The Flames are Singing the Blues Tonight

Game Preview #79

The Flames are singing sad songs with the Blues tonight (both teams firmly out of the playoff race) in a game that is probably more about Jarome getting points than anything else, just three points from a thousand. Go Iggy Go.

The Blues are coming off a great win where they literally humiliated the mighty Detroit Red Wings 10-3 (gasp). They may take it to the Flames badly if the Flames are down in the dumps and the Blues are feeling high – playoffs or no playoffs for either team.

The fog is lifting on Western Conference playoff line-up, only the details of who will face who remain. The Stars are on the edge and barring an implosion from the Blackhawks they are likely going to remain on the outside looking in. The Flames loss last game more or less handed the Ducks a pretty safe slot.

Games at the end of the season, between teams who are out, are usually a pretty low-key affair but I expect the Flames to come out for their Captain. I also expect a young Blues team to be re-energized after such a big win against the Wings. The Flames have dominated the Blues this year with three wins and only one game was close.

As far as final games of the season between teams who are both out, this should be one of the better ones. Plus a look at Daymond Langkow back in action after over a year off, another player to watch for the Flames.

More Game Preview after the jump…

The Stat Rack

Number Crunch

The two teams are ranked within 5 slots of each other in all categories. The edge goes to the Flames by the numbers though with a stronger PP and stronger offense and they have illustrated the power of that offense in two of the three previous games against the Blues with victories by wide margins.

Alive in the Last Five

Flames

Jarome Iginla 4G 2A -4 in his last 3GP

Mark Giordano 1G 5A -3 in his 3GP

Blues

Chris Stewart 5G 3A +4 in his last 5GP

Matt D`Agostini 3G 1A +1 in his last 4GP

David Backes 2G 1A +4 in his last 3GP

Patrik Berglund 2G 2A +4 in his last 3GP

Andy McDonald 0G 4A +3 in his last 4GP

Anticipated Roster (subject to change by game time)

Anticipated Game Style

This is one of those games where I have a bad feeling. The Blues are high coming off a high scoring blow-out against the Wings. The Flames are probably down losing in regular time against the Ducks and sealing their non-playoff fate.

Two of the three games have been high scoring games with the Flames getting the win and the Blues may have something to prove. They have the home crowd and don’t kid yourself about St.Louis, it is as good a hockey city as any down in the U.S.A.

Got a feeling on this one and it isn’t a good one for our boys in Red.

One on One

Chris Stewart vs Jarome Iginla

On the Blues – Avalanche trade, I am not sure if I have previously said this or not, but barring the emergence of Erik Johnson as Pronger 2.0 – I think the Blues won it. I have been watching Stewart and I am not sad to see him leave the NW division.

Jarome will likely be in the One on One to watch for the rest of the season. Take it from the old guy, seeing a player hit a thousand points is a rare event. You probably will only see it once in a life-time in a game you watch fully. Highlight reels don’t count and for Flames fans all games are must see now till Jarome hits it.

Is it too selfish to hope he is at 999 coming back from St.Louis and Colorado and does it against the Oilers back at the Saddledome?

The Magic 8-Ball

The Magic 8-ball says Iggy will score tonight…

by M Smith