Chants of *Kipper* rang through the air in the Dome last night,
After a no less than spectacular performance by the Flames
Netminder Miikka Kiprusoff.
But once again the old story plays out, that one man can’t
Win the Stanley Cup.
After a season most would regard as average perhaps by Kipper,
He did what he always does and stepped up to the plate when
The team needed him most.
Facing a total of 255 shots by the Detroit Redwings in the
Opening series of the playoffs, compared to Calgary’s 129 on
Dominik Hasek.
In the end Kiprusoff did everything he could to give the team
In front of him a chance to win the series. But…you can’t
Score if you don’t shoot, and you can’t win unless you score.
Perhaps the irony of this all was that I’d bet, scoring was
The ONE problem most fans, players and even the coaches were
Sure we wouldn’t have. I mean..afterall we are a team that
Had three 30+ goal scorers this season, a couple 20+, and
A couple players in the teens as far as goals.
How could scoring POSSIBLY be one of the major problems with
The team not advancing pass the first round in ’07?
Maybe there’s no clear cut answer..but it was, it played a Big
Factor in game 6.
Two seasons ago..the flames were One goal shy of a Stanley cup,
This season, they were one goal shy of forcing a game 7 and possibly
Advancing.
Even defensively I think the team pulled up it’s socks in a big way,
Blocking shots, killing penalties and clearing the puck, it didn’t
Seem to be as big of a problem overall as it had been in the regular
Season.
Eh…of course staying OUT of the box a tad more often might have
Helped somewhat lol.
But..if your teams offense isn’t forchecking, and keeping a somewhat
Sustained forcheck when they are, it is inevitable that the puck will
End up back in your end allot, and when it’s in your end as much as
It was during the playoffs, sooner or later there’s going to be
Turnovers. That’s not to say our defense was perfect, but I do believe
It was much better during the playoffs than in the regular season
Despite injuries.
The whole point of forchecking and sustaining a forcheck is to Cause
Turnovers, that is what Detroit succeeded in doing, and Calgary
Failed to do.
When you look at our top two, even three forchecking lines…
You’ll see players that have carried us through the season with allot
Of scoring. As a team the Flames ended the regular season ranked
At #7 in scoring, with 255 goals for.
The team we beat into the playoffs by one point had 12 more goals
On the season than the flames, ranking them at #3.
And the team that took us out of the playoffs had 3 goals less, and
Ranked #10.
Maybe there’s some Irony in numbers, 255 goals for, 255 shots kipper
Faced in the first round, beating a team with more goals into the
Playoffs, and losing to one with less.
One thing I’m certain of despite it all..
Kiprusoff deserves and was meant to Hoist that cup above his head someday,
And I’m sure he will.
I can only hope it happens while he’s dawning the Flaming C Jersey.
Now all we need is the team in front of him to play as hard as he
Did during the playoffs.
To play..like they want it more than their next breath.
