Anaheim Ducks right wing Kyle Palmieri (21) scored the game winner versus our Calgary Flames. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
With 15.8 seconds remaining in the 2nd period, 5’11” Kyle Palmieri of the Anaheim Ducks squirted around 6’2″ Calgary Flames defenseman Deryk Engelland and from his bum flipped the puck toward the Flames net. So many times this season Calgary Flames goaltender Jonas Hiller has made highlight reel saves but letting that weak shot by Palmieri may earn him the TSN “Worst Play of the Day.” That goal made it 3-0 Anaheim and the Ducks would hold on to win 3-2.
The worst part of the loss is the fact that the Calgary Flames again arrived late to the game. For the 3rd straight game the Calgary Flames allowed a goal before the 5 minute mark of the 1st period. Even in a hockey hotbed like Calgary, fans are still finding their seats five minutes into the game. Sadly it seemed like a foregone conclusion that our Flames would fall behind 2-0 for a fourth straight game and they did.
I understand the Flames had won 2 of the 3 previous game despite spotting the opponent a two goal lead but the mantra of “they can’t take the wins away from us” has already treaded its last mile with me. The whole “never give up” thing the Flames earned last season while seemingly playing every game to a goal win or loss – – why does this year’s edition seem to believe it has to be a two goal deficit for that mantra to be trotted out?
On a less angry note, Johnny Gaudreau was strutting his Calder Trophy attributes in the 1st and 3rd period of the game (a giveaway in the 2nd period by Gaudreau that would have got Sven Baertschi benched the rest of the game is the reason the period is excluded). Gaudreau’s ability to skate the puck into the zone while dragging you from a comfy spot on your couch to the edge of the your seat will garner him many votes in the Rookie of the Year race. His ability to find an open man and create the room necessary to find the open man makes it always easy to spot #13 on the ice. The disallowed “kicking” goal was not argued by the Flames so I’m going with the assumption that the Johnny Hockey could not fight the natural instinct to direct the puck into the net with whatever part of his body was available.
Speaking of Sven Baertschi, every time I saw him he was doing something positive. Baertschi played exactly 57 seconds more than Brandon Bollig. That’s not good!! What is good though is that the 3rd line, which consists of all players that have since passed Sven Baertschi on the Calgary depth chart all had good games. Those three players are:
- Michael Ferland – – Played a gritty game and was always around the Anaheim game.
- Josh Jooris – – plays the game like the 24 year old he is and not the rookie he is
- Paul Byron – – you forget he is only 5’7″
It’s now off to San Jose with two simple items on the agenda that should lead to a win:
- Score first
- Do not allow a “soft goal” against