Budaj Nearly Steals One From Flames
Posted 1:50 AM ET | Comments 12
After their 6-1 embarrassment at the hands of the Sharks on Thursday, the Flames really couldn't have delivered a better birthday present to this blogger. In their most impressive effort yet, they fired 51 (!) shots at Peter Budaj, who preserved the game until Adrian Aucoin's game winning goal 12:28 into the 3rd. The final score was 4-1, a score far too generous to the Avs.
If the Avs had stolen this game, it would have been both because of Peter Budaj, and because of the Flames' ineptitude on the power play. 1 for 8, with the one marker being a garbage goal by David Moss (great to see him finally score one though) that came AFTER Jarome Iginla's empty netter. No matter how good the Flames look, the powerplay still looks awful.
As close as Colorado came, though, the Flames lack of luck this game also made it closer than it actually was. From Curtis Glencross hitting the inside of the post from center ice at the end of the first period (which, coincidentally, helped spark Budaj) to a ridiculous amount of missed shots. The game was basically the polar opposite of the game against San Jose.
Everyone who reads my blog knows my new policy is to not say that particular games are "huge", "momentum building" or any other optimistic buzzwords and phrases. But I can't help but be happy with this dominance which caps off my 18th birthday. Looking long term, the fact that the Flames have now earned at least a season series tie with a divisional foe they had a lot of trouble with last year is a positive sign. Next up, the Flames go to Colorado for a rematch with the Avs on Wednesday, followed by a visit from the Wings on Saturday. It might be a crash down to reality, who knows. All I know is that just as you can't say much about a 6-1 pounding, you can't say much about a 4-1 win that might as well have been 6-1.
~SKR
If the Avs had stolen this game, it would have been both because of Peter Budaj, and because of the Flames' ineptitude on the power play. 1 for 8, with the one marker being a garbage goal by David Moss (great to see him finally score one though) that came AFTER Jarome Iginla's empty netter. No matter how good the Flames look, the powerplay still looks awful.
As close as Colorado came, though, the Flames lack of luck this game also made it closer than it actually was. From Curtis Glencross hitting the inside of the post from center ice at the end of the first period (which, coincidentally, helped spark Budaj) to a ridiculous amount of missed shots. The game was basically the polar opposite of the game against San Jose.
Everyone who reads my blog knows my new policy is to not say that particular games are "huge", "momentum building" or any other optimistic buzzwords and phrases. But I can't help but be happy with this dominance which caps off my 18th birthday. Looking long term, the fact that the Flames have now earned at least a season series tie with a divisional foe they had a lot of trouble with last year is a positive sign. Next up, the Flames go to Colorado for a rematch with the Avs on Wednesday, followed by a visit from the Wings on Saturday. It might be a crash down to reality, who knows. All I know is that just as you can't say much about a 6-1 pounding, you can't say much about a 4-1 win that might as well have been 6-1.
~SKR
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17 Flames Beat Wild - With Habs Assistant GM Watching.
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23 The Phaneuf Questions; Flames Learning To Win Without Iggy
31 Flames Get Character Win v. SJ; PHANEUF RE-SIGNING IMMINENT
17 Flames Beat Wild - With Habs Assistant GM Watching.
19 Flames Stomp Kings; Potential Dilemma: Tanguay AND Huselius?
23 The Phaneuf Questions; Flames Learning To Win Without Iggy
31 Flames Get Character Win v. SJ; PHANEUF RE-SIGNING IMMINENT
02 Risk And Reward: Evaluating Potential Top Line Centers
05 Flames Put Up Pitiful Performance; Drilled By Oilers
06 Flames Come Back From 3 Down, Get Huge Win Over 'Yotes
08 Flames Can't Break Down Bulin Wall, Lose 3-1 To Blackhawks
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13 Kiprusoff, Phaneuf, Iginla Beat Sharks 4-3 In OT
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23 Flames Beat Wings; Why The Flames Shouldn't Trade Tanguay
26 Sutter Stands Pat, And Other Post-Deadline Thoughts.
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06 Flames Come Back From 3 Down, Get Huge Win Over 'Yotes
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23 Flames Beat Wings; Why The Flames Shouldn't Trade Tanguay
26 Sutter Stands Pat, And Other Post-Deadline Thoughts.
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18 Another Road Disaster; Flames Don't Deserve The Playoffs
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26 Flames Get Win No. 40 In Style Over Canucks, Take Lead In NW
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11 Penalty Peril: Sharks Tie Series With Shutout Of Flames
14 Flames Rally From 3 Down To Take 2-1 Lead; Cujo Or Kipper?
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18 On The Ropes Heading Home: Sharks Take 3-2 Lead Off 4-3 Win
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18 and you still found time to write, that my friend is commitment!! The pp was (please pick one or more) awful/dreadful/embarrasing/deplorable/bush league... I have a hard time remembering when they made three or more passes with an extra man. They don't move! It's extremely easy for the D to anticipate the puck movement if you don't move!!Aside from that they did dominate, the Avs are clearly lacking Sakic and even though Budaj stopped a lot he actually didn't look good! This should have been a huge blow out so I'm actually a bit disappointed.
WOW what game! We took it to Colorado the way teh Sharks took it to us. They simply didn't have an answer to anything. Big Bert was a machine last night. If he had scored on that shot from between the legs it would have been the goal of the year.The Power play was bad. Something is missing there and I can't place it. It's very much out of rythm though.Kipper was solid. The shots were unreal. Cudos to Colorado for their shot blocks. it was over 90 shots directed at net and only 51 made it through.All Mighty Oil- Why would you come onto a blog about a great team effort the night before and throw out some negative stat at us? Lets have a look at minus 1 for the season for a second, considering we have one of highest shots on goal and goals against in the league right now, not so much from poor defence by defenceman but from the forwards not backchecking is a minus one for a player that plays 30 plus minutes a game that bad? Plus minus is affected by everyone on the ice at the time that a goal goes in.
Great blog and happy b-day!It's great that Boods showed up to play last night. Too bad nobody else on the Avs did.The Flames beat us bad, and the score should have been 10-1 at least.
All I meant was to pick on Phaneuf for a minus one doesn't seem to be fair to him. True his defensive game has been lacking but it has been a team problem with defence. I do not think that he is a Norris lock this year at all. I don't think he should even be nominated. If I were to pick our best d man that should get Norris consideration it would be Regehr but that won't happen because he doesn't put up offensive numbers! Go take a pill.
Ive deleeted all mighty oil's posts and will continue to do so in future. Please ignore him, he's one of the worst trolls on the site.
Also saneopinion: I concur regarding the PP...they just don't pass fast enough. I was pleased to hear some "fire Preston" chants in my section
...also, they stand around a lot... they need to watch tape of the WILD and the RED WINGS ... the unbelievable thing is that we are ranked 8th in the league right now ...
Great blog Kaspar - can't believe you're only 18 - keep it up!
Anyone know what's up with Lombardi?
Shoulder injury still. Though I still prefer Boyd to him anyway so I don't care
Who's Lombardi?
Lombo is very close I watched them at the practice before the Avs games he still winces when he shoots but I think he will be very close