CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames just can't seem to feast on Dome cooking.
Once again, their quest for a home-ice winning streak hit the skids, this time in a 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators yesterday afternoon.
"It's not like we're not trying. We're doing what we can, but, again, we shot ourselves in the foot," said head coach Brent Sutter. "We get wanting to do things that we don't do on the road, and then we start making some mistakes.
"We make the game complicated at home because we have too many turnovers and don't do a good enough job protecting pucks.
"We don't play the game well enough inside the game at home. On the road, we seem to do it. At home, we just play instead of thinking the game the right way."
It sure looked like the Flames (20-11-4) were on their way to a second straight victory at the Saddledome to start their stretch with seven of eight games at home.
Just past the midway point of the game, Jarome Iginla scored his second goal of the game to give the hosts a 3-2 edge.
However, Marcel Goc's game-tying tally late in the middle period and Cody Franson's goal early in the third were about the only chances the Predators managed the rest of the way, but it was enough to leave the Flames with just one win in their last five games and a 9-6-1 home-ice record.
"It's a disappointing loss. You're up 3-2 at home, you've got to win, bottom line," Sutter said.
Not only were the Flames ahead, but they were keeping the Preds from generating any shots, let alone scoring chances, for much of the middle frame.
Then the wheels fell off.
"We did a lot of good things, but we have to limit those errors in our defensive zone. We had a couple of mistakes they really capitalized on," said defenceman Mark Giordano. "Their goalie made some big saves towards the end, and we had our chances there, but it was one of those things, it wouldn't go. When it's tied going into the third, we have to find a way.
"It's disappointing.
"We have still a few home games here over Christmas and have to get some wins.
"There's no excuses for not winning at home."
RANDY.SPORTAK@SUNMEDIA.CA
