It's funny that with 30 teams and seven months the schedule maker (be it man or machine) just can't seem to get away from those dastardly back-to-back games. Today marks the second time the Flames have flown into Chicago on the back end of a B2B, which is especially cruel considering the Hawks might be the best home team in the league right now.
I don't now what the percentages are, but Im guessing playing a tired opponent at home represents a significant advantage in the NHL. Im sure everything balances out in the end to a certain degree, but you would think the league would try to avoid conferring such an advantage on one team over another as much as possible. Oh well.
As such, I think the party ends today. The Flames were pretty fortunate to escape with a regulation win in Nashville on Saturday by my estimation, and today they'll be playing a vastly superior opponent through tougher circumstances. That and the Hawks seem to have the Flames number whatever the situation...
I was glad for the 5th straight win yesterday, but was dismayed to see Jarome go back into hibernation. The apparently faulty assumption that Iginla is going to "wake up" and put together a string of dominant performances needs to be put to bed I think. Like the recent game against Minnesota (and totally unlike the contest against the Oil), Jarome was outscored by a nominal checking line and basically a non-entity otherwise. He didn't even manage a shot on goal, despite some 5+ minutes on the PP. Conroy and Lombardi were shuffled through the first line with Cammalleri and Jarome, but it didn't make a lick of difference. I believe Langkow could do a world of good on the first line, but he's stuck taking care of Bert on the 2nd scoring unit. We should therefore prepare ourselves for a season marked by feasts and famines out of the captain, at least if the pattern from the first 35+ games holds.
Prediction - Hawks 5, Flames 2. Conroy and Giordano for Calgary. Kane (2), Toews, Campbell and Brouwer for Chicago.
