Flames @ Red Wings

VICTORY

2 : Calgary Flames @ Detroit Red Wings : 4

We start off by noting that Calgary Captain Iginla isn't off to a good start this season. I am somewhat unsympathetic.

I'm more concerned with The Return of Franzen!

Ken gets things started by noting that Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Hudler, and Holmstrom haven't scored yet.

Ken is turning into something of a prophet this season, as everything he mentions eventually shows up in the game. This game is no different. More on that later.

The First Period:

Kindl gets things started by going to the box for interference. Howard makes some nice saves, and we kill it off.

Kronwall loses an edge and gets rocked into the boards.

Well executed

He loses his helmet, which seems to please Mick, as it no doubt brings back memories of the good ole days...

Mick then drops a very casual 'well, I hope he's okay'.

Nice save, Mick.

Kronner doesn't look any worse for wear, and play continues.

Hockey is played. There are some remarks about Franzen's hit to the head. This prompts a shot of Shane Doan's suspension-worthy hit on Sexton of the Ducks. Which was a completely deserved suspension, judging by the video. What a shmuck.

They also add a shout out to Orange Hat Guy, who has sadly passed away.

I'll let you make your own assumptions about the guys in the blue shirts...

They've turned his seat orange in honor of his passing, and will keep that seat vacant for the rest of the season. Class act, those Detroit Red Wings.

Kip'off robs us on a play that draws much appreciation from Ken, Mick, and Larry. I don't like this Kip'off fellow very much.

The play is Lidstrom on the line executing a perfect shot-pass to Zetterberg, who's closing in on the goal and gets a good one-timer off. The admiration is mostly directed at the fact that both Lidstrom and Zetterberg are moving during this play, making their flawless execution all the more awesome.

Calgary scores. Damn third defense pairing... this is the start of a very poor game for Kindl.

Thankfully, we respond minutes later with a goal of our own.

Zetterberg's goal:

Datsyuk with the puck comes down the right, Zetterberg down left into the zone. Datsyuk dishes it across to Zetterberg, who one-times it past Kip'off.

Eurotwins combine!

First goal of the season for Zetterberg. Ken the Prophet is pleased.

40 seconds later, Calgary scores.

Jerks.

Some fun is had in the offensive zone as the periods winds down to a close. A Flame decides to dump Eaves into Kip'off. Eaves doesn't appreciate.

Get out of my house!

Franzen continues to muck around. He's obviously making sure he's still got it.

Filppula gets a good shot on goal. Lids teams up with Tuzzi for another good shot. A lot of comments are made about the fierce rivalry between the Fins and Swedes.

As the period comes to a close, there's some choice words exchanged between Kip'off and Holmstrom, the latter of which looked none to happy as he skated off the ice. I'm sure even Holmstrom gets tired of getting beaten up all the time.

The Second Period:

Someone shoves Janik into the net. There's a lot of net dislodging this match.

Kronner breaks his stick.

Finally we get some power play time, as a Flame goes off for holding Miller's stick.

 Lets see you get this puck now, bitch!

The Flame coach gets a few chuckles in. Mick and Ken also find amusement in the penalty.

And I wonder if I'm alone in noticing that it looks like guys avoid checking Lids into the boards, even when it'd be perfectly reasonable for them to do so. I'm not sure if it's a respect thing, or maybe my imagination. Or maybe the general awareness around the league that we don't usually respond favorably to rough-housing TPH.

Lidstrom responds to my observation by scoring.

Lidstrom's goal:

Datsyuk dekes the living daylights out of some poor Flame by bouncing the puck of the Flame's skate (its such a sick play) and dishes it to Lids on the point. Lids sends a slapshot straight into the net.

Homer decides not to steal this goal and jumps over the puck as it passes by. Thanks Homer.

Ken notes that at the beginning of the game he listed four players without a goal this season. And Zetterberg and Lidstrom now have theirs.

Ken the Prophet is pleased with his work.

There is much amused conversation about Kip'off allowing Lidstrom's shot, as Holmstrom wasn't in his office and yet Kip'off seemed to miss Lids' shot when he should have seen it. Almost like Holmstrom is getting into Kip'off's head...

Franzen narrow dodges a penalty for knocking Iginla's stick out of his hand.

Nick does a short interview with Larry during a break. He gives Calgary some props

 Nick isn't out of breath during this interview. Just so you know.

Salei heads to the box for holding.

Helm starts off the penalty kill by throwing a party in the offensive zone before Calgary gets its shit together.

