Blogs Scoop on Flames

SAN JOSE — In two games this season, the Flames and San Jose Sharks have combined for three goals.

San Jose won the first meeting in a 2-1 shootout, and the Flames fell 1-0 in round 2 at the Saddledome a couple of weeks ago. It makes you wonder how low the over/under line could be in Las Vegas.

“That’s a good question,” said Sharks head coach Todd McLellan after his team’s morning skate. “I just looked at the number of goals Calgary’s given up the last seven games (12) and they’ve been very stingy. It’s the same thing for us, for the most part.

“Sometimes both coaches head into a game and anticipate a low-scoring tight one, like the first two games have been, and something else breaks out.”

In those seven games, the Flames have managed only 14 goals — six in one outing against the Edmonton Oilers — and have posted a 3-2-2 record.

So, the defence has been there but the offence hasn’t followed suit. The Flames simply have to score more goals to be a playoff squad, but head coach Brent Sutter isn’t panicking about that aspect.

“When you get to the final third of the season, everybody’s got to be committed to doing it the right way,” he said. “You want to have the puck to win games, and need to get it from the opposition, and the only way to do that is a good team game.

“There’s so much talk, ‘You’re not scoring,’ but you’re not hearing people saying we’re not getting a lot of scoring chances. We’ve had quality scoring chances. The chances are there, and we’ve just got to bear down on those opportunities.”

The Flames lineup will be the same, but Sutter made a bit of switch on the right wing with his second and third lines, flipping Blake Comeau and Krys Kolanos.

Here’s how they went in the morning skate:

Alex Tanguay – Olli Jokinen – Jarome Iginla

Michael Cammalleri – Blair Jones – Blake Comeau

Lance Bouma – Mikael Backlund – Krys Kolanos

Tom Kostopoulos – Matt Stajan – Tim Jackman

Miikka Kiprusoff is due to start in net and going for his 300th career win against his old team.

ANAHEIM — Just when the rumour mill surrounding Jarome Iginla had quieted, it’s back up and running.

After the morning skate in anticipation of facing the Anaheim Ducks, the Calgary Flames captain was asked about the possibility of being traded, which hasn’t been broached in the Stampede City for a couple of months.

“I think we’re going to be a playoff team. I believe that,” said Iginla, who has a no-movement clause in his contract, so he holds the cards in that regard. “I don’t want speak about the Eastern Conference, but the Western Conference, it’s tight. I don’t think there’s any heavy, favourite front-runner. I think if you make it into the playoffs, you’ve got a shot.”

The NHL trade deadline is Feb. 27, so we probably should be bracing for more and more attention to Iginla and his future with the team — even though he has another year on his contract — if the Flames can’t pull into a playoff spot.

Iginla said he’s not even thinking that way.

“I believe we can make it here. We’re four points out but that can change very quickly. That’s where the focus is,” he said. “I haven’t kept up on (any rumours). I don’t know where I’m supposed to be going or who’s going where or what. The focus is totally been on getting better here and we need to put a streak together and get in the playoffs ourselves.

Otherwise, a very quiet morning skate.

The Flames will go with the same lineup as Friday’s 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

As for the Ducks, the most interesting thing is seeing former Flames castoff Niklas Hagman has been demoted to the fourth line.

Good news or bad news?

It’s hard to tell the impact a 8-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers the night before will have on the Chicago Blackhawks when they face the Flames Friday at the Saddledome.

First instinct would be that game will fire up a Blackhawks team which has now lost four straight games (0-3-1) will have some extra jump.

At least that’s what the Flames are thinking.

“In this industry, you live the game from day to day,” said Flames coach Brent Sutter. “I’m sure Joel (Quenneville) is going to have his troops moved on quickly and getting ready for this game. We’ve been in that situation when you have many goals scored against you, and you have to move past it quickly.

“They’ll be ready to play tonight. They’ll be hungry.”

However, Alberta has been a tough go for the Blackhawks this season. Chicago has lost all three games in Wild Rose Country by a combined score of 22-8.

“They’re going to come out stronger tonight,” said Flames centre Mikael Backlund. “You don’t want to lose twice in a row two times.”

As for the lineups, it was an optional skate for the Flames Friday, but with a twist.

The five players on the first powerplay unit — Jarome Iginla, Olli Jokinen, Alex Tanguay, Michael Cammalleri and Mark Giordano — went out for 15 minutes prior to the regular session and worked for a spell before leaving the ice.

