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Game Preview #75
I am still choked about last night’s game against the Ducks but I am trying to put it behind me. It is almost better to lose 3-0 than to come back and lose it in OT. With a Ducks' power play goal to tie the game on what has to be considered a pretty soft call.
Anyway, onto tonight and again our most typed words in Flames game previews continues "Must Win" but now the Flames are on the verge of putting up a sign to other teams that says "Need Help"
If the Flames had not taken at least a single point last night I would be utterly grim but there still is the potential for them to come back with 4 out of 6 points from this trip and that may be enough. We need a clean win against the Kings tonight.
Confession time,
I am a personal supporter of the Kings, they have just always been one of those teams I had a soft spot for since the 70s but regardless the gloves are off tonight. The Flames have offensive flair on their side and provided they come awake this time to the game and not asleep for the first 10 minutes we are in for a good one.
The Stat Rack
|
Flames |
Rank |
|
Rank |
Kings |
|
18.7% |
11th |
PP% |
19th |
16.7% |
|
81.3% |
19th |
PK% |
5th |
85.6% |
|
2.81 |
18th |
GA |
6th |
2.42 |
|
2.95 |
6th |
GF |
23rd |
2.64 |
|
48.1% |
24th |
FO% |
10th |
51% |
Number Crunch
The good news for this game is that I don’t expect the special units teams to factor either way. The Kings have a good PK to off-set the new and improved Flames PP of 2011 and the other way the Kings PP is not above average and neither is the Flames PK.
The Kings strength by the numbers is their Defense and Goaltending. The Flames strength, especially since the resurgence in 2011 is their offense.
Alive in the Last Five
Flames
Tom Kostopoulos 2G 3A +2 in his last 4GP
Jarome Iginla 3G 2A -1 in his last 4GP
Steve Staios 0G 1A +3 in his last 2 GP
(I don’t care if I take heat for this one on Staios, of a D core that is looking more and more fractured lately, he gave a 110% last game against the Ducks. He was +2 last game - Jbo was -3. Jbo is not showing up at a key time - Staios is. Regehr looks hurt and the Flames need more than just Gio out there giving a 110% every night - the old boy is slow but he is giving all of his effort out there)
Kings
Alexei Ponikarovsky 0G 4A +2 in last 4GP
Jonathan Quick 2-2-1 over his last 5 and a 0.927 SV%
Anticipated Roster (subject to change by game time)
|
The Flames |
The Avalanche |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanguay |
Jokinen |
Iginla |
Penner |
Kopitar |
Williams |
|
Kostopoulos |
Glencross |
Bourque |
Smyth |
Handzus |
Brown |
|
Hagman |
Stajan |
Kotalik |
Ponikarovsky |
Stoll |
Simmonds |
|
Bouma |
Backlund |
Jackman |
Richardson |
Lewis |
Westgarth |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Regehr |
Bouwmeester |
|
Mitchell |
Doughty |
|
|
Giordano |
Sarich |
|
Johnson |
Scuderi |
|
|
Staios |
Babchuk |
|
Martinez |
Greene |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kiprusoff |
Karlsson |
|
Quick |
Bernier |
|
Anticipated Game Style
The Kings ice is slow and this may impact the Flames play significantly. The Flames have been connecting with big stretch passes and we have seen their offense clicking very well lately BUT on the L.A. ice this style of play is harder to pull off, it has less probability of working.
I expect the Flames to come out hard and fast after that heart breaking loss to the Ducks but they will face a tough D and a Goaltender who is working up to the top ranks in the NHL.
One on One
Rene Bourque vs Jack Johnson
Bourque should be jacked right up to play this game and make a difference given the late penalty he took against the Ducks. He will likely meet Jack Johnson who is a formidable opponent on the Kings blue line along with Drew Doughty.
That is my one on one to watch
The Magic 8-Ball
The Magic 8-ball says the Flames with a win in regular time. I watched the Kings last few games and I didn’t like what I saw. Not as much confidence and that bizarre Blues loss or blow-out. They were also robbed of a regular time win by the refs the other night against the Ducks. A goal that clearly should have counted was called back.
Losses happen but they should not be melt-downs like the one against the Blues and I am not sure if this young team can shake off adversity as well as the old Vet Flames team will be able to.
Sorry Kings, I have a soft spot for this team and wish them well long term but this isn’t their year. They need more experience and a coach who isn’t going to dress down the fans for booing…