Post-Game: Coming Up Empty

The Calgary Flames began their last three games before the Olympics tonight in Montreal. Despite a pretty solid 60 minutes of hockey, they came away with zero goals and zero points in the standings.

Ultimately, the play of the two goaltenders – Montreal’s Carey Price and Calgary’s Reto Berra – was excellent and a couple bounces determined the victor. (Spoiler: It was Montreal.)

The Flames five-game winning streak has been snapped. Here’s how it happened.

To be charitable, the first period was a tad dull. There were very shots and scoring chances, a combination of both teams playing a tight-checking game in the neutral zone…and both teams not being able to execute many passing plays with the necessary precision.

The second period was much more energetic, with both teams getting a chance to carry the play for chunks of time. Calgary managed to get an extended five-on-three power-play…but failed to score – they’ve got one goal in such situations this year. Montreal finally opened the scoring late in the second. Kept to the perimeter of the offensive zone, Brandon Prust flung the puck towards the net and in the general direction of Rene Bourque. The puck glanced off of the padding of Reto Berra, past the near-perfect defensive coverage of Mikael Backlund, and onto Bourque’s stick. The ex-Flame tapped it into the yawning net to put the Habs up 1-0.

Like the Minnestota Wild did on Saturday night, the Flames entered the third period trailing and spent the majority of that period pressing for an equalizer. Unlike the Flames on Saturday night, though, the Habs kept their cool, maintained their structures and largely kept the Flames to the perimeter. The visitors generated 8 shots in the final frame but ultimately failed to bury any of their chances – Lee Stempniak in particular had several good looks – and the Blue Blanc and Rouge added an empty-netter late to give them a 2-0 win. (A late Mike Cammalleri penalty with 30 seconds left with the Flames pressing probably didn’t help matters…)

The Flames failed to score, being shut out for the seventh time this season. But like many of their goal-less efforts in recent weeks, it sure wasn’t for a lack of trying.

Well…

But in all seriousness, the Flames were victims of bounces, luck and systems. The Bourque goal was on a weird play (and through pretty good defensive coverage). Once they got behind, the Habs did whatever they could to minimize chances. And the chances they got, Carey Price was ready for.

They probably deserved better than the result tonight.

Still in search of his first regulation win (after 25 NHL games played), Reto Berra played one of his better efforts on this night. There weren’t any wild barrel-roll saves or anything particularly bzarre or wacky, but the Swiss Olympian played a steady, reliable – dare I say Ramo-esque – 58 minutes of hockey tonight.

But I am still beginning to wonder if there’s not some sort of voodoo curse on the poor guy that prevents him from winning a game unless it’s in extra time.

The streak is dead. Long live the streak.

The Flames (21-28-7) head to Long Island and the venerable Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Thursday night to face the New York Islanders. Puck drop is at 5pm MT on various Sportsnet properties.