Because it's a slow news day...

As promised, here are some of the pictures I took at Thursday night's game against the Senators. Enjoy!

Harvey celebrates the win

Flames celebrate and congratulate Kipper

Public Enemy #1 Jarkko Ruutu en route to the penalty box

Ian White takes down a Sens player in front of the Flames net

Gio in the box

Kipper

Glennie and Kipper having a moment

Senators goal under review

TV time-out

Iggy

It's somewhat of a slow news day in the blogosphere today. The boys were back on the ice this morning after a recovery day yesterday and took an early afternoon flight to Vancouver, where they will play the Canucks tomorrow evening (8PM, Sportsnet). The assistant coaching staff ran an hour-long practice while Brent Sutter attended to a personal matter, presumably relating to the status of his son Brandon who suffered a "lower-body injury" in a game against the Penguins on Thursday.

Go Flames Go.

Flames/Sens post game: My view from the (non) cheap seats

As some of you may already know, I attended the Flames game vs. the Senators last night and have arrived here with intentions of a full post-game report, including the many pictures I took.

The friends we were going with arrived slightly late, so I was pleased to find that the game was delayed. The Hockey Gods seemed to be on my side already. I felt like a tool strolling into the 'Dome without donning either of my historically unlucky Flames jerseys, but I was confident that my red Canada hoodie would ensure victory.

We sat in some wicked club seats right behind the penalty box where I adopted a new philosophy--positive reinforcement. I'm the person that other people can't stand to watch the game on TV with because I'm constantly fidgeting nervously and spewing negative thoughts, so this time I thought I'd try something different. Lots of "Go Flames Go!" and "Way to go (insert player name here!)" and "Nice PK!", "Great block!", etc.

The only two negative comments I made were directed at Kotalik when he whiffed on a play in the offensive zone and Staios when he bobbled the puck just inside the Flames blueline, so I think I did pretty well. I'm pretty sure the couple beside me didn't cheer or speak a word to each other over the entire duration of the game. Then again, they may have been Sens fans; they left shortly after Daniel Alfredsson took a penalty and I shouted "Where's your medal Alfredsson?" across the row. That, or they were annoyed by my incessant commentary.

Anyways, the general consensus seems to be that the game was a little choppy, the Flames didn't play as well as they could have, got some lucky bounces, and found a way to win an important hockey game, which I don't disagree with. I do, however, disagree with the contention that the game was boring and that the Flames' defensive play was just "OK." I'm a sucker for shot-blocking, solid goaltending, a good PK, and an all-over structured game, so needless to say I was entertained throughout.

This game also had a little nastiness right from the opening faceoff; Chris Neil tried to catch Mark Giordano unaware with an open ice hit/elbow which Gio wisely dodged, and the two were at each other for the remainder of the game; there was a scrum after almost every whistle. Although the Flames made frequent trips to the penalty box, a few of the calls were slightly iffy and they did a great job of remaining patient and not getting frustrated by their lack of offense and the inconsistent flow of the game.

I think Ottawa's shot total was largely reflective of how many powerplay opportunities they received, as there were relatively few times where the Flames had a defensive breakdown and got bottled up in their own zone, most of which occurred in the third period. I thought I was alone in thinking that Sarich had a great game, but that seems to be a widely agreed upon fact as well.

I think the Flames' shot blocking was far more impressive in person, I don't think I've seen this team so dedicated to sacrificing their bodies for the win all season and I dare say that it's partially a result of the addition of guys like White and Staios on the blueline. Jay Bouwmeester was credited with four of the team's thirty blocked shots while Sarich had five and Gio led the team with six. Staios was credited with three shots on goal and narrowly missed on a few opportunities with traffic in front of the Senator's net.

I also got a glimpse at just how good Eric Nystrom is defensively. He was fantastic on the penalty kill all evening, blocked a shot which left him hobbling to the dressing room in pain, and assisted on the game winning goal by Jamal Mayers. I think letting him walk as a UFA would be a huge mistake and I hope Darryl finds a way to lock him up. As the Flames were fading slightly in the third period, they started to ramp up their physical play, leading to the 2-0 insurance goal; I was specifically impressed by Jay Bouwmeester, who probably threw his weight around last night more than I've seen him do all season, Ian White, and Chris Higgins, both of whom were solid at each end of the ice.

