A couple of slumping division leaders meet tonight. Atlanta has lost 5 of 6 and Calgary has lost it's last 4 (2 of which were against Chicago and Columbus. EWW!).
The true key to tonight's game may just end up being Jarome Iginla. If the captain can right the ship in terms of his own performance, I don't think the rest of the team will be too far behind.
As Matt notes in his pregame, Atlanta probably has the most one dimensional attack in the league. Hossa and Kovalchuk are bona fide superstars (I got them both in my hockey pool), and Kozlov is a decent support player, but the rest...? Consider that Ilya was playing on a line with Jon Sim and Glen Metropolit against the Oil. That's a 40 goal scorer with 2 players that can't even make Calgary's roster. Then Hartley had Hossa with Belanger and...uh...
you get the idea. The best method to beat Atlanta is, simply, stop Kovalchuk and Hossa. No more, no less. Their defence isn't going to win them games nor is their goaltending. And they have worse special teams than Calgary. If you can adequately contain 2 players, you can prevail.
Course, the Flames couldn't have contained a comatose sloth on Sunday, so it all depends if we actually see the "real" Calgary Flames or not. My bet is - yes. Surely they can't be that bad twice in a row. Especially now that they're back home. Surely?
4-2 Calgary victory. Iginla, Langkow, Lombo and Amonte for the Flames. Hossa (2) for Atlanta.
GO FLAMES!
