The Calgary Flames: Mid Season Report

By Derrick Newman

40 games into the 2011-12 season the Calgary Flames are hovering in 12^th place in the Western Conference two points back of the Dallas Stars and nine points back of the Vancouver Canucks for first place in the Northwest division.

Now, the idea of winning the division at the beginning of the season was a pipe dream with the likes of defending Western Conference champion Vancouver being in the mix, and truth be told it’s about as likely to happen as Mission Impossible winning Best Picture at the Oscars.

But, the idea of the Flames making the playoffs has always been a point of contention. Will they or won’t they?

Well, if the playoffs started today, they would be on the outside looking in for the third straight season.

The good news is that the playoffs do not start today and the Flames have just over half a season to make the ascent up the standings into the top eight in the soon to be transformed Western Conference.

The bad news, as of right now, the Flames have played more games than every team they are chasing, including six more than 9^th place San Jose and three more than 8^th place Dallas – meaning that the Flames most likely sit a little further back than the current standings suggest.

But isn’t this sort of what everyone expected?

Flames Bury Avalanche

By Derrick Newman

Dominate for two periods and then white knuckle the steering wheel and hold on for dear life.

That was the story of the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night in a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, who suffered their first defeat away from home after starting the season with six straight wins in opposing barns.

The Flames were led by rookie Roman Horak, who scored his first as a Flame tonight while adding one assist, and Rene Bourque, who potted his team leading fourth and fifth goals of the season.

Despite outshooting the Avs 12-1 in the first 10 minutes of the game, it was Colorado who struck first on the power play putting the Flames behind the 8-ball early.

But, the Flames didn’t panic, which is a good sign, and stuck to their game answering right back less than three minutes later when Horak took a pass from Tanguay, moved it to his backhand and put it upstairs all while falling to the ground.

One he’ll remember for a while I’m guessing.

No Afternoon Delight: Flames lose second straight

By Derrick Newman

Well, that was an exciting Saturday afternoon of hockey at the Saddledome.

Anyone who actually paid for tickets should be forming a line at the box office demanding their money back for that snoozefest.

Now, to be fair, this was in the cards from the beginning given the odd time of the game (2pm), which usually means players rhythms are thrown off forcing them to come out either slow, disjointed, lethargic, or all of the above.

Also, the Flames were playing the Nashville Predators, who possess no enigmatic scorers on their team and work as a team defensively to lull you into a dreary slumber and subsequently take advantage of a lucky bounce – the first goal they scored off Niklas Bergfors shoulder—and then pounce on one of only legitimate scoring opportunities all game to put the nail in the coffin and the fans fleeing for the exits in disgust.

It wasn’t pretty.