There have been multiple, competing narratives running through the Calgary Flames young season.
One of them is the domination of the Colorado Avalanche. The Flames took the first three matches of the year, including Tuesday's 4-1 curb-stomping.
Another is the team's futility away from home, a familiar theme to anyone that suffered through the Jim Playfair era. Thus far, Calgary is an ankle-grabbing 3-6-0 on the road - an away record that just happens to be the worst in the entire NW Division. During their last couple of excursions abroad, the local heroes have had their teeth kicked in, to the tune of being outscored 12-2.
So who shows up this evening? The Flames squad that embarrassed the Avalanche just two nights ago or the team that fell to the Blackhawks and Sharks like eminently slaugterable lambs?
Hard to say, really. Calgary has been bad on the road for a couple of reasons:
1.) Exploitable match-ups. When Keenan doesn't have last change, he moves Conroy up with Iginla and things go to hell. In addition, it's tougher to get Boyd and Moss out against the lesser lights whom they so readily exploit.
2.) Illness/fatigue. Calgary began the year in Vancouver with a couple of players recovering from the flu. Word is, a number of the guys were again afflicted during the recent debacles in Chicago and San Jose.
If factor #1 carries more weight, then the potential for a loss tonight increases. If #2 then the chances for a win go up (assuming everyone is healthy now).
Things to watch for:
- Calgary will probably continue to trap like the Wild, based on how effective it proved previously.
- Will the new lines/match-ups remain? Keenan moved Aucoin up with Regehr last game and had Cammalleri/Boyd/Bourque as a second line. I still don't like Bertuzzi playing with Iginla so much, but it seems "Sore Thumb" is going to be fixture in the top 6 until he gets hurt.
As for Aucoin in the first pairing - the old plow-horse had himself a good game there on Tuesday, but I wouldn't bet on that happening again. Based on his work the last 3 seasons or so, that nice night is likely to be an aberration.
- Grantao will be looking to get the Avs currently anemic offense going. That means Stastny, Smyth and Hejduk will probably see as much time as possible against the Flames 2nd and 3rd lines.
- Count how many times Todd Bertuzzi makes some sort of backhand pass. Turn it into a drinking game if you're so inclined:
drink for: any ol' backhand pass
drink again if: it's in the offensive zone
drink again, again if: it's blind, weak, easily intercepted or to no one in particular
Guaranteed to get you RIPPED.
Prediction - The Avs will be looking to get even. If Kipper is average, the Flames will fall in this one.
Avs 4, Calgary 3. Stastny, Hejduk, Leopold and Hensick for Colorado. Boyd, Langkow and Phaneuf for the Flames.
