The Flames, relatively healthy this year, are now down two forwards from their top nine. In the Herald story, Darryl Sutter noted that this development wasn't tempting him to make any moves.

Connie Kim will be blogging about the Los Angeles Kings full time for the network. Swing by and welcome her aboard.

Scott Cruickshank of the Herald suggests the Flames should pursue Alex Tanguay. The former Flame was a topic of interest around here during the off-season and he's a primary trade target given his abilities and contract. Tanguay will likely turn up again in our "potential trade target" piece which will drop next week.

School Your Pool's Ray Irwin is a Chilliwack Bruins season ticket holder, so he sees a lot of the Flames third rounder. Howse is rapidly moving up the Flames prospect chart with his play this season.

So Alex Burrows last night was victimized on a couple blown calls, and sounded off saying as much. Having watched the highlights, I agree the calls were blown. And if what Burrows says is true (that the referee actually was out to get him) it sets an uncomfortable precedent. I find it ironic though that Burrows is complaining. Frankly I don't think he has a leg to stand vis-a-vis complaining about blown calls - mostly because he's already on his knees after a dive. I find this choice bit from the article especially entertaining: Burrows was referring to an incident back in December when the Preds' Smithson hit Burrows and was given a major penalty for charging and a game misconduct. On Monday night, Burrows said Auger was getting back at him. "When Smithson hit me from sideways and he (Auger) said, 'I saw the replay, you had your head up, you weren't really hurt and you made me look bad so I'm going to get you back tonight,' and he did, and he cost us two points. This douche regularly victimizes officials with his antics. The play in question was particularly brutal. I figure if he's drawn 15 blown penalties over the course of the last two seasons that's 3 undeserved goals - or a point that he has cost the opposition. So it's richly ironic that he's complaining about losing points to blown calls. But the alleged intent behind the calls is troublesome. Side effect: this overshadows LaserGate, and just for our own entertainment that should be front and centre.

There may not have been a lot to like about the game last night, but Mark Giordano's goal was a thing of beauty.

My brother has the same opinion of Phaneuf that I do, but this raised Dion's profile in his eyes!