Its becoming the rites of autumn, the Flames starting their season against the Vancouver Canucks.

  When the clubs hit the ice Thursday at the Saddledome it’ll be the second straight campaign the Flames have commenced a season  vs gthe Canucks and the 4th time 6 years. The 8th time in total.

  …And the Flames need to change the outcome.  They lost all four recent season openers to the Canucks. In fact, the Flames are attempting to end a 6-game losing streak in first games of the season. The last win was 1-0 triumph over Edmonton in 2001.  That was so long ago the Flame shutout winning goalie was Roman Turek.

  Thursday, Miikka Kiprusoff makes his 5th straight opening night assignments. Only Mike Vernon has more with 8.  Kiprusoff is looking for his first win in a curtain riser.

   Kipper’s goals against average has gone up and his save percentage has gone down every season since his Vezina Trophy campaign of 2005-06 despite being the NHL’s winningest goalie over the 3-year span.

  The guessing on Kiprusoff ending his first game losing streak tonight is good considering its just the second at home.  Its virtually a guarantee his goals against average will go down and his save percentage go up.

  If that doesn’t happen you can be sure new head coach Brent Sutter will be angry a a number of players.  Sutter’s preaches defense first and with it the offense will come.

  The biggest question I hear from fans about the Flames is, “Do they have enough scoring?”

  The quiery is sparked by the departure of 39-goal man Mike Cammalleri and 17-goal man Todd Bertuzzi.

  To start with this year’s edition won’t have to score as much.  If the Flames knock 25 goals off from last year’s 262 total, they have an NHL top 5 GAA. 

  Plus it would be roughly 20-25 goals they won’t need to score to win games.

  Offensively, Ollie Jokinen is here for a full season. His goals total is always around the 30-35 range. If Jarome Iginla get back to 45 goals, Cammalleri’s total is surpassed.  Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has scored 15 goals the past 2 seasons. If he does it again and Dion Phaneuf gets two more goals than he did in ’08-9, the 2 defenseman would erase Bertuzzi’s total.

  Plus, there a few other forwards from last year’s team that should improve their goal totals. Like Daymond Langkow, Eric Nystrom, Dustin Boyd and even Curtis Glencross.  Plus, newcomer Nigel Dawes as the potential to score in the 15-20 goal range.

  It all adds to this year’s squad being better than the 2008-09 crew. The Canucks and Flames should engage in a hot fiight for first place in the NW Division.  Going in, San Jose is the only team in the West with a better team on paper.

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