Wild-Flames: Minnesota Wins Northwest, Jarome Iginla Still Seeking 50

The Minnesota Wild couldn’t have asked for a better regular season home finale. Marian Gaborik led a crowd-pleasing performance Minnesota fans will savour well into the future, as the Wild beat the visiting Calgary Flames 3-1 to clinch the club’s first Divisional title in its seven-season history.

The perfect setting for a fan appreciation night, the hometown heroes handed their game jerseys to lucky (and hopefully olfactory-impaired) contest winners as a raucous crowd illustrated the support the Wild can expect as they enjoy first-round home-ice advantage. Now a lock as the third seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs, Minnesota can peer down at the lower echelons as they wait to see which team will visit St Paul next week.

As have many recent games, this contest had a playoff atmosphere right from the get-go. Both sides had something to fight for. Minnesota wanted the Division-clinching decision. Calgary on the other hand sought to keep the Northwest race alive with a win; in any case they needed at least one point to sew up a playoff spot without having to rely on the out-of-town scoreboard for a boost.

The Flames came into tonight with an air of confidence. The Wild have struggled against Calgary; tonight’s victory was only their second win against the Flames in the eight regular season games this year.

Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff had been particularly effective against Minnesota, posting a 19-5-3 all-time record against the Wildmen, while his team carried with them a 27-9-4-2-2 all-time advantage. If that wasn’t enough, Calgary Wild-sniper Jarome Iginla had 46 points in 43 games-played against the Wild and was searching for his 50^th goal of the season.

The competition would be a fast and furious throughout the entire game.

Early first period goals were exchanged to create a 1-1 tie that would survive numerous shots and power-plays until 1:11 of the final frame.

Daymond Langkow would open the scoring for Calgary with a power-play wrist-shot 2:41 into the opening stanza. Adrian Aucoin kept the puck from being cleared from the offensive zone and found Jarome Iginla on the play. Iginla’s shot was stopped but produced a juicy rebound as the puck bounced off the butt-end of Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom’s goal-stick directly to Langkow waiting on the doorstep. Langkow made no mistake on the fortuitous play and found the back of the cage with Backstrom on the ice to pull ahead 1-0.

Only a few minutes later Flame-snuffing heavy Todd Fedoruk would get his sixth goal of the year to draw even. Working tirelessly on what would be just one of seven power-play chances, Minnesotan Pavol Demitra delivered a tape-to-tape pass from behind the end-line. Fedoruk burst into the slot and lifted a lovely backhand over Kiprusoff in a rare moment of offensive flair to notch a 1-1 score at 5:54.

The remaining fourteen minutes of the first would see two good teams play relatively even hockey to round out the first. Minnesota leader Brian Rolston would record a game-leading seven shots through sixty minutes and made a number of fantastic plays including an early-period breakaway attempt as he took advantage of a Calgary giveaway. Kiprusoff make the stop, but moments later Rolston was back with Gaborik. The 2006 Vezina Trophy winner demonstrated supremacy as he stopped Rolston then Gaborik in rapid succession to keep the game even. The saves were almost unbelievable as he stretched to make the play, raising a cheer from the Calgary faithful in the stands.

Backstrom would have his hands full at the other end trying to keep Iginla and Co. from finding any space to shoot. Standing right on the doorstep of Backstrom’s crease, Iginla was denied twice in a matter of seconds. Releasing a quick shot which was stopped, Iggy deftly wrangled in his own rebound and released another lighting blast. Ever alert after his earlier goal-stick gaff, the Minnesota netminder would smother the Flames captain’s offerings all night.

The final minute of the first saw Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf raise the ire of the red-and-green sweaters. Levelling left winger Stephane Veilleux with a blind-side hit, Phaneuf would be confronted by Brent Burns and the two blueliners would fight a protracted duel that would see the combatants meander from one side of the ice to the other. Burns would eventually have his sweater ripped off as the two exchanged blows before heading to the penalty box. Phaneuf would receive an additional call for interference, and the Wild would take power-play time into the second.

The middle period would be slow but steady and featured the kind of play that fans of grit/defensive hockey love. That is not to say there weren’t offensive splendours offered in the second, but the goaltenders and rearguards performed with aplomb and kept the contest close. Kiprusoff would prevent Fedoruk from tallying his second of the night as the Calgary netminder stopped another backhand attempt.

Matthew Lombardi, showing great progress in the latter part of this season continued with his impressive play as he checked a breaking Gaborik in the Calgary zone. Sliding across to cut off the play and retrieve the puck just as Gaborik loaded up a shot, Lombardi showed further improvement to his defensive game. His line would spend much of the contest swarming the Minnesota end as he, Wayne Primeau and Stephane Yelle pressed hard with solid fore/back checking.

Hauling the one-all tie into the third period, both teams seemed capable of finding an extra gear to win the game. The Flames fought valiantly, but in the end they were no competition for the eventual Division champs.