So, we’ll figure the Flames lineup will be as Thursday’s practice.

Tanguay-Jokinen-Iginla

Cammalleri-Kolanos-Jones

Bouma-Backlund-Comeau

Kostopoulos-Stajan-Jackman

Defence

Butler-Bouwmeester

Giordano-Hannan

Brodie-Sarich

Kiprusoff in goal.

As for the Blackhawks, they didn’t have a morning skate having played the night before, but Andrew Brunette left early in the Edmonton game, so watch for Michael Frolik to draw into the lineup.

It’s probably a good bet Ray Emery — whose career marks against the Flames are 4-1-1 with a 1.33 goals-against average, .946 save percentage and one shutout — to be in goal.

After his hiatus for the NHL all-star break, Flames captain Jarome Iginla was the first player to hit the ice for the morning skate.

Iginla and Michael Cammalleri renewed a tradition we saw plenty of during Cammalleri’s first stint in Calgary. They’d hit the ice some 15 minutes before everybody else, sit up a bucket of pucks just inside the top of each circle and feed each other passes.

In turn, both players would fire pucks into the empty net. Hey, it worked back in 2008-09 when Cammalleri netted 39 goals and Iginla potted 35 and added 54 assists.

“I’m excited to get back and get going. It’s a nice break to get going for the stretch drive,” Iginla said.

It’s certainly no easy start out of the break for the Flames, facing the league-leading Red Wings tonight and then the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

However, the Flames have won two of three against the Wings already this season and have a chance to win a season series with Detroit for the first time in a decade.

“Part of our success has been being able to be physical and disciplined,” Iginla said. “I think the gap from the top teams to the middle of the pack has definitely become a lot tighter. We believe as good as they are, we can beat them.”

Otherwise, it was a pretty uneventful morning skate for the Flames.

Here are the lines

Alex Tanguay – Mikael Backlund – Alex Tanguay

Michael Cammalleri – Olli Jokinen – Blake Comeau

Lance Bouma – Blair Jones – Lee Stempniak

Tom Kostopoulos – Matt Stajan – Tim Jackman

Defence

Chris Butler – Jay Bouwmeester

Mark Giordano – Scott Hannan

T.J. Brodie – Cory Sarich

Miikka Kiprusoff is slated to start the game.

By the way, during the pre-game skate, all the Flames will wear sweaters honouring former team captain, 1989 Stanley Cup champion and assistant coach Brad McCrimmon, which will be auctioned off for charity.

McCrimmon also played and coached the Detroit Red Wings before leaving to take a head coaching job in the KHL but died in the tragic plane crash that wiped out the Lokomotiv team.

Another road trip, another Flames player hurt.

Winger Lance Bouma was limping in the aftermath of Saturday’s win over the Edmonton Oilers, and appeared to go for x-rays. In the game, he was hit in the foot by a puck. The energy winger wasn’t at Monday’s practice.

Then, during practice, Matt Stajan fell and went to the room.

The Flames did get some good news during the session. Left winger Alex Tanguay, who has missed the last 15 games due to a neck injury, was skating on a line with Tom Kostopoulos and Blair Jones. Therefore, it looks like he’ll be in action when the team plays host to the San Jose Sharks Tuesday.

Also, backup goalie Henrik Karlsson, who has been out of action due to a knee injury suffered Dec. 6, practised with the full team for the first time. He’s not likely to return to action until after the all-star break, but it’s a step forward.

The other lines were:

Michael Cammalleri – Mikael Backlund – Jarome Iginla

Blake Comeau – Olli Jokinen – Lee Stempniak

Brendan Morrison – Roman Horak/Matt Stajan – Tim Jackman

Defence

Jay Bouwmeester – Chris Butler

Mark Giordano – Scott Hannan

T.J. Brodie – Cory Sarich.

**********

Update time

Coach Brent Sutter said Tanguay is a game-time decision, but he’s leaning to Tanguay facing the Sharks.

As for Bouma, he’s definitely out for the Sharks game.

We all knew it wouldn’t be long before Jarome Iginla and Michael Cammalleri would be reunited on a line. They were in Monday’s practice, with Mikael Backlund in the middle during the skate in anticipation of the three-game road trip which begins Tuesday in San Jose.

That means a new right winger for Olli Jokinen and Curtis Glencross in the form of Blake Comeau.

Comeau’s chance may be something of a surprise since we’re talking about a winger with just one goal in the last 22 outings and only two this season.

However, it’s a calculated move. Comeau, who scored 24 goals last season, has great speed and that should work well with the way Glencross and Jokinen can skate.

