Calgary Flames Fall Again To Phoenix Coyotes In Extra Time
By Cait Platt
As Curtis Glencross and Derek Smith returns to the ice for the first time in 13 games (January 18th), the Calgary Flames didn’t get the spark they need to launch themselves into a more secure playoff position against the Phoenix Coyotes.
At the 12:25 mark, you can see Jarome Iginla start his attack on the Phoenix Coyotes’ Mike Smith. But Iginla was not the only one attacking the goal. Shane Doan responded with a one timer that led to an echoing ping as he hit the post. But Alex Tanguay makes sure the Flames get on the board first with a booming unassisted slap shot at 8:35. And at 4:22, a wrist shot from Matt Stajan made it 2-0, as Alex Tanguay and Tom Kostopoulos feed him the puck. Flames closed out the 1st period with a 2-0 lead and a fire under them that was missing in the game against the Edmonton Oilers.
During the 1st intermission, the Coyotes broadcast had an interview with Glencross on the practices post-Oilers’ loss. He said what I’ve been saying for so long, they had to return to the basics. The grinding simple style of hockey, not the “run and gun” style they tried to play, is what the Flames are the best at during a game.
That fire we saw in the 1st, completely gone. The Coyotes dominated the entire 2nd period. Luck turned against the Flames at 18:28 in the second when Daymond Langcow snapped one past Miikka Kiprusoff with an assist from Ray Whitney and Mikkel Boedker. Glencross needed to take the shot, instead he hesitated and Coyotes gained control long enough to score. The Flames had a sad and pathetic PP that prompted my father to say “Oh, I forgot they were on the power play”. And at 2:52, Coyotes tie up the game. To say the second and first periods were completely different games is an understatement. Second period echoed the same tone the Flames set during the Oilers game and the difference between tonight and that game? The Coyotes are a better team. 6-1 could easily be 12-2 with the Coyotes.
9:33 in the 3rd the Coyotes take the lead with a break away by Ray Whitney. If this doesn’t echo the problems the Flames had two weeks ago against the Coyotes… How do you let Whitney go on a breakaway? Scott Hannan, how do you forget to move? With a terrible third, 1:46 was a moment of hope as Olli Jokinen scooped up Iginla’s rebound and got it past Smith.
Overtime was filled with near misses and the game came down to a shoot out. With Whitney making the only goal in the shoot out (Jokenin, Tangs, and Iggy missing) well it was an uneventful shoot out really with the only truly impressive save coming from Kipper as he poked the puck off of Radim Vbrata’s stick at the last moment.
Truthfully, the Flames should have walked away with two points tonight, had they not shut down in the 2nd and 3rd and reverted back to the terrible play they had against the Oilers.
Don’t forget, puck drops again Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Dome.
Go Flames Go!