Sometimes, it’s good to win games when you’re doing all the right things, and it’s clear that you were the better team from start to finish.  And sometimes, you’ve got to win games when things aren’t going perfect.  Sometimes, as the Head Coach of the Calgary Flames likes to say, you’ve got find a way to win hockey games.  And to me, that’s exactly what the Calgary Flames did on Thursday night in a 2-0 win over the Ottawa Senators.

It’s not as if the Flames were terrible or anything.  But the Sens carried the territorial play for most of this, and they probably outchanced the Flames in all three periods.  Calgary didn’t have the same intensity as we’ve seen the last 3 games, but fact is, they found a way to score a couple goals and they were able to keep the Sens to the outside at times.  Plus, give Ottawa some credit.  They played a good game as well and were able to work for some quality scoring opportunities.  Fact is, the Flames were in a close game where things weren’t going as well, and they still came out with a win.  That’s important.

Keys?  Well, Miikka Kiprusoff, but what else is new?  A 33 save shutout for Miikka, a goaltender that I believe needs to be in the Vezina Trophy running here.  There’s been a lot of calls lately wondering if he would be, and to me, it’s a no-brainer.  But you wonder if the stats would work against him.  It’s not like they’re bad stats…he’s 5th in save percentage, 3rd in goals against average, and 9th in wins.  But you just wonder…and maybe it’s because I’m closer to it, but to me, there aren’t very many goaltenders playing at as high a level consistently in the NHL.  And by not very many, I mean, like 2.

The other key stat comes from blocked shots.  30 of them.  And the job Calgary’s forwards and defencemen did in blocking shots was a big key in keeping the Senators to the outside as this game went along.  Ottawa fired 17 shots on net in the third period, but I felt a lot of them were forced…the fact that Calgary had been in lanes so often in the opening 2 periods (23 blocked shots after 40), probably lead to some more rushed shots in a desperate 3rd.

Good to see Chris Higgins score for the second straight game, he now has 3 points in his last 4 games.  Maybe a change of scenery is helping with the confidence level, because I’ve liked what he’s brought the entire way with the Flames.  Now the reward has been there the past few.  Ian White is a player that is no longer flying under the radar either.  He may not be spectacular in what he does, but since joining the Flames, he’s been very steady and has been able to chip in with the odd point.  I thought he followed up his +4 game in Detroit very well against Ottawa.

Best thing I heard after this game was the admission that this wasn’t good enough.  Is it important and good that they won?  Yes.  The Flames players and coaches admitted it’s an important thing to find a way to win a game likes this.  But they also were very quick to point out that this game should have been better, and that they’re going to need to be better Sunday in Vancouver.

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