“I’m hoping to jump in and join what they’ve been doing. Those are two guys easy to play with, it looks like. Glennie is always around the net and Olli has great vision,” Comeau said. “Hopefully, I’m a good fit on that line.”

In other news, watch for all kinds of players returning from injury soon. Defenceman Scott Hannan looks poised to be back in the lineup – with Anton Babchuk a likely candidate to be a healthy scratch – and Brett Carson’s conditioning assignment is nearing its end.

Forwards Brendan Morrison and Matt Stajan are going on the trip, while Alex Tanguay skated hard before the practice and was taking shots on the injured Henrik Karlsson.

Needless to say, GM Jay Feaster will be forced to make some moves, even if means putting some players in the minors, in the coming weeks.

Some quick bits from the Flames morning skate.

Michael Cammalleri was on a line with Mikael Backlund and Lee Stempniak, keeping Jarome Iginla on a line with Curtis Glencross and Olli Jokinen.

Blair Jones was at centre on a line with Blake Comeau and Lance Bouma, while the fourth line consisted of Roman Horak between Tom Kostopoulos and Tim Jackman.

That would leave Paul Byron as the lone forward being a healthy scratch.

Also, centre Matt Stajan skated with the team for the first time since suffering an ankle sprain Dec. 18. Defenceman Scott Hannan also was part of the practice.

Pretty quiet morning skate at the Saddledome.

Looks like the Flames will dress the same lineup as the one which beat the Minnesota Wild 3-1 on Saturday night.

Defenceman Mark Giordano and centre Brendan Morrison both pushed themselves very hard during the session, but both said they aren’t going to play.

As for the Devils, defenceman Anton Volchenkov will return after missing four games, which means Matt Taormina is a healthy scratch.

Flames head coach Brent Sutter said once again he has no special motivation against the Devils, which he coached for two seasons.

All in all, nothing as exciting as the war of words we’ve had between the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks the last few days.

Some good news — finally — for the Flames on the injury front.

Defenceman Mark Giordano was not only partaking in Monday’s practice, but was doing everything in the hopes of returning sooner than later from the hamstring injury suffered late November.

It’s not likely Giordano will play Tuesday versus the New Jersey Devils, but it’s a good bet he’ll be back in action before the end of this homestand, which concludes Saturday against Darryl Sutter and the Los Angeles Kings.

Centre Brendan Morrison also practised after missing last game with an “upper body tweak” he admitted suffering during the New Year’s Day game in Nashville. He’s more likely to play against the Devils.

As well, injured goalie Henrik Karlsson was out before practice taking some shots from goalie coach Clint Malarchuk and strength and conditioning coach Rich Hesketh. He’s still a couple of weeks away from returning from that knee injury, but it was a big step.

That said, D Derek Smith, LW Alex Tanguay, C Matt Stajan, D Scott Hannan and RW David Moss are all still out of action.

BOSTON — Raitis Ivanans is one appreciative fellow.

After missing all but most of the season opener last season due to a concussion suffered in a fight with then-Edmonton Oilers forward Steve MacIntyre, and then spending all of his time this season — when healthy enough to play — in the minors, Ivanans is ecstatic to be back in the NHL.

The Flames summoned the 6-foot-3, 231-lb. winger from the minors in time for Thursday’s clash with the Boston Bruins.

“It’s feels great. You realize you take it for granted when you’re here,” Ivanans said. “And then when you’re down and come back, you just want to grab it and never let it go.”

Ivanans has 281 NHL games to his name in which he’s collected 18 points and 569 penalty minutes. In 13 games this season with the AHL Abbotsford Heat, he has one goal, three points and 15 penalty minutes.

He skated on a line with Brendan Morrison and Tom Kostopoulos.

The other lines were:

Curtis Glencross-Olli Jokinen-Jarome Iginla

Blake Comeau-Mikael Backlund-Lee Stempniak

Paul Byron-Roman Horak-Tim Jackman

In other news from the morning skate, head coach Brent Sutter had a lengthy on-ice chat with the players in the middle of the session, and it didn’t appear he was too happy with how they were practising in anticipation of facing the defending Stanley Cup champions, who are destroying teams these days.

“We have a game to play, tonight, so that’s what it was about. We don’t want to be missing because we’re not at the standards as we need to be,” said Sutter, who was as dead serious as seen in his time with the Flames.

The only other change to the Flames roster will be Leland Irving to start in goal.