Hyde Returns Again

Flames Continue On and Off Switch Hockey


January 24th, 2004
D'ARCY MCGRATH

They tease you into thinking they've recaptured that magic and then turn and fall flat on their face breaking their collective nose.

That's the pattern in recent Calgary Flame hockey games as the team continues to ride a .500 record through January by playing an effective game then laying an egg over and over again.

The stinker arrived as expected on Saturday night, this time the smell was reminiscent of some rather pungent losses of last season, a 6-2 setback to the visiting Tampa Bay Lighting.

The damage was made even more painful in that the practitioner of this execution was a cast off by the very same Flames, Martin St. Louis.

The first period featured a powerplay goal by each side, both on plays that likely shouldn't have been penalties.

First Tampa defender Cory Sarich was whistled down for harmlessly shoving Craig Conroy. Dean McAmmond converted on the subsequent man advantage when he was the fourth of a four man assault on the Tampa cage after Oleg Saprykin and Jordan Leopold managed to keep the puck alive.

With less than a minute to play in the first period Chris Clark was sent off for interfering with Cory Stillman. The replay showed Stillman throwing himself up and into the glass, but the play was called regardless.

The Lightning, like the Flames, took advantage when ex-Flame Martin St. Louis fired an off balance slapper from the slot off the post and past Turek.

The goal ended Roman Turek's shut out streak at just under 125 minutes dating back to the Kings third goal in the first period in a 4-1 Los Angeles victory on Tuesday night.

Sadly, the goal wasn't the last reminder of that game in Los Angeles.

The late first period goal seemed to knock the homeside completely off their game, setting up the second to be as equally horrific as the first stanza in L.A.

The Flames were beaten for four goals in the middle frame, two more by St. Louis and another by Brad Richards to take a 5-2 lead to the third period.

Turek was fully to blame on the second goal, but the other three were all a result of brutal mistakes and coverage errors behind the blue ending in point blank chances and the Lightning were only too happy to take advantage.

The third period started with much of the same as Ruslan Fedotenko added insult to injury making the score 6-2 on yet another blatant turn over in the Calgary zone.

The Flames have little time to lick their wounds as they are to hit the road for yet another two game junket, this time through Phoenix and San Jose.

Calgary's grip on a playoff spot took a severe beating tonight as the Kings, Coyotes, Stars and Predators all won, meaning the Flames now have only a two point margin on the final playoff spot.

 

 

SCOREBOARD

LIGHTNING 6
FLAMES 2

1) Martin St. Louis - Picked his ex-mates apart scoring three goals and adding an assist.

2) Brad Richards - A quiet night by St. Louis' standards, but Richards chipped in himself with a goal and an assist. 

3) Vincent Lecavalier - Not to be outdone, Lecavalier hit the board himself with three helpers, plus he tangled with Denis Gauthier.

John Graham stoned Martin Gelinas on a Calgary two on one when he slid across and stymied Gelinas when he was set up by Shean Donovan. Gelinas got the last laugh when he plucked the rebound in from behind the net.

Grey beard Dave Andreychuk made a great play to keep the puck on side in the first period but got anything but applause from Andrew Ference, who steam rolled him for his trouble.

Chuck Kobasew showed more of that after injury zip in the first period when he caught two Tampa defenceman flat footed and pulled a Sea Biscuit finish to avoid an icing call. The play didn't have any dramatic results but it did display the excitement of an icing goal to purists that don't want the automatic call made. ... I know outside weather has little to do with inside ice quality, but it's sure hard to understand why they can't make good ice in a winter wonderland like Calgary on this night. The puck was bouncing around like crazy in the last third of each period. ... With the Predators beating the Oilers while Calgary was run over by Tampa the Predators have climbed back over Calgary and into 6th place. Forget 6th and 7th, the Flames have to get their act together soon if they want to remain in the top eight. ... Roman Turek was left to the wolves again on the night and was only to fault on the second Tampa goal, but that didn't stop the Saddledome faithful from booing him throughout the contest. One has to wonder if the Turek - Calgary marriage may be over if GM Sutter can find a way to unload Turek and his salary. ... Paul Maurice, the recently fired Carolina Hurricane head coach, took his first spin as a colour commentator on the CBC broadcast. Five minutes into the first period he managed to surpass Glen Healy in terms of hockey knowledge and an ability to not annoy every hockey fan outside of Toronto. ... Matthew Lombardi was named to the young gun all star team for Minnesota in two weeks.

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