Flames Lose 4-3, Moral Victory
By Joe
The Flames were trying to double their previous win streak in the 2012-13 season but were stopped in its tracks by the Preds’. Nashville didn’t exactly “stack” their lineup much like the Flames. It was quite obvious both teams were nowhere near a playoff position and were either tanking intentionally or giving some young guys NHL experience. Most likely the latter.
This was the best game all season. For one, we lost. Nothing better than securing a high draft pick after a brutal season. Number two, we gave those young guys experience. No one truly knows how much one game, even one shift does to a rookie except that player. He’s more confident. Put yourself in Cundari’s shoes, Bancks’ shoes, Aliu’s shoes. Knowing that your organization trusts you and has confidence in you that you can impact the team means a lot. Those players will work twice as hard in the offseason to try to make the NHL roster. Everyone knows that making it is just the beginning. Once you make it, you have to put even more effort to keep your role. Next year, the Flames won’t win the Cup or the division. Calgary won’t even make the playoffs. It’ll be another season similar to this year without the drama of Kiprusoff, Iginla and Bouwmeester. The roster will consist of 25 guys that no one outside of Alberta has ever heard of. It’ll be a young team but they will be the hardest working team in the NHL. It’s a bit cliché but it’s 100% true.
Back to the game — the Flames were completely outplayed and got beat 4-3 to the Nashville Predators. T.J. Brodie scored the first of the game with assists from Paul Byron and Mark Cundari. At the end of the first period the score was tied 1-1. On a great heads-up play by Sven Baertschi, Roman Cervenka scored on a breakaway sniping Pekka Rinne. Baertschi back-handed it out of the Flames zone and the puck hoped right over a Predators’ stick. The puck then landed on Cervenka’s stick who was lazily back-checking in the neutral zone. Three unanswered Nashville goals made the score 4-2 in favor of the Predators. A second goal from Cervenka late in the third period was all the Flames could produce.
There was no offense whatsoever by the Flames. Calgary posted just three shots in the third period! That is a bit ridiculous.
Unlike the prediction, Kiprusoff did not stand on his head; more like his feet. He saved 25 of 28 and diminished his record to 8-14-2.
Calgary continues the road trip on Thursday as the Flames are in St. Louis to take on Jay Bouwmeester and the Blues who are headed to the playoffs!