Iginla and Alex Tanguay would have an early third-period opportunity as the two skilled forwards entered the attacking zone. Passing the puck back and forth, Tanguay should have shot the puck as they bore down on Backstrom, but instead passed it back to Iginla.

The puck went through traffic and the attack was diffused.

It was just one example of the well-meaning Calgary club’s efforts to help their captain find #50. Starting in the first period (and continuing from when Iginla scored #49) the situation seemed to limit the Flames somewhat as they passed up scoring opportunities by electing to dish the puck to Jarome.

Gaborik would score moments after the Tanguay-Iginla rush to take the 2-1 Wild lead at 1:11. Lifting the puck over Kiprusoff’s outstretched glove, the 25-year-old Slovakian extended his 2007-08 point streak against the Flames to 11 points in seven games, and he wasn‘t done there.

Each side would have a single third-period power-play, and the Flames got theirs at 2:21 after drawing Rolston into a holding call with competent forechecking. Throwing everything they could at the net, Calgary was a real threat to equalise the score as the team’s big-guns sent rapid-fire towards backstop Backstrom. Unable to score, Calgary would seem to temporarily take control of the pace until a waived off Minnesota goal spurred the Wild to play incredibly complete hockey for the last fifteen minutes.

What would have been the original 3-1 Gaborik tally, an early whistle on a play saved the Flames from falling further behind halfway into the third. After an initial shot sent Kipper down to make the save, the puck seemed to disappear as Wild attackers jammed at the puck in the paint. Unable to see the black disc, the linesman was stopping the play dead just seconds before Gaborik poked the rubber through Kiprusoff’s legs and six inches over the goal line.

The crowd went wild as the play was sent for a full review, and they cranked the volume to show their displeasure at the inopportune officiating and no-goal decision.

They didn’t have cause to worry as the home team continued to press for more, and at 13:11 on the power-play Gaborik would cap his dominant performance with his second goal and third point of the night.

Holding the puck in the attacking zone for most of their man-advantage, the Wild would inundate Kiprusoff and his defenders with shots and disconcerting moves. Todd Fedoruk would find position on the Calgary goalie as Gaborik took the screened shot and snuck it in past the bodies.

The Wild had been playing with such dominance in the third that the goal had seemed an inevitability.

Looking to regain control of their playoff fate, Calgary pressed hard to convert plays and climb back in the game, but were turned away time and again. Phaneuf stepped up and sent a blast that was roped in by Backstrom as the Calgary defence was activated on plays in a bid to score on an odd-man rush.

Before the game, Wild coach Jacque Lemaire told the media that the team hoped to contain Iginla with good defensive stick work. While they were a bit sloppy with the mandate earlier in the game, Minnesota completed the late-game shutdown by getting sticks into shooting lanes and breaking up Calgary plays.

A team that has been repeatedly accused of over-employing the old trap system, the Wild would break from type, driving into the offensive zone and threatening Kiprusoff even after the 2-1 lead. It wouldn’t be until after their third goal that they relented slightly, spending closeout time clogging the neutral zone and forcing Calgary to play dump-and-chase hockey for the last eight minutes.

The fact that they felt the need to cushion the score goes to show the threat Calgary posed.

The final buzzer would be muffled by the roar of the St Paul crowd as the home team locked the Northwest Division title with a 3-1 win over Calgary. Both teams would find chances and inspiring play from the roster, but the visitors were outplayed overall in the end by a team Minnesota fans feel has finally come of age.

A lot of Divisional games have been played of late, and recently the Flames have been losing slight ground even when they succeed. Again tonight, the Flames didn’t seem to play up to their potential. Despite valiant efforts from up and down the bench there seemed to be some intangibility still lacking. Miikka Kiprusoff gave them ample opportunity to win as he put up 23 saves, while Phaneuf, Iginla, Langkow, Lombardi and Adrian Aucoin all played offensively dangerous hockey; still, it wasn’t quite enough.

The Flames will have to solve this inconsistency issue before they walk into the post-season next week. Analysts and enthusiasts have been mystified by the two-faced persona of this talent-laden team, and the overwhelming hope is that they can find a common aim in a Stanley Cup campaign.

On the upside, Calgary did not so much lose this game as much as Minnesota went out and won it. Regardless, the coaching staff will certainly have feedback for the Calgarians as the Flames showed recurring lapses of discipline as they took various unnecessary penalties. Through forty minutes, Calgary played offensively threatening hockey even-strength but could not take full advantage for any length of time. Although they iced a very good penalty-killing unit most of the game, the staggered special team play and two power-play goals against were enough to neutralise the visitors in the exuberant Xcel Energy Center.

Good Samaritan Flames may face mild reproach from coach Mike Keenan as many players hoped to help out their main cog in his quest for his second 50-goal season. Although well-intentioned, the Flames lost repeated scoring chances by dishing off in mixed circumstances bearing mixed results. Forcing the play created errors and may have prevented Iginla from making the natural plays with which he generally scores.  As well, while Calgary would out-shoot the competition, it was the Wild who had the edge in scoring-chances and the momentum of the play by working smartly as the clock wound down.

