Friday, February 02, 2007
7:00 p.m. MST
- Columbus comes into town after having lost to the Oilers 5-2 on Wednesday night, in their second road game in as many nights. Previous to that game they had been on a four game winning streak (including a win in Vancouver on Tuesday)...
- The Flames are 4-0-0-1 in their last five home games against the Blue Jackets and lead the NHL in home wins this season (20)...
- Perhaps the most important point about tonights game is the probable return of Jarome Iginla. The team did fairly well while he was out with a sprained knee, going 7-2-2 over that 11 game stretch (5-0 at home, 2 wins over the Greasers), but I'm sure that they will be fired up to have their leader back. Especially with the re-acquisition of fan favourite Craig Conroy earlier this week. It remains to be seen, but there is much speculation that these two will be reunited on a line with Alex Tanguay...
- Daymond Langkow is expected to play after being banged up in their last game against the LA Kings. He is expected to centre the second line with Kristian Huselius and David Moss...
- Miikka Kiprusoff is coming of a fantastic game on Tuesday night and has a 7-2-1-1 record against Columbus in 11 career games (and a 1.72 GAA). Ty Conklin is expected to get the start for Columbus (his third in a row since both Fredrik Noronen and Pascal Leclaire are out), and we all know all about Conklin from the Greaser Fans...
- The current hot hands on the Blue Jackets are Dan Fritsche (4-1-5 +3 in last 5 games) and Anson Carter (2-1-3 +1 in last 3 games)...
I predict a 4-0 shutout for the Flames, with goals coming from Iginla(2), Conroy and Moss...
*** Update: MG reminded me that Kipper will most likely be saved for the Canucks tomorrow night, so expect to see Jamie 'Noodles' McLennan in net for the Flames tonight. In 5 games (4 starts) he is 2-1-0-1 against the Blue Jackets with a 3.06 GAA and 1 shutout. The most recent game was November 3rd of this season (5-4 shootout loss to Pascal Leclaire)...
My revised prediction is 4-2 Flames with the two Columbus goals coming from Rick Nash and David Vyborny...
4 comments:
So you think Kipper will get the start tonight? I'd prefer to see Noodles in so that Kipper can go head to head with Luongo tomorrow night.
From what I had seen Kipper was pencilled in for tonight and tomorrow, but I could easily see McLennan getting the start instead...
He might as well, they are playing against a third-stringer...
We're better off with Noodles, but we really seem intent on playing Kipper till he drops.
Looks like Kipper got the start after all...
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