Pre-Season Post-Game: Grand Theft Ortio

The Calgary Flames brought a mixed-bag of a roster to Denver for tonight’s match-up with the Colorado Avalanche. It featured a bunch of forwards who’ll be in the NHL, basically an AHL defense, and Joni Ortio in net.

If Ortio wants to be in the NHL this season, he sure did a good job making an impression on the coaching staff. He made 35 saves in a 1-0 Flames victory over the Avalanche.

This will be quick, because the game wasn’t streamed anywhere and I didn’t fly to Denver. Thankfully, the fine people at Sportsnet 960 The Fan broadcast the game with the magic of radio.

Anyway, the Flames played a Miikka Kiprusoff game: they got a lead in the first period and then they clung on for dear life. Josh Jooris – who has looked notably faster and more agile in practices – scored for the Flames, converting on a Rasmus Andersson feed to give them a 1-0 lead. After that: it was a Classic Kipper Game, except with Turku native Joni Ortio playing the role of Turku native Miikka Kiprusoff.

The Flames were out-shot 35-25 overall and 30-17 at even-strength. It didn’t matter, as Ortio stood tall.

Joni Ortio. Many saves in the win. Some goal support next time would be nice, but Ortio continued to look strong – he had zero chance on the lone goal he gave up against Edmonton on Monday.

Honourable mention to Kenney Morrison, who led the Flames with 24:43 in ice-time, and Josh Jooris, who scored the game’s only goal.

Jakub Nakladal left the game in the third period after being smooshed by an Avalanche defender. Peter Loubardias used the terms “pile-driven” and “body-slammed” when describing the incident. There were no penalties, but it doesn’t sound good.

Oh, and Sam Bennett won 5 of 16 face-offs tonight after winning 3 of 10 on Monday against the Oilers. He’s facing good opposition, but it’s not a great start.

The Flames fly back home tonight and get ready for another game tomorrow when they face the Vancouver Canucks. The puck drops at 7pm MT and you can catch the game…on television! That’s right. For some reason there are a ton of Canucks pre-season games on TV, so if you can’t make it down to the ‘Dome, the game’s on Sportsnet One (and Sportsnet 960 The Fan).

(Tomorrow’s recap might be delayed slightly, as I’m gonna try to do a dry-run of the new zone-entry counting we’re doing for 2015-16.)

Oh, and presumably we get some roster moves tomorrow at some point, as the Flames still have 58 players in camp.