A victory both unlikely and unimpressive
Kent Wilson
March 29 2010 08:41AM
The Flames win over the Capitals yesterday was an unlikely one. Unlikely because of the gap between the two teams in the standings. Unlikely because Washington is the highest scoring team in the league and the Flames are...not. Unlikely because of Calgary's ineptitude leading into the contest. Not a lot of folks would have put money on the Flames yesterday and for good reason.
They did win though. I guess. They jumped on a flat team with some shoddy netminding to build up a lead and then spent the rest of the contest getting their heads positively beaten in. By the third, the Flames were on a perpetual penalty kill; the shots were 20-2 in favor of WAS and the corsi was even more embarrassing (-43). To put that latter number in context, it's the biggest differential I've personally ever seen in a game involving the Flames, and most of it occurred in the third (-37). That's the type of outshooting you'd expect to see between an NHL and AHL squad. Awful.
Sure the Flames were playing for the second straight afternoon and they were facing a high powered club in their own barn. But that's just not a sound way to win a hockey game. Luckily, the difference between Kipper and Theodore was enough to preserve the win, but the manner in which the Flames stumbled to the finish line yesterday simply re-affirmed the fact that they are not a playoff caliber team this year.
That said, there were some decent performances, including the "second line" of Bourque, Backlund and Kotalik. Bourque mainly drove the results with the trio finishing with 6 points and a +9. Backlund held his own (as much as any Flame did in this contest) in 11 minutes of ice which a positive sign.
Three Stars
1.) Rene Bourque
2.) Alex Ovechkin
3.) Miikka Kiprusoff
The Big Hit
Eric Nystrom caught Mike Green with a big open ice hit midway through the contest
The Big Save
The entire third period. Really, it would be tough to choose amongst the multiple stops Kipper made in the final frame.
What it means
The Flames are now 4 back of the 8th placed Colorado Avalanche. They can narrow that gap on Friday when the two teams meet for the last time this year.
What's Next
Flames come back home on Wednesday to face the Phoenix Coyotes
At this point, I'll take a win, and somehow delude myself into thinking they still have a shot. Go Flames GO!!!
I'm still drinking the kool-aid and the glass is half full. The flames I don't think, have a lot of confidence but they just beat the best team in the league, no matter what statistics you point out, the most important is goals which the Flames had more of. This season will be decided on Friday vs. Colorado.
Sarich didn't get first star for that sucker punch?
@Domebeers.com
That was beautiful.
I would have to say the save on Belanger was possibly the final nail for the Caps in the game.
@Domebeers.com
How was that a sucker punch. Either you're fighting or not. That's far from a sucker... just ask Jeff Beaukaboom.
@RossCreekNation
we are joking. Its kinda what we do.
Flames will make it...those kids in LA and Coloroado are holding the shaft to hard with the playoffs around the corner...sweating looking over their shoulders at a Calgary team thats as unpredictable as a dog with dementia.