Cripple the Quackers

Chance for the Flames to deal a crippling blow to the Ducks tonight. I would be pretty damn happy if the boys somehow managed to go up by two games. I was initially hoping for a split coming out of the Duck Pond - but now Im hungry for a road sweep. It would increase the probability that Calgary could end the series relatively quickly and rest before heading into the next round.

I guess Im counting chickens before they hatch. Calgary still needs to win 2 games against what is (and will be) a fast, hungry and determined foe. Anaheim will be particularly grumpy tonight: the Flames embarassed them on home ice and put one of their teammates in the hospital. That's a lot of potential motivation. Not to mention the whole "falling 2 games behind" thing.

Yeah, the Duck's are gonna be fired up this evening. The key(s) to victory will no doubt be weathering the early storm, playing disciplined and continuing to take advantage of powerplays. A big game by our superstars, Iginla and Kiprusoff, will also be a much needed ingredient for a Flames win. Neither Iggy nor Kipper have been particularly sublime the last two matches, so they may be due.

On a general hockey note, it will be interesting to see what adjustments Carlyle has made to his team, specifically the penalty-kill. After watching Huselius dipsy-doodle his way to 3 points from the half-boards last game, you gotta think the Duck's will want to shift their focus that-a-way. Of course, does that mean a shift back to the original Flame's PP strategy? It sure is nice to have the option, that's for sure.

It's also been whispered on local radio shows that JS Giguere will be manning the Anaheim nets tonight.

And I have no problem with that at all.

So far, JS has surrendered 8 goals to our "pop-gun" offense in only 2 contests. He certainly hasn't shown the form that lead the Ducks to the finals 2 seasons ago yet in this series (in fact, he hasn't really show it at any given point since), so I think it's safe to declare that the Flame's have the surperior goaltending in this match-up. If Calgary can continue to squeeze a questionable goal or two out of Giguere while playing smart hockey in their own end of the rink (read: no half dozen odd-man rushes), the chances of winning tonight's game, and the series, are very, very good.