Post-Game: Better Than Last and Weekend Open Thread

Folks, the Calgary Flames home schedule is over. They defeated the Anaheim Ducks by a 3-1 score on Friday night in their 24^th (and final) home date of the truncated 2013 season.

They finish their home schedule with a record of 13-9-2 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. If their road record wasn’t so horrible this year (5-13-2), maybe they would’ve made some noise. Nevertheless, they came into their last home contest and played a smart, energetic game.

In perhaps Miikka Kiprusoff’s final appearance on Saddledome ice, he made 32 saves for the win. It’s an inconvenient time for him to rebound, but it’s good to see Kipper go out with a victory.

The team in front of him also deserved full marks. Curtis Glencross took a knee-on-knee hit from Ben Lovejoy. Mikael Backlund fought Lovejoy in response. The Flames went without either of them for the balance of the second and still carried the play.

Roman Horak, Brian McGrattan and Roman Cervenka (empty net) scored for the Flames, who move to 18-22-4 on the year and sit sixth-from-last in the NHL. More importantly, they cannot finish 30^th due to having more points than Florida can achieve, if you include tie-breakers.

The 2013 season has been a disappointment for the Calgary Flames. But, at the very least, they cannot finish dead-last.

And there’s always the chance that they win the draft lottery. And maybe finish ahead of Edmonton as well, which almost make this whole season worthwhile.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Tilted Kilt last night or at least played the CSDG at home or elsewhere. Good times were had by all who attened I’m told.