That result was entirely expected, and still somehow very upsetting.

Like I said yesterday, you had to know that this was going to be a difficult game to win.

Three rookie defensemen, one of whom had never played a professional game in his life, on the road, against a good defensive team with an excellent goalie, in the second night of a back-to-back. It was almost sure to be bad news.

And somehow, it was worse. Granted, the Flames played last night’s game with 16 skaters (one of which played about four minutes for obvious reasons), but that’s no reason for Miikka Kiprusoff to give up four goals on 28 shots. Yeah the first one was redirected but there was no excuse at all for the goals by Cal Clutterbuck, Owen Nolan and ESPECIALLY Marian Gaborik. I know that goal by Gabby was the one that made it 4-0 late in the game and in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter, but that was an awful goal to give up. Just terrible.

The whole game was a disaster, in fact. Nicklas Backstrom got challeneged MAYBE once to make a Grade-A save. Maybe. And you’d have to stretch the definition of “Grade-A” a bit to call it that much.

I know there are a lot of injuries (the entire second line, half the defense, etc.), but this team has zero intensity right now. Absolutely none.

Please.

John Negrin — I know it was his first game as a professional and all, but he took a penalty despite only getting four minutes of ice time or so.

Getting down two nice and early — It’s only not “Ugly” because it didn’t end up mattering so much what with the shutout and all, but you cannot give up two goals in 29 seconds and expect to win.

Shut out again — That makes three times in the last six games. Great!

Miikka Kiprusoff — Obviously the Flames couldn’t have won the game anyway, but this was a dismal performance.

Everybody on the offense — Simply awful. Never even a threat to score.