In a game that was representative of the entire season, inevitably the Flames found a way to secure two points against the lowly Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night with a come from behind shoot out victory.
Through two and a quarter periods it was November, the Flames seemed to be skating up hill and out of sorts, essentially gifting a game to their provincial rivals in a must win encounter.
The last half of the third period was February as the Flames pushed hard, scored three goals and kept their season alive.
On The Line
Step one on a six step journey that will need the Flames to run the table if they have any hope of landing in a playoff spot.
The Flow
After a decent start the Flames are out played by their hosts for the most part, but do enjoy the periods two best scoring chances, both authored by Olli Jokinen. The Oilers go ahead on a Paajarvi goal late in the frame.
The Flames get some territorial pressure in the second, tie the score on an Iginla powerplay goal, but immediately give it back up to fall behind. Not a lot of zip in this frame.
A third period to save the season starts by the Flames coughing up two more goals to essentially put things away, or so we thought. The last 15 minutes are all Calgary started by another Iginla powerplay goal, then markers by Glencross and Staios; both former Oilers to tie things up.
The Flames win it in a shoot out when Tanguay scores and all others fail.
Three Stars
- Jarome Iginla: The captain brings it with two key powerplay goals; getting his club on track.
- Teemu Hartikainen: A goal and plus three, one of the Oilers showing some skill.
- Olli Jokinen: Only picked up an assist but had many chances and finished plus two in a game that had few plus players.
Big Save
Dubnyk made a season save when he dove across and stopped Ollie Jokinen from putting the puck in a wide open net. True Jokinen should have done less sweeping and more hoisting but a save’s a save.
Big Hit
Jay Bouwmeester caught Paarvi in the Flames zone and sent the young Oiler to the bench woozy and maimed. The young Swede did return to action.
The Goat
The Flames in general. They won the game but they can’t have an effort like that with as much on the line as they were facing. What happened to the team that we saw up to the game in L.A. last week?
Mr. Clutch
Iginla. I don’t usually give the clutch to a game star but he willed that second puck into the net to start the comeback, a classic captain moment.
Odds and Ends
The Flames got some help out of town with the Predators beating the Stars, but very little help when the Ducks came back and beat the Hawks in Chicago. The result leaves them in 9th spot a point back of Chicago and two back of Anaheim; one of which they’ll need to overtake by the end of the season. … Anton Babchuk was a team worst -3 in the game, ouch. … It took Sutter almost 18 months to get the attention of this crew and get them playing smart hockey, how long will it take him to recapture their attention now? The San Jose game and the first two periods tonight were so freakishly old Flames like. Didn’t like it. … Some games in hand will disappear before the Flames next take to the ice on Wednesday. The Hawks play twice; in Boston and Detroit, and the Ducks play the Avalanche before heading to Calgary. Things may be a little more clear by then.
Next Up
The Flames host the Ducks on Wednesday night at the Dome in what is clearly a make or break game for their season. Game time 7.30pm on TSN.
Lines (To Start):
Tanguay – Backlund – Iginla
Bourque – Glencross – Kostopoulos
Kotalik – Jokinen – Jackman
Bouma – Stajan – Nemisz
Regehr – Bouwmeester
Giordano – Sarich
Staios – Babchuk
Kiprusoff