For now, the season isn’t over for either team. Minnesota head coach Jacques Lemaire, who coached his 500^th NHL victory tonight, will want the team well prepared for a serious playoff push. The Wild will also look to further improve their fan-inspiring year, while the Flames will be looking to find the best possible seeding as each team will play one last game on the road. Thanks to some uncharacteristic Provincial generosity and a pinch of luck, the Flames locked up a playoff standing even after the loss.

The Edmonton Oilers did their rivals a favour tonight as they played their last game of the season at GM Place and beat Vancouver 2-1 to mathematically lock the Flames into the playoffs and the Canucks out. If the Canucks had won it would have been down to Saturday night’s Calgary-Vancouver season finale to reveal the teams‘ fates. As it is, the Flames will dearly need to find a focus, an “identity” if you will, that will bind them together as a cohesive, smoothly-run unit and give them a fighting chance over the coming weeks.

If they can’t get it together, all the stress fans have felt over the past few weeks will have been for nought. After challenging Tampa for the Cup in 2004, the Flames have twice been eliminated in the first round of playoff action. Supporters in the Stampede City will want to see this latest and perhaps most impressive recent edition of the Flames make another serious pitch for the gleaming mug many wish to see returned North of the border.

As for the Wild, the road to glory may finally have opened its gates. In a state enamoured with the game of hockey, the Wild replaced the transplanted Minnesota North Stars (now Dallas Stars) in 2000. They finished their first two seasons at the bottom of their Division, but in 2003 played all the way to the Western Conference Finals only to lose to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks (as they were still known) in a four-game sweep. Last year they again made the playoffs only to be eliminated by the Ducks again. Since the lockout they have been busy regaining ground in the Northwest Division and the Western Conference.

This year the self-proclaimed “State of Hockey” has been rewarded for staying loyal through all the hockey hardships Minnesota has had to face. From Bill Goldsworthy to Gump Worsley to Dino Ciccerelli, the North Stars were home to a lot of great talent. Although that team and it’s records were transferred to Texas, the newest Minnesota NHL franchise will have its own records and glories as they find an identity all their own.

The perfect place for post-season hockey, Minnesota produces more hockey talent than any other similar area outside of Canada. There is nowhere else in the United States where the game is played as much per square mile as it is in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

In celebration of the win tonight, the players were in high spirits as they sprayed one another cheerfully with water bottles. When Nick Schultz -who has spent his entire NHL career with the Wild- was asked if there was champagne in the dressing room he said there was no way… the team is saving that for the Stanley Cup!

NOTES: ** Marian Gaborik has spent his entire career with the Wild and has led the club in many respects. Already the team leader in all-time goals-scored, he surpassed his own record this year and extended it tonight to 42. Tonight’s three-point outing was Gabby’s tenth two-goal game this year and his fifth multi-point game in his last eight tilts.

** With the guaranteed playoff seed, the Flames are the only Northwest team to secure a post-season position every single year since-and-including 2003-04 (except lockout).

** With the win tonight, Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire recorded his 500^th career NHL victory, joining Toe Blake and eleven other bench-bosses all-time.  Lemaire has been with the Wild since their inception in 2000-01 and has coached seven 82-game seasons (with a year off in the lockout).  He has extensive playoff coaching experience from past tenures with the Canadiens and Devils, and spent his 12 NHL playing seasons with Montreal, winning the Stanley Cup eight times from 1968-1979.

**  The North Stars' final season in Minnesota was 1992-93.  The state was without an NHL franchise for seven long years.

** The Minnesota Wild out-paced the Calgary Flames in most stat categories tonight; however, the Flames only allowed three recorded giveaways while the Wild gave the puck up 13 times. The Wild doubled-up the Flames on hits, 16-8.  Blocked-shots 13-11 MIN, TK 4-6 MIN, shots-on-net, 27-26 CAL.  Faceoffs- 50/50

** For the second year in a row, the Flames clinch a playoff spot via the out-of-town scoreboard. Both times Calgary lost a game in which they “controlled their destiny” and had to wait for an elimination game elsewhere before they could lock a seed.

** Marian Gaborik would only put one shot on goal through the first forty minutes (described above), but would end the game with five shots, three points and the game-winning goal.

** The picture will be clearer at the end of the week, but Calgary could face Minnesota, Detroit, Anaheim or San Jose in the first round of the playoffs. Minnesota would likely be the most even series out of those options.

** Matthew Lombardi played another impressive game. He fired more shots than any other Flame (5) and showed real jump as he tried to spark his team to the win and his captain to his second 50-goal season.

** Calgary enforcer Eric Godard only had 1:05 of ice-time, while young forward Dustin Boyd played just 1:44 and served four minutes worth of infraction calls.

 **** Elsewhere in the NHL, Alex Ovechkin passed Luc Robataille for most goals scored by a left-wing with his 64th tally of the year****