I didn't think the first line had a huge impact on this game, and Bourque was probably the best of the trio. He had four shots on goal and accumulated four penalty minutes. Iggy had a few chances, but Stajan was probably the least noticeable. There were a few different players on that line throughout the game as well, I think I saw Conroy out there for a shift or two and Higgins as well. The fourth and second lines were probably the best for the Flames, as they contributed to both goals and were consistent throughout sixty minutes of hockey.

Overall, the team seemed to have trouble establishing their forecheck and pressuring Brian Elliot and the Senators' defence, but two opportunistic goals were enough thanks to the play of Kiprusoff in what would be his 34th(!) career shutout. Kipper was magnificent throughout the game, and looked calm and steady when his team was a little shaky in the first and third periods despite getting a little help from his goal posts and a disallowed Ottawa goal, and didn't appear to have to make many overly difficult saves.

The Flames' defence did a pretty good job at keeping most of the Sens' shots to the outside and collapsing to the net. I just wish they would stop trying to cycle the puck along the boards in their own zone so often, as it usually ends up on the stick of an opposing player; as the game went on they started using the glass more to chip the puck out, which I liked.

This wasn't a bad game by any means and another important win in the push for the post season that leaves the Flames tied for seventh in the conference after an epic collapse by the Predators saw the Sharks score six third period goals to win the game 8-5. The whole team will need to be slightly sharper and more energetic when they face the Canucks on Sunday, which should be no problem against a divisional rival, but we've seen them come out flat in games against their supposed nemeses before.

I'll post some of the pictures I took at the game later, unfortunately the responsibilities of real life are calling at the moment.

Also, stay tuned for some potentially exciting news coming up in the next little while.

Go Flames Go.

Crunch time

In 2004, Darryl Sutter motivated his Flames team, largely made up of grinders and checkers, by dividing the remaining games left in the regular season into seven-game playoff series. In each series, the team had to win four games with the reward being a playoff seed. With a hard working, never-say-die mentality, they approached each and every game as if it was a must-win. It was this strategy that not only got the 2003-04 Flames into the post-season, but prepared them for their lengthy run to the Stanley Cup final and made them virtually unstoppable throughout four rounds of playoff hockey.

Making the playoffs this season will be one hundred times more difficult than it was six years ago. This is a new era. We're talking about a Calgary Flames team that is only ten points ahead of the fourteenth-place Blue Jackets, six points ahead of twelfth-place Anaheim, and four points clear of the Dallas Stars. On top of that, they have to contend with other teams in their division as well as teams that are, admittedly, more skilled, faster, and younger than themselves. It would seem that now more than ever, a resurrection of the "mini-series" strategy is required.

The Flames now sit in an extremely precarious position. Theoretically, they could catch Vancouver, sitting only five points behind, but having played two games more than the Canucks. A lot of things would have to go right for that to happen, however. In a less-than-ideal situation, the Wild, currently five points back of the Flames, could catch their division rivals with a hot streak of their own. For a team whose mettle has long since been in question, especially with the recent personnel changes, separating themselves from the pack and making the post season will be a very difficult task for the Flames.

After semi-encouraging victories against the Hurricanes and Panthers, Saturday's overtime loss against a slightly better Tampa team in the same position as the Flames was a major letdown, especially considering that it was Daymond Langkow's 1000th game, against the team that drafted him. They controlled the play for fourty minutes, holding the Bolts to only ten shots on goal, and carried a one-nothing lead into the third period.

The Lightning poured on the pressure to start the period and tied the game before the two-minute mark of the third. After that, the Flames completely fell apart. Playing on back-to-back nights, some fatigue was to be expected, but not when they had played so well for two-thirds of the game. Tampa spent what seemed like the majority of the period in the Flames' zone, outshooting them 13-6 and scored a goal that should never be scored to win the game in overtime when Andrei Meszaro's shot found its way between Kiprusoff's arm and the post.

All this on top of a cheap shot by Kurtis Foster, who blind-sided Rene Bourque coming out of the penalty box, causing the Flames forward to miss time with a shoulder injury. Losing Bourque doesn't hurt as much now as it would have without the recent additions to the team, but the Flames still lose one of their best and most consistently competitive players for an unknown amount of time. There was no penalty on the play and it appears Foster will escape further punishment. Typical.

