Flames cut swath through Thrashers

“We played patient hockey. After that first period we played pretty solid and deserved the two points. It was a big win for our club.” – Olli Jokinen

The first home game after a lengthy road trip is often the hardest game for the returning heroes (or zeroes, depending on the success of the excursion) to play. The Calgary Flames found a perfect tonic to combat the sluggishness and mental miscues that often accompany that bitter battle – follow the same blueprint that spelled success away from the Saddledome. Stay focused, remain patient, play physically and control the boards.

On Wednesday evening, the Flames were able to contain a surging Atlanta club and squeeze by the Thrashers 3-1, thanks to a two-point contribution from Jarome Iginla, superb goaltending from Miikka Kiprusoff and a dedicated defensive effort from the entire club. The Thrashers have not registered a victory at the Saddledome since the turn of the century.

Since their 7-1 collapse against Chicago – easily the downside of what so far has been an uplifting campaign– the club has played 10 consecutive quality games, winning seven of those contests and losing all three by a single goal.

Kiprusoff has allowed two goals or less in 15 of his last 17 games. That, my friends, is how division titles are decided and championships are won.

While the entire six-pack of defensemen admirably, played Jay Bouwmeester was outstanding on the blueline, playing a game-high 27 minutes, neutralizing the Thrasher attackers, delivering punishing bodychecks and keeping the Kipper’s crease free of intruders. Nigel Dawes, Olli Jokinen and Rene Bourque tinged the twine for the Flames, while Colby Armstrong replied for Atlanta.

Dawes deftly deflected a drive from the point by Aaron Johnson to opening the scoring. It was Johnson’s first point as a Calgary Flame. Jokinen increased the margin to 2-0 by one-timing a pass from Iginla through Atlanta goaltender Jonas Hedburg, who was spectacular in the Thrashers cage. With the Atlanta net empty and the Thrashers buzzing around the Flames zone seeking the equalizing tally, Bourque pilfered the puck from Ilya Kovalchuk, raced the length of the sheet and drilled the pill in the vacated cage.

Colby Armstrong was credited with Atlanta’s goal, although replays seemed to indicate that Rich Peverley’s pass deflected off Aaron Johnson’s skate before dribbling past a sprawled Kiprusoff.

Atlanta is an entertaining team to watch – a fact that is largely lost on the 5,000 empty seats the team plays in front of at the Phillips Center. Perhaps that’s why the club is a mediocre 6-6-2 at home, but an impressive 9-4-1 on the road. They’re aggressive on the fore-check, attack in well-coordinated surges and play with a chippy physicality that grates and grinds on their opponents. It’s a shame that only 13,000 show up at the Phillips arena to witness their prowess.

Flame Flicks:

Robyn Regehr checked in from sickbay while Craig Conroy took his place on the sidelines, suffering from a wrist injury suffered in the third period of the loss to Los Angeles.

Curtis Glencross engaged Colby Armstrong in a spirited tilt that sideline adjudicators scored in favor of the Flames pugnacious pursuer.

The Minnesota Wild, fresh off a nifty 1-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, provide the competition for the Flames on Friday night at the ‘dome.

Jarome Iginla may have received the NHL’s top-gun nod, but Miikka Kiprusoff was deemed the Flames best performer in November. The flashy Finn received the Molson Cup Three Star award for the month  prior to Wednesday’s tilt against the Atlanta Thrashers.