Takes and trash talk from both ALL sides of the NHL's most obscure PATHETIC* rivalry

* Thanks, Kevin Lowe!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Ducks Flameday—Calgary brings its road woes

Calgary Flames (16-11-3, t-7th in west) at Anaheim Ducks (25-4-6, 1st in west)

Thanks for the graphic, Grabia.

Sorry this one will have to be short; not only is this game snuggled between two very high profile Pacific matchups (last Saturday’s ANA-SJS game and this Wednesday’s DAL-ANA game—I just found out that I am attending the Dallas game, btw), but I was also away from the computer all weekend. So for a better-thought-out preview probably check out Matt at BoA, Five Hole Fanatics, Double D(ion), or Real Deal Hockey.

Ducks return from an almost-perfect 5-game road trip for a battle between the top two scorers in the western conference:

Teemu Selanne, 35 GP, 19-24-43, +17
Jarome Iginla, 30 GP, 20-21-41, +12

This is a Flames team that has both gone 10-0-0 in its last 10 home games (3.70 GF, 1.10 GA), including a 3-0 shutout over visiting Anaheim, and 1-4-1 in its last 6 road games (2.33 GF, 3.00 GA), including a 5-3 loss in Anaheim to bench-door operator Michael Wall. Interestingly enough, the Ducks have yet to score a goal against Miikka Kiprusoff this season, and the Flames have yet to score a goal against J.S. Giguere this season.

Overall, the Flames are an .800 team at home (12-3-0) and a .367 team on the road (4-8-3). Only the Minnesota Wild are more home-schizophrenic (.781 at home, .281 on the road). Let’s hope the Flame-pattern holds true tonight.

Prediction: Ducks 4, Flames 3. Flames try to hold a lead, but the Ducks storm back in games six and seven. Goals by Pahlsson, O’Donnell, SNiedermayer, and Selanne, who non-coincidentally scored the four game-winners in last spring’s series.

5 comments:

Kent W. said...

It'll take a miracle for the Flames to win tonight. Hamrlik, Zyuzin and Warrener all out means Selanne will be playing against rookies and Brad Ference all night. Shudder. I guess the Ducks have lost to Philadelphia, so stranger things have happened, but...I wouldn't bet on it.

andy grabia said...

This is related to an old post, but you should really start calling Parros "Porthos." He's got the Musketeer vibe down pat.

HG said...

Thanks for the link, Sleek. So far no pre-game post, I hate to disappoint but it will be up and it's going to be INTERESTING...

Anonymous said...

Looks to me like the Ducks will have caught a break here.

And good thing too since, the other 'more important games' on their plate.

Evan,
www.theNHLarena.com

HG said...

Okay, it's up now.