A Flame breaks their stick. Mick is itching to talk about hockey sticks, I can feel it.

Calgary squanders their power play, and gives us one of our own when a Flame hooks Datsyuk.

We get some good chances, but no scoring.

We get to reload the power play when Calgary gets a penalty for riding Eaves like a horse.

 Eaves isn't having a good time this match

Before the power play starts, we get a short break that grants us an interview with Danny Cleary. John Keating is conducting.

What's your hidden talent?

Danny: “Watching TV."

John: "Is there an art to that?"

Danny: “Hah, yeah. I've seen every show out there."

Ever been star struck?

Danny: "A little bit. Uhhh... met Sly Stallone in Malibu when we had, you know, had the Stanley Cup there for Cheli, and uh, that was pretty cool"

Favorite super power?

Danny: "Oh. Fly."

John: "Really?"

Danny: "Yeah, I'd love to fly."

John: "No traffic, just-"

Danny: "That'd be amazing.."

John: "Yeah..."

Ken remarks on the traffic comment, 'you can tell John Keating lives near Telegraph'. Larry is amused

Back to the game. Homer gets dumped during the power play. Gets a shot in the mouth too, you can catch him checking for blood.

At the end of the power play, Hudler takes a penalty for interference. There's about 20 seconds of a 4 on 4 that sees no real action.

Franzen and Filppula start Calgary's power play by throwing a party in the offensive zone for a solid minute. It was pretty funny.

Calgary dodges some interference/tripping calls in the last few seconds. Mick is annoyed

The period closes, and we get a pointless shot of Nick discussing something on the way to the dressing room.

 I think the dressing room is this way-

The Third Period:

Nick sets the mood of the third with a very solid defensive play in our zone. The Tuzzi line throws a party.

DID YOU KNOW- That on Oct 5 1989 Modano scored his first NHL goal on an assist from Larry Murphy? Who knew?

Some chuckles about stacking your assist stat by passing to the right guys.

Flames knock our net off. Again.

DENIED

Hockey is played for a few minutes.

There's a funny moment when Kip'off goes diving for a loose puck and Franzen, barreling down the middle, has to do this ridiculous twist-leap to keep from beheading him. I chuckled.

Franzen tries to avoid that pesky involuntary manslaughter charge

He gets revenge moments later. Nobody makes Franzen look ridiculous and gets away with it.

Franzen's goal:

Best goal of the season, so far. This play comes under review from the refs before being awarded. The Flames are none too pleased.

Here's what Franzen does. He knocks the puck upward and into the side of Kip'off's head. It bounces off and rests on his shoulder a moment, before Franzen skates in front of him and Kip'off leans backward – the puck falls down his back and into the goal.

 That just happened.

Haha. Classic.

Franzen makes sure to give BFF linemate Bertuzzi the full details of the play.

Did we just become best friends?

Next, a Flame bowls Jimmah over and gets sent to the box.

Power play time.

Modano gets it started by taking a hooking penalty, so we move to a 4 on 4 instead. Shmuck.

During a frantic moment in front of our net, Jimmah makes a crazy save and Salei goes off for delay of game for dislodging the net – as I'm sure the refs are getting sick of all the net abuse.

Salei didn't do that on purpose. Really.

We kill off all the respective penalties.

Helm goes to throw a party in the offensive zone and gets tripped up, drawing yet another penalty. The kid is really good at that.

Kindl trips behind the net. Freakin' Kindl...

Lidstrom decides to go deep in the zone this power play and gets a good shot on goal, but hits the side of the net. Mick dissects the play for us later, letting us know the spot Lidstrom was aiming for, and gives us a good lesson on target practice and hanging water bottles in the corner of the net. Mick is not pleased Lidstrom missed.

 Not so perfect now, eh?

Bertuzzi gets a breakaway.

Bertuzzi's goal:

A Flame goes to take a shot at our blue line but fans on it. Bertuzzi jumps all over that, sweeping the puck away and barreling into the zone. He catches Kip'off right in the spot Mick just pointed out to us.

 Not pictured: Lidstrom on the bench, annoyed

Howard makes a great save during a breakaway in the last minute of the game.

The DJ throws in Don't Stop Believing. The last bit gets cut short by the faceoff, but of course the crowd finishes it off. That always makes me smile.

Stuart takes a delay of game penalty for shooting the puck over the glass in the last 20 seconds.

Detroit easily kills it off.

And that's game.

Don't Think We Didn't Notice:

Lidstrom gets a lot of props this game. An intermission grants us this shot:

This stare has been known to kill lesser men

No one served with pride.