Gamethread #3 – Hawks @ Flames

Enjoy the injection of fanciful sentimentality and can-do-ism below? Great…

But now we're back to the real stuff. Flames are down by 2 to a club they haven't once beat this season – or even scored more than 2 goals on. Regehr and Sarich are still injured and the PP, while no longer oh-fer, still has all the poise and organization of gaggle of toddlers at recess. 

To air a dreadful cliche, this is a must win game – that is, if the Flames have any designs of coming back in this series. Or at least squeezing one more home date out of the first round for their owners, who spent a lot of money on this 5th placed roster this season. They probably owe them that at least. On the other hand, if a contingent in the dressing is working on getting Keenan ousted, this would be an ideal game to throw…

Good news:

– Word from practice this morning is that Patrick Kane is a "game-time decision". Kane hasn't been Toews or Havlat good so far, but he is a significant cog in the Hawks offensive machine. His absence could only help Calgary's cause.

– Mike Keenan was seen running with these lines today:

Bork – Old man – Jarmoe

Squid – The Chin – Sore Thumb

Glengarry Glencross – No-lli Score-nin – Mo(N)sster*

Pluggers

Which closely matches my own thoughts on the matter. Here's hoping Keenan sticks with them for more than 5 shifts.

*(nicknames used to amuse long time readers and confuse passing enemy fans).

Bad News:

This might actually be good news, depending on how Keenan deploys ol' Bubba. Of course, since Iron Mike can't seem to contain himself when Anders is in the line-up, I wouldn't count on it. Twelve minutes of Eriksson against nobodies = good. 20 minutes against anything better than nobodies = trouble. 

– Also, looks like Lundmark is the odd man out tonight. That sucks for a guy who had really proven to be a useful player down the stretch for this club. If there was any justice, Bertuzzi would be the healthy scratch this evening.

by Kent Wilson