman and Kostopoulos a 2-0 breakaway. Jackman takes the puck, gets hooked, but manages to get his stick on the second effort, and throws the Scotiabank Saddledome into a premature NYE celebration, the Flames up by 3. Niklas Hagman comes close to a 4th Flames goal next shift, prompting a solid Anderson save. An Adam Pardy penalty is killed off, and the Flames enter the 3rd up 3.
Now, the Flames have held leads against Colorado the last 4 home games, and lost each of them. The Flames look determined in the 3rd, pressing the Avalanche early, and drawing a penalty 7 minutes in. With the powerplay looking unorganized, Dan Winnick gets a half breakaway. Mark Giordano hustles back to cut his direct path off to the net, but a secondary swipe of the puck by Winnick, and Kiprusoff anticipating a collision with one or both speeding players, leaps out of the way, allowing the puck to find its way in. Really odd looking play, as neither player comes anywhere near the Flames goaltender in the end. The Flames still look in control, drawing another penalty, and by no means sitting on the lead. However, with two and a half minutes to go, another Giordano blunder allows Matt Duchene into the Flames zone one on one. He finds Tomas Fleischmann, who, with Paul Stastny firmly planted in the blue paint on the goal line, finds the net with a backhand, and its 3-2. Really a play out of nowhere, but once again Colorado’s found a way. The drama for Flames fans isn’t quite done, Duchene using speed and a nice move on Robyn Reger as the clock ticks down under a minute, but Kiprusoff stays square, and the Flames persevere for the win.
Three Stars
- Tim Jackman: First multi point game of his Flames career, and made most of his usual 4th line ice time. Solid game, nice to see the enthusiasm.
- Tom Kostopoulos: See Tim Jackman, minus maybe some of that infectious enthusiasm.
- Miika Kiprusoff: A few solid saves to keep the Flames ahead by multiple goals through the second and earlier in the third. His hiccup on the firs Avs goal aside, he still makes the tough save not even look like a scoring chance to some, but those don’t go unnoticed by his teammates, and in this case, a spectacular save ends up being the difference.
Big Save
Miikka Kiprusoff with a incredible shoulder save midway through the second period loomed large, keeping the Flames up. Its those types of saves that are now the norm for the Finn, but in this case, ended up being the difference in the result.
Big Hit
A non physical game, but Ken King up in the press box that Sportsnet has decided to keep an eye on from the Sutter era and now the Feaster era, seemed to be hammering the desk in delight after each Flame goal. If anyone has shaken hands with Mr. King before, one hopes those desks can withstand the force of his strikes if his place up there is a common occurrence, and the Flames continue to put 3 goals in nightly.
Odds and Ends
The 4th line comes through again, but overall a good effort by the Flames all around this evening. Full value for the past 3 wins in a row. Really hard to fathom that Rene Bourque had twice the ice time that Jackman did. The top line each added to their point totals, and each have had a solid last 10 games, almost at point a game clips in that time frame. Flames have now not lost on New Years Eve since 2003, when Colorado beat them. The Flames also hold on for the first time in the last 4 home games to Colorado, stretching back to last season. Each of those games the Flames held the lead, each game the Flames lost. Flames end calender year at a tepid 34-38-7, although not the unmitigated disaster you’d read or hear about in the local media. 22 of those defeats were by a single goal, another 7 by 2 that included an empty netter. Coulda/shoulda/woulda, but if that could’ve squeezed 3 more out last season, playoffs were in the cards, and 4 more so far this season, they’d be in a playoff position after this evening…and how different would the roster, and management look then? Regardless, Happy 2011 to all Game Take readers, let’s hope the next 365 days brings better days ahead for the franchise and its fans.
Next Up
Next up, the Flames have to get right to work in the new year, making the short trip north to face the bottom feeding Edmonton Oilers for a HNIC game at 8pm tomorrow. With the hapless New York Islanders trudging into Calgary Monday evening, good chance to extend this streak. If everything holds with some help, and the Flames put a solid 7 days of results together, this team could be in the playoffs by the end of next Friday. How’s that for a glass half full moment to open 2011!?
Lines (To Start):
Tanguay – Jokinen – Iginla
Bourque – Stajan – Glencross
Morrison – Hagman – Moss
Kostopolus – Moss – Jackman
Regher – Bouwmeester
Giordano – Sarich
Babchuk – Pardy
Kiprusoff
