Funny what a difference a week makes in the ol’ NHL, even for the local hockey heroes 7 days has made a difference. While no one is quite ready to compare the Flames to the Detroit Red Wings of this past June but they have done a lot to distance themselves from the first 10 days of the season. A number of factors have played a big role in Calgary finding their gear.
The Captain – Today named 1st star in the NHL after leading all scorers with 5 goals and 2 assists, but it was in the two road games where the guy who was runner up for the Hart Trophy last year showed up. Down and out in Nashville mid way through period number 2, Iginla picked up his team and carried them on his back, he was double and times triple shifted but he was the reason the Flames took two points on that night. Saturday it might have been the quietest 3 point night, but again the Captain left his mark in that win as well.
The Goalie – Miikka looked really good last week giving up just 5 goals in the 3 games, he was very strong in all 9 periods even in Nashville in the 2nd where the Pred’s scored 3 in 2:28, he made a couple of stops that kept it from going to 4-0. In each and every one of those games he made a save that he wouldn’t have made a week ago and certainly is playing with confidence.
The D-Man, Dion Phaneuf has played a much more controlled game, much better in his own end, and he is far more composed on the ice. 2nd in the league right now for average time spent on the ice during the game. He would tell you and think most of us would agree that he still has plenty of work to do in his own end, but he was better last week then in the first week.
The 3rd and 4th Line’s – If you have listened to overtime you have heard me talk about the need for this team to have some sort of threat coming from its 3rd and 4th line I think they had it this last week. Wayne Primeau has played some of his most inspired hockey as a Flame and made a great play to allow Brandon Prust to score his first ever NHL goal on Saturday. While Mike Keenan still mix’s his lines up a lot its still evident that Calgary won’t have to rely on number 12 for all of its offensive chances.
All in all a good week for the Flames, but which is the real Flames the one that played the first 10 days of the season or the one that played the last 7. It is probably some where in the middle right now, but you hope that as the season wears on you hope they become more and more like the one form the last 3 games.
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What worries me about the last week is, we still seem to be in the position that if Iggy does not score we do not win. While he is our #1 and is expected to score. It bothers me that if he has a bad night, the team most likely won’t.
It seems that Kipper is getting warmed up and has improved his positioning.
But no gloom here….( until next week ) Go Flames Go
- conradAs a follow up look at the Colorado game. Iggy has no points, that’s what will make this team successful, when Iggy has no points, other chip in for 3 goals.
- Jeremy