Color me wrong.
In my third last blog, after the Flames were shutout 1-0 by Nashville at the Saddledome on Jan. 15 in the headline, which I wrote, screamed “After Hitting ‘Rock Bottom’ …What Next?”
The blog suggested that after have their goal production in successive games regress from 3,2,1,0 the Flames had bottomed out. Wrong. The next game was a 5-4 loss at Anaheim then trounced 9-1 in San Jose.
The shutout to the Preds aside, Monday marked the 4th time the Flames had been badly humbled in a game.
What next? The team which humbled them in 2 of those, Chicago Blackhawks.
Depending which day it is the Hawks are either the NHL’s #1 or #2 team. Almost daily they reverse with San Jose.
Checking out the Flames game-by-game log this season, it shows that the Flames have rebounded well from the earlier embarrassments, but not long term.
On Oct. 12 in Chicago it was the infamous game when the Flames grabbed a 5-0 lead 1st period lead only to loss 6-5 in OT, Still smarting, the Flames played the next night in Columbus losing 2-1. After getting the next 2 days off Brent Sutter’s skaters ran off a 3-game winning streak pus wins in 8 of 11.
On Nov. 19, this time at home, the Flames faced the Hawks again and were hammered 7-1, the worst loss of the season until Monday. Calgary would then win 5 of the next 6.
In the first assignment after Xmas, at home against Vancouver in a big division battle, a 5-1 battering.
Again the Flames, dried themselves off, got up and won the next 5 games, their longest winning streak of the season. Again a slip – 1 win in the last 8 games.
Now, a shot at redemption again. Can the Flames rebound as they down the last 3 times after being trambled or will it be a 3rd embarrassment at the hands of the Hawks?
The legion of Flames followers await the answer. With 32 games remaining a winning consistentcy is necessary.
Click here to subscribe to Maher's blog
