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Flames
Enter Break With Bulge
Flames 3 - Blues 2 (OT)
Darren Linn
February 10th, 2006
You
could see it on all
their faces. From head
coach Darryl Sutter to,
gate-master for the
night, Miikka Kiprusoff.
Just get through this
one with a win, and away
we go, literally, to
points unknown for the
majority of the players
and coaching
staff.
Staring
at a full 2 weeks of
rest and relaxation, and
riding a modest 2 game
winning streak, the
Calgary Flames were
determined to win their
NHL contest on Friday
night and head into the
Olympic pause, guaranteed
at least a share of 1st
place in the very tough
North West division and
a lofty 16 games over
the .500 mark for the
year.
Standing
in the way were the
household names of Jay
McClement, Lee Stempniak,
Dennis Wideman, Jesse
Boulerice, Kevin Dallman,
and Mike Glumac. A
similar group that took
2 points from the local
heroes less than 2 weeks
ago, and who came into
this game playing their
best hockey of the 05-06
season.
As
with everything else
this hockey club
seemingly experiences,
it didn't come easy but
they got the job done.
Enter one young man who
took the team on his
very broad shoulders and
carried them into the
lofty heights so rarely
seen in the last decade
or more. Ladies and
gentlemen welcome your
Calgary Phlames.
On
The Line
The
usual. Win and be
assured that 1st place
in the division is at
least partially theirs,
or lose and know that
depending on other
results they could be
tied for 7th in the
conference. It's that
close and makes every
single point a critical
one as we head into the
post season.
The
Flow
It
was an unusual game in
that even the though the
Flames were unable to
pull away and assert
themselves on the
scoreboard, they never
seemed not in control of
what they were doing nor
panicky about how the
game was being played.
With the home team
getting their first
taste of the Brian
Boucher era, one would
of thought they would of
been more reserved in
what they would do, but
that wasn't the case.
For the most part they
free wheeled it (as far
as that can be applied
to this team) and skated
with an enthusiastically
young St. Louis team.
Three
Stars
1
� Dion Phaneuf
What
else is left to say
about the best rookie
defender to hit NHL ice
in a very very long
time? With 2 goals, 3
hits, 5 shots, and over
18 minutes of icetime,
he was simply put, the
best player on either
team for the evening.
Flame fans should truly
understand how special
the next number of years
are going to be and
savor them. The kid is
the real deal and looks
to only become better.
2
� Dennis Wideman.
2 months ago
I had never really even
heard of this guy. After
watching him a handful
of times, it's become
apparent that the Blues
unearthed a good one in
the 8th round of the
2002 draft. Though the
numbers aren't
overwhelming, the guy
plays a very complete
game and can skate like
the wind. At least there
are a few things to
build on in the Blues
future, and he is one of
them.
3
� Brian Boucher. The
latest addition to the
Flames squad, along with
Mike Leclerc, saw his
first action with a new
club and delivered
exactly what the club is
looking for. A mostly
steady 60 minutes,
making the saves when
needed, and allowing the
team a chance to win
when he plays. Welcome
to Calgary Brian, and
keep it up.
Big
Hit
Though not noticed by
the St. Louis TV crew
and not repeated by the
Flame radio guys, late
in the 1st period, Robyn
Regehr caught Keith
Tkachuk along the boards
and absolutely rubbed
him into oblivion. It
seemed to take the big
winger out of the game
for the most part of the
night.
Big
Save
Though it wasn't overly
difficult, the timing
could not of been
better. Brian Boucher
stopping a Peter Cajanek
one-timer late in the
3rd period to help send
the game into OT. If
that save isn't made,
there is a likely
meltdown once again on
message boards and on
call-in shows around
Calgary, and a bad taste
in the mouth of all
Flame players for 3
weeks.
The
Goat
No question this one
goes to the mostly
invisible Jarome Iginla.
On the opening Blues
goal, the captain was
caught playing spectator
on the ice and allowed
the aforementioned
Dennis Wideman an
unobstructed path to the
net, where the young man
roofed a backhander over
a bewildered Boucher.
Mr.
Clutch
The D-train. Dion
Phaneuf has done it time
after time all year when
called upon and did so
again in tonight's game.
The OT winner that the
club was looking for,
poise beyond his 20
years and a calming
influence on players 10
years his senior. Anyone
think that Nashville or
Atlanta would like a do
over in that 2003 draft?
Odds
and Ends
What a brutal week for
the NHL as an entity.
With a scandal that
seems to grow by the
day, encompassing the
hockey royalty known as
Gretzky, current and
past players, management
and others, the Olympic
break comes at a good
time. Let the league PR
machine go to work and
see if they can stem the
tide of bad
news.....Interesting
choice, in my humble
opinion, in seeing Brian
Boucher get the nod with
a 3 week break coming
up. once again Darryl
Sutter looks to have
made the right choice
however.......OK there
are a lot of
questionable play by play
and analysts in NHL TV
booths around the
league. However, no one,
and I mean no one, is as
bad as the Blues Bernie
"how did I ever get
into the hall of
fame" Federko. This
guy is ill prepared,
sees things no one else
does, continues to
ramble on and on about
things no one could
possibly care about, and
has an irritating voice
on top of all that. Case
in point tonight? He
wondered why Miikka
Kiprusoff didn't get the
start tonight before
heading to Italy to play
for team Finland. Ughhh,
it's just
painful.......Calgary is
now 14-8 on the year
when giving up the 1st
goal of the game
according to FSN.....Regehr
senior led the team in
icetime once again,
logging a yeoman effort
of 26:30.....Andrew
Ference was solid once
again and is starting to
quiet down his
critics....The Flames
clobbered the Blues in
the faceoff circle by
winning 57%......Is
anyone happier to see
the 3 week break than
Darren McCarty and Rhett
Warrener? Both guys are
just covered with bumps,
bruises and
soreness.....What has
happened to Kristian
Huselius? Yikes.....
Next
up � A
3 week break from NHL
action for the spectacle
known as the Olympic
Games. Enjoy them
everyone.
Lines
-
Leclerc-
Langkow- Iginla
Kobasew - Lombardi -
Amonte
McCarty- Yelle- Donovan
Huselius - Nilson -
Simon
Regher
2.0-Phaneuf
Leopold-Regehr
Ference-Warrener
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