I liked that! Wow this team is looking like.... a team. Whatever was said after the awful San Jose game it worked as this team is now defensive minded first and scores on bursts of energy from mistakes or turn overs.
I voted for #28. He was everywhere just crushing the sisters.
I think I have to wear the flaming C around town tomorrow, should upset the locals.
Same here, Reggie was fantastic. Great play by the entire team and I love the commitment on Defense. Kipper getting the job done when he needed to and it's a shame Wellwood stole his shutout. Oh well. I though our 3 top lines were great. GlenX was fantastic on the PK.
Regehr played awesome. I loved his hit at the end on the Sedin and it looked like he took it to Pyatt. Love watching these Flames and Nucks games and it's a shame that there's only two games left between these teams.
Another great effort all around and a sweep of the Canucks in a back-to-back series. What's not to like about that?
The face-off percentage is the only real flaw that comes to mind. Beside that, it was a pretty good game by the whole team, yet I have to give special praise to Robyn Regehr, who owned the Sedins!
Third Period
Continued solid defensive play the most part this period. The Flames clogged the neutral zone very effectively again, and kept the Sedins from doing anything. The forecheck of Iggy was outstanding. All period he was stealing pucks and creating solid offensive chances. And again the fourth line continued to be one of the mainstays of excellence, the the second line created and capitalized on scoring chances, and everyone on the ice skated and played smart.
The penalty kill was, as we have come to expect, picture perfect. In no small part to the stellar play of Robyn Regher. He was in front of ever shot, hitting everything that touched his puk, and generally being every Flame all at once, by himself! More on Regher in a second. The powerplay was much improved, if not exactly successful. They were passing much better, and the offensive zone puck possession was actually strong for the first time on the PP this game.
Back to Robyn. He was the reason the Sedins could get nothing going. As a matter of fact that final hit where he absolutely LEVELED H. Sedin was a thing of extreme beauty. I cheered louder for that than I did for all the goals combined. I asked for them to get shut down, and Robyn answered, and with clarity and authority!
Overall Impressions
The Flames came to win and never really let up. The last six games, this one included, they have shown themselves to be the definition of consistent defensive play. Tonight was no different. They shut down the Canucks, and kept them from creating any momentum, or any real speed.
Every player seems to understand that they all are responsible in the defensive zone and it shows. Everyone from the forwards right down to Miikka are playing the system, and everyone is playing it well. Continued success will depend on the Flames keeping this exact type of play up. And I have to admit, I’m starting to get very excited for this team’s chances this season.
What a huge Home and Home this has been. We now stand one point back of the Northwest Division, and I am fully expecting the boys to bring us into the Fabled First place within a game or two. What a great time to be one of the Devout!!
Three Stars By Me
1. Robyn Regher
2. Jarome Iginla
3. Miikka Kiprusoff
The one thing that's impressed me the most about the Flames in these past two games is discipline. They didn't let the Canucks pests get to them and bait them into taking undisciplined penalties. They instead stuck to their plan, committed to defence and got the job done.
That was a solid team effort. If I had to give a game MVP, I'd vote for Regehr, but I won't. The MVP goes to the entire team. Complete team effort tonight.
If Luongo were in goal, that Moss goal would NEVER have happened.
So yes we would have won, just by 2-1, not 3-1.
Went to this game, it was something BRILLIANT. I like Glencross especially, that kid has so much confidence, and everytime I saw him he was doing something productive. So I'm gonna go against all you guys and vote Glencross for MVP tonight, even though Regehr was outstanding as well.
Lanny'sDaMan I appreciate your period by period piece, props, keep up the good work. I was working so I couldn't watch the game, but sounds like the flames played solid. Kipper and the team survived their usual horrid start, now let's hope they can avoid dropping their pants at the end of the season and find some consistency.
I didn't get to watch the game but from what I've read and the highlights I saw, it was great.
My vote goes to Robyn for the hit, the beat up (that's what it looked like, he was swinging without mercy ) and from what people have said, a solid game!
Outside observer here-watching the game last night up to the third- while the announcers seemed to be going on about Schneider like he was the Roy or Roberto, I kept "saying yeah, but the measure of a goalie isn't just about not letting in a goal, it's his confidence AFTER he lets in the first goal". Did his confidence seem to take a hit the rest of the game after that first goal(I'd be tempted to say yes seeing the final score)?