Every point the Flames can earn is of critical importance, so I won't complain too much about an overtime loss, but I'll take a win over a loser point any day.

Finally, I'd like to offer my condolences to Brian Burke and his family after his son Brendan was killed in a car accident this weekend. I really can't imagine a pain greater than losing a child. Brendan aspired to a career in professional hockey like his father, and was best known for his dedication to making sports more tolerant and accepting of homosexuality. He was a brave, smart, and courageous young man whose work should never be forgotten and will hopefully be built upon. Wrap Around Curl has a lovely tribute to Brendan over at Pension Plan Puppets and on her own site as well. Donations can be made in his name to either PFLAG (Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Canada or the Xaverian Leadership Institute.

Up Next: The Flames visit the Senators tomorrow evening (5:30PM, Sportsnet) to conclude their three-game Eastern road trip. Jamie Lundmark will draw into the lineup with Bourque out.

Go Flames Go.

The Tweet heard around the World

ESPN's John Buccigross has become an internet sensation in a matter of hours, all thanks to an innocent twitter update pertaining to a pending trade involving Dany Heatley (who else?) He wouldn't be the first to set blogger's tongues wagging on the topic, and certainly won't be the last. Mere hours after the news broke, the general managers of all three teams involved were in full-fledged damage control, with responses ranging from Dean Lombardi's eloquent and well-versed "complete bull," to Murray's quick-and-to-the-point "it's simply not true," to Wilson's highly dramatic "it's an absolute fabrication."

While it is unlikely this deal will actually come to fruition, the Senators later added fuel to the fire by announcing that Heatley will not be attending a team golf tournament on Friday, encouraging speculation that the much maligned winger will indeed be dealt by tomorrow. Another evening spent chasing details on a rumour that turned out to be false...such is the life of a hockey blogger. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. When will we learn not to trust ESPN's "sources" for hockey news and rumours?

Lost amidst all the Heatley trade talk, former Flame Theoren Fleury was reinstated by the NHL today after a meeting with Gary Bettman and Bill Daly. Six years after Fleury was forced into retirement due to violation of the league's substance abuse policy, the NHL has opened its doors to the fiesty 41-year-old, who has now been sober for four years. While this is a great feel-good story and certainly a welcome distraction from the Bettman vs. Balsille courtroom drama, the fragile state of the NHLPA, and Heatley's next possible trade destination, the question remains: will any GM actually take a chance on the pint-sized pest?

Fleury says he has received interest from teams, but "doesn't want to name the cities without their consent." With only a few days remaining until training camp opens for most teams, there is still a chance Fleury could receive an invitation. Who knows, he just may be the Bill Guerin to your Penguins, the Joe Nieuwendyk to your Dallas Stars or...I don't really know where I'm going with this, but what I mean to say is he could turn out to be that missing piece that pushes the team that signs him over the hump.

Unlikely, but possible. Then again, hasn't that been the story of Fleury's NHL career to this day?

Canucks interested in Heatley?

Being in the Northwest Division, it's hard not to pay attention to the off-season happenings of our rivals. After a relatively quiet summer, the Canucks seem to be saving their best for last as rumblings of the team's interest in disgruntled winger Dany Heatley arise. As of now, there are no details of just what the package to acquire Heatley would include, but Bryan Murray will no doubt ensure that he gets fair market value for his 50-goal scorer. Would the Canucks be willing to part with WJHC darling Cody Hodgson and/or 2009 1st round selection Jordan Schroeder? Vancouver will have to be confident that Heatley won't come down with a sudden onset of Sundin syndrome if they are to pull the trigger, because he definitely won't come cheap.

 The three-way deal between Ottawa, Montreal, and San Jose rumoured earlier this month included big name Sharks Marleau and Cheechoo, and the Senators will surely want at least one proven roster player in return to fill the hole left by Heatley. Now that Edmonton is out of the running in the Heatley Sweepstakes and he supposedly wants to play out West, San Jose and Vancouver seem like the most likely destinations, but both will need to clear cap space to accommodate his super-sized contract, especially if the Canucks are to get a long-term deal with Luongo done sometime this season. Regardless of who ends up acquiring the talented Calgarian, overpaying for Heatley could have dire long-term consequences. Just ask the Ottawa Senators. 

NHL Countdown: 49 days