 |
 Flames forward Craig Conroy, left, battles Avalanche rookie centre Matt Duchene last night at the Saddledome. The Flames took a quick 2-0 lead in the first period but ended up losing 3-2. (Stuart Dyrden, Sun Media) |
The Colorado Avalanche may be over-achieving, but there are reasons they sit atop the NHL standings.
Especially a never-say-die attitude and great goaltending from Craig Anderson.
The Calgary Flames witnessed both first-hand last night.
Despite setting a franchise record for the fastest two goals to start a home game, the Flames became just the latest victim of the surprising Avs in a 3-2 loss at the Saddledome.
"You've got to get a win there," said defenceman Cory Sarich. "You come out with two quick goals like that, you've got to shut the other team down, not give them anything. We just let them creep back in. We need those two points."
Instead, they're that much further back of the division leaders, who are riding a Rocky Mountain High.
|
On a night the Flames had all kinds of advantages in their favour -- a few days of rest and Colorado playing the night before being two of them -- they failed to take advantage.
Instead of stating their case as to which Northwest team is the one to fear these days, Calgary had its three-game winning streak snapped while Colorado won its fourth straight and eighth in nine outings to improve to a stunning 10-1-2.
"They play their system and they're a patient team for a young team," Sarich said. "Give them credit for sticking to it, but it's us. We've got to just do more."
The hosts had no trouble scoring early.
Jarome Iginla tallied in the first minute and Olli Jokinen added another 70 seconds into the affair -- his first regular-season home-ice goal since being acquired at last season's trade deadline.
However, goals by David Koci and David Jones before the period was done made Calgary's quick start a distant memory.
Then, to add more disappointment to the night for the Calgary faithful, Avalanche leading scorer Wojtek Wolski took advantage of terrible defensive-zone play for the winner early in the third period. Wolski went through both Daymond Langkow and Nigel Dawes at the high slot, and then both Robyn Regehr and Dion Phaneuf backed away to give him all the time and space he needed to snap a shot inside the far post for his eighth goal of the season.
"A terrible goal to give up," said a seething head coach Brent Sutter. "Everyone standing around on the ice watching someone walk into the slot and shoot the puck."
From that point, Anderson took over during a 29-save performance. The biggest individual surprise of the season -- the 1999 Flames draft pick bounced between the minors and back-up for many years -- Anderson stopped a steady stream of third-period shots when the Flames finally awoke from their doldrums.
And when Anderson needed a hand, he received it from his teammates, who blocked as many shots as he did throughout the push.
"Even though we had those shots, with them playing back to back, we should have had a better forecheck and been sharper moving the puck. We didn't skate enough," Iginla said.
Kiprusoff stopped 11 shots in taking the loss that drops Calgary to 7-3-1.
"This stretch, we have to take advantage of it because after this we're pretty busy and don't have too many breaks between games," defenceman Jay Bouwmeester said.
Calgary plays host to Detroit Saturday night.
RANDY.SPORTAK@SUNMEDIA.CA