After coming off two loses in two games on the road versus Colorado on Monday, and Dallas on Tuesday, the Calgary Flames were back in the friendly confines of the Saddledome on Thursday night, where they were hosting the red-hot Chicago Blackhawks. Going into the game, the Flames home record was good enough for fourth in the National Hockey League with a 19-5-3 record.
On the flip side, the Blackhawks had the fourth overall road record, with 31 of their 64 overall points come away from the United Center. In their previous three meetings this season, the Hawks won all three matches over the Flames and were looking for a season sweep.
The Hawks got on the board first, just 0:42 seconds into the game, on a quick goal by winger David Bolland, as tender Miikka Kiprusoff was fooled on a bounce on the fresh sheet of ice. The Flames tied it up at the 6:28 mark on Todd Bertuzzi’s 13th on the season.
Bertuzzi was in the penalty box on a holding call, and was sprung by Jarome Iginla, getting behind two Hawks defenders, and waiting out Hawks Nikolai Khabibulin. 13 seconds later, the Hawks took the lead for the second time in the game on Andrew Ladd’s ninth goal of the season. At 14:05, Dion Phaneuf tied the game at two a piece on an unassisted tally that fooled Khabibulin.
The first period ended 2 – 2, with the Hawks outshooting the Flames 10-9.
In the second period, only one goal was scored, when Adam Burish scored the eventual game winner at 11:28.
In the third period, the Hawks added two more goals, at 3:18 by former Red Deer Rebel (WHL) Colin Fraser, and a short-handed empty net goal by Troy Brouwer at 17:52.
The game ended 5 – 2 Hawks, and gives the Calgary Flames their first three game losing streak of the season.
After the game, Flames Captain Jarome Iginla talked about the game, and took responsibility for the loss. “We got out-competed along the walls and on the power play. We’re a team that out-competes teams a lot. We skate and we put them back on their heels and right now we’ve got to get back to doing that, and it starts with me for sure.”
Hawks Andrew Ladd played two seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen. The 23 year old winger played his best game of the season, with a goal and two assists before the 10 minute mark of the second period, in an arena he is very familiar with.
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