Gameday Feb 13 vs ANA

February 13

ANA @ CGY

Gametime 8:00pm

For all those watching the Olympics, I understand there has been a stunning twist in terms of the men's hockey tournament. The USA Olympic Hockey team has withdrawn their participation. Taking their place: The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim!

That's the inspiration that the Flames are missing right about now. The video coach needs to sit Brent Sutter down and make him watch this over and over again. Let me set the scene: the second period has just ended. The Flames are down 3-1, only being kept in by the steller goaltending of Kiprusoff and a fight that McGrattan won over Parros. The Flames go to the locker room, when Brent Sutter goes in and gives them that speech. Enter this man.

Gus Fucking Thorson. The often overlooked, under-appreciated equipment man. And he's got just what the Flames need to come back and win this game: new jerseys.

This immediately inspires the captain Jarome Iginla, who is ignited by the presence of both blue and red flames on his chest. He begins the third period scoring with a forehand-backhand-fivehole move, keeping the puck on the ice the whole time, as an homage to fallen soldier Olli Jokinen.

It's now 3-2. Brent Sutter begins stressing the importance of puck possession in the neutral zone. Ales Kotalik gets free on a breakaway and gets taken down. The crowd wants a penalty shot, but the best that Don Van Massenhoven gives them is a holding call. Five minutes left in the third period now. A fan from the nosebleeds sees the following numbers on the ice: 12, 3, 26, 17, and...what, that can't be right. Is that...is that Craig Conroy's number 24 coming on to the ice to take the faceoff?

You better believe it is. Brent Sutter has a hunch about this one. Conroy wins it back to White who fires it on net, it hits a shinpad in front and deflects to the right side of the net, where a wide-open Rene Bourque is waiting. You know he doesn't miss those shots. Goal. 3-3. Less than four to go to overtime.

Then Pardy and Sarich go on the ice, bump into each other trying to skate backwards, give up a 2-on-0 and Kipper lets in a Bobby Ryan goal with under a minute to play. Flames lose again.