Game Review: Roast Duck

Another list-o-accomplishments post...

- Kipper with his league best 9th shut-out and 41st win. Did someone say Vezina?

- Kristian Huselius becomes the Flame's 4th 20 goal scorer this season.

- Langkow and Iginla combine to set a new club record for fastest goal to start a period (5 seconds).

- Andrew Ference! +2!

- Pierce the 100 point mark for the first time...since...well, awhile.

- Only a single point away from clinching the NW division.

- Edmonton loses again.

I know the last item isn't a Calgary Flames accomplishment. But it's funny.

Anyone who watched the game last night may have been asleep for the start of the 3rd period...that's how blandly, unentertaining the contest was till that point. However, those poor souls who were, in fact, napping, missed the fantastic 30 second sequence where Iginla suddenly awoke, buried the Ducks, and then went back into cruise mode. This single shift spared him from being listed in today's "negatives" section.

Aside from that, the Flames had a pretty anti-septic outing. Few scoring chances were afforded the Ducks, and those nominal few that slipped by were denied by Kipper. Warrener made a big impact (excuse the pun) in his return, hammering a number of hapless Ducks to the ice through-out the game. He also matched up well with Giordano who continues to fight for a roster spot.

As a brief aside, I gotta say I wouldn't be terribly distressed if Calgary met Anaheim in the play-offs. While they have been extremely hot lately and have some stellar players in Niedermayer and Selanne, I just don't think they have enough depth (particularly on the blueline) to compete in a 7 game series with the Flames. Consider that, after Niedermayer, Anahiem boasts names like "Beauchemin", "DiPenta" and "O'Donnell" on the back-end. Salei and Vishnevski might be 5th and 6th defensemen on Calgary's roster. Further, even a JS Giguere renaissance a la 2003 may not be enough to match Kiprusoff the way he's played this year.

Yup, bring on the Ducks. Or the Avs. Or Detroit. Or whoever (besides Dallas, of course)...

Positives:

- Another 3 goal margin? Im starting to feel spoiled.

- Kipper. No explanation needed.

- Jarome Iginla. Iggy went from "inert" to "fiery" suddenly in the 3rd. Great pass to set-up Huselius' marker.

- Damond Langkow. Big 3 point night. Best Calgary forward all around against the Ducks.

- Rhett Warrener. Looked both comfortable and hungry to play last night. Glad to have him back.

- Penalty Kill. Perfect on the evening.

- No one else got injured.

Negatives:

- Not a lot to complain about in this one. The first 2 periods were decidedly lack luster, but largely error-free as well.

Next up, the Flames can claim the division by downing the Avs (I hope Theodore's in net)!