Leader of the Pack

cap-tain: a person who is at the head of or in authority over others; chief; leader.

“You always hope for (a quick start), they don’t happen very often first shift. I was just trying to use him as a screen, I didn’t even see it go in.” – Jarome Iginla

The role of captain has changed dramatically in the past decade. Once the exclusive mantle of hard-nosed veterans that exemplified earnest effort, diligent dedication and mixed lesson-learning rhetoric with firm understanding and patience, the “C” seems to have lost its luster in today’s politically correct climate. Today, it’s often the hot-shot free agent or bonus baby gonna-be that are elevated to captain status.

Some teams, including the vaunted Toronto Maple Leafs whose on-ice leaders have included such esteemed individuals such as Ted Kennedy, George Armstrong, Darryl Sittler and Doug Gilmore, do not even feel it necessary to pin the privilege on a player. Somewhere, Conn Smythe is searching for an alley to hide in.

That’s one reason why the presence of Calgary captain Jarome Iginla and his honest, accept the blame-deflect the praise, approach is such a refreshing sight. A throw back to an earlier era, Iginla is the team’s top player, its all-time franchise leader in points and its veteran voice. He’s also the guy who’ll drop the mitts and toss the fists, scold a slacker or provide a plaudit and dish out the discipline.

The past week has been a testament to the type of player, leader and individual that Iginla has become. Instead of buckling under the pressure or scattering into the shadows, he stood tall and firm.

On Saturday afternoon, the captain of the Calgary Flames let his talent do the talking, propelling his club to a convincing 5-2 victory over the LA Kings with his ninth career hat-trick. Iginla quickly served notice that he wasn’t going to allow the distractions of the Hawk hammering or the Phaneuf faux-pas influence his ability to lead by example. He hit the scoresheet 13 seconds into the game with a slick snap shot that whistled past LA goaltender Jonathan Quick. The captain connected for a goal in each of the three periods, played responsibly in all three zones and was a formidable force every time his skates hit the ice.

The entire team followed Iginla’s lead to play a purposeful, patient and productive game. The penalty-killers not only blanked the Kings on their three power-play opportunities, the unit also produced the game-winning goal early in the final frame. With Iginla in the sin-bin serving a two-minute penance for tripping, Daymond Langkow stormed into the Kings zone and pressured the defense into committing a costly turnover. Curtis Glencross picked up the loose puck and slipped a perfect cross-slot feed back to Langkow, who neatly deposited the gift past a-little-too-slow Quick.

The power-play unit continued it’s resourceful contribution, clicking for a pair of goals, including Iginla’s game-tying tally only two minutes after the Kings had assumed a 2-1 lead.

The only downside of the neatly-packaged affair was a brief lapse in the second period when the Kings erupted for a pair of markers in a 38-second span. Instead of hanging their heads and dragging their skates, the Flames continued the game plan that had been must effective up to that point – pressuring the Kings’ defense while paying the physical price necessary. The Flames forced the Kings into 11 giveaways, dished out 31 hits and won four of six short-handed face-offs.

David Moss completed the five-goal outing with a power-play tally in the final minute of the contest. Jay Bouwmeester contributed a pair of assists while Jamie Lundmark, recalled from Abbotsford to fill in for the injured Rene Bourque, played almost 20 minutes and helped set up Iginla’s speedy opening marker.

The victory improved Calgary’s record on the road to an impressive 7-1-1 – the best winning percentage in the Western Conference. Calgary hits the highway for a date with the Anaheim Ducks on Monday evening.

When Mr. Yzerman and his staff are handing out the Team Canada jerseys prior to the commencement of the 2010 Winter Olympic games, he’d be wise to save the one festooned with the “C” for a man named Iginla.

Flame Flicks:

Rene Bourque didn’t make the trip to the left coast. He’s listed as day-to-day with an “upper” body ailment incurred when Chicago’s Niklas Hjalmarsson hammered him in the boards.

The Flames limited Anze Kopitar – the league’s leading scorer with 32 points entering Saturday’s affair – to a single assist.

Calgary opened the scoring for the 16th time in 20 games and are 11-3-2 when hitting the scoresheet before their opposition.

Iginla’s three-goal performance vaulted him onto the fourth rung of the NHL goal-scoring ladder behind Dany Heatley (18), Alexander Ovechkin (16) and Marian Gaborik (16).

Jamie Lundmark had five goals and 14 points in 20 games for the Abbotsford Heat before getting the call to join the Flames on this left-coast swing thing.

Team Canada boss Steve Yzerman was in attendance to witness Iginla’s impressive display.