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After leaving frosty Calgary and its -25 degree weather with snow on the ground and more on the way, it felt balmy for the Flames as they arrived late Saturday afternoon in Denver.
There no snow on the ground and none on the radar for at least a week. With tempertures hovering around +10c the squad walked ralaxing around city streets.
Sunday it’s all business as the Flames face the Colorado Avalanche in a battle for first place in the NW Div. Both teams have 42 points as they enter the contest
It’s the 2nd time this season the Flames and Avs have clashed with both having the same number of points. The Flames lost the first time at home 3-2 on Nov. 17. Since then the two squads have been taking turns holding the division leadership.
The Avs also won an earlier confrontation in Calgary by a similar 3-2 tally on Oct. 24.
At the season’s outset Brent Sutter felt the Flames would be engaged in alot of 3-2 and 2-1 games.
…And they have been. Those have been the scores in 12 of the first 31 matches. To Sutter’s chagrin his boys haven’t won nearly as often as he’d like. The Flames have won just 4 of 12 contests. They have a recoprd of 1-3 in 3-2 games and 3 of 8 when the scored ends 2-1. In fact 4 of the last 5 games have been 2-1 battles with the Flames losing 3 of them including Friday home game vs Minnesota.
In all, the Flames have been involved in 18 one-goal games with a 9-5-4 record. They have more success in the higher scoring affairs. While the coach likes those wins he knows that for ultimate success they need to do better in the lower scoring contests.
Who knows what Sunday will bring. It pits the NHL’s top road team, the Flames, against a Colorado team that has won just 2 of its last 6 at home.
The weather will be on the plus side Sunday, the Flames want a plus on the scoreboard and in the standings.
