Flames dethrone Kings with comfortable 5-2 victory
“Scoring that early we were all pretty excited. Especially after a tough last game, to have an early start like that, in an afternoon game, was a big boost.” – Jarome Iginla
As noted in an earlier post, there’s a good reason Jarome Iginla wears the captain’s “C” on his flaming “C”. True team leaders must have broad shoulders, a fiery disposition disguised as calm control and the ability to not allow controversy and conflict to interfere with communication and accountability.
Over the past two days, the Flames have been mauled by the media, pummeled by the Saddledome patrons and blasted the Chicago Blackhawks. Through the miserable mess, Iginla remained stoically confident, choosing his words wisely while keeping his concerns quiet.
On Saturday afternoon, the captain of the Calgary Flames let his talent do the talking, propelling his club to a convincing 5-2 victory over the LA Kings with his ninth career hat-trick. Iginla quickly served notice that he wasn’t going to allow the distractions of the Hawk hammering or the Phaneuf paint-peeling influence his ability to lead by example. He hit the scoresheet 13 seconds into the game with a slick snap shot that whistled past LA goaltender Jonathan Quick. The captain connected for a goal in each of the three periods, played responsibly in all three zones and was a formidable force every time his skates hit the ice.
The entire team followed Iginla’s lead to play a purposeful, patient and productive game. The penalty-killers not only blanked the Kings on their three power-play opportunities, the unit also produced the game-winning goal early in the final frame. With Iginla in the sin-bin serving a two-minute penance for tripping, Daymond Langkow stormed into the Kings zone and pressured the defense into committing a costly turnover. Curtis Glencross picked up the loose puck and slipped a perfect cross-slot feed back to Langkow, who neatly deposited the gift past a-little-too-slow Quick.
The power-play unit continued its resourceful contribution, clicking for a pair of goals, including Iginla’s game-tying tally only two minutes after the Kings had assumed a 2-1 lead.
The only downside of the neatly-packaged affair was a brief lapse in the second period when the Kings erupted for a pair of markers in a 38-second span. Instead of hanging their heads and dragging their skates, the Flames continued the game plan that had been must effective up to that point – pressuring the Kings’ defense while paying the physical price necessary. The Flames forced the Kings into 11 giveaways, dished out 31 hits and won four of six short-handed face-offs.
David Moss completed the five-goal outing with a power-play tally in the final minute of the contest. Jay Bouwmeester contributed a pair of assists while Jamie Lundmark, recalled from Abbotsford to fill in for the injured Rene Bourque, played almost 20 minutes and helped set up Iginla’s speedy opening marker.
The victory improved Calgary’s record on the road to an impressive 7-1-1 – the best winning percentage in the Western Conference. Calgary hits the highway for a date with the struggling, but still lethal, Anaheim Ducks on Monday evening.
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