In Reader’s Digest terms, Game 5 was a one-minute and 49-second game.
The records show the Flames and Blackhawks played the required 60 minutes.
All that was really required was the 1:49 sequence midway in the 1st period. The Hawks scored 3 goals and coasted the rest of the way as the 22,500 Chicago fans roared their approval. The Hawks skated to a 5-1 win and a 3-2 lead in the best of 7 series.
The homer trend continued, but the first goal of the game jinx concluded. The Hawks scored the first goal 9:16 into the game on a PP. Unlike the prior 4 games, the team scoring first wouldn’t relinguished the advantage.
The unexplained was how the Flame be so flat for such an important game. All the players admitted they weren’t ready but nobody had an answer as to why.
Coach Mike Keenan accepted the blame. “The team didn’t respond and wasn’t prepared, that’s the coach’s responsibility and that’s my job.
The flight home was even quieter than the 3-hour 15-minute trek after the club lost the first 2 games in Chicago.
The plus factor, is that Game 6 is in the Saddledome on Monday where the Flames won games 3 and 4.
Captain Jarome Iginla, who generally is at the top of his game in the big one’s, wasn’t. He had plenty of company.
While injured players Craig Conroy, Rene Bourque and Daymond Langkow all played, defense ace Dion Phaneuf was injured in the 3rd period on a hit from Troy Brouwer and didn’t finish. The extent and location of injury not known.
Miikka Kiprusoff didn’t finish the game either. Starting in his 81st game of the season, the goalie from Finland was pulled after the 4th goal in the 2nd period.
Click here to subscribe to Maher's blog
