Throwdown Lowdown – Blues @ Flames 1-25-10

He looks like BJ Crombeen's long lost twin, doesn't he? Image via nhl.com

The one fight that occurred between the Blues and Ducks on Saturday was similar to the Blues’ third period effort – pathetic.  It was between Troy Bodie and Brad Winchester, and honestly it shouldn’t have been classified as a fight..  Bodie got a few shots in, Winchester got a few shots in, Bodie grabbed Winchester’s arms, Winchester got loose, Winchester got one more shot in, both fell down.  There’s not even video evidence of this fight on Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights, and quite frankly it’s not even worthy of video.  It was a draw (I cast the only vote).  Winchester’s season record is now 3-1-2, and honestly it should still be 3-1-1.  The Blues still sit in 5th place with 43 fights on the year; their season fight record is now 20-12-11.

I’ve had this game circled on my calendar for weeks.  Why, you ask?  Simple: the Calgary Flames are the top fighting team in the National Hockey League.  Coming into tonight, they’ve thrown the gloves down 54 times in the ’09-’10 season.  It would not be a stretch to guarantee that there will be pugilistic action in this contest.  In all, 14 Flames have fought on the season.  And not only do they throw down often, they throw down WELL; their fight record this season is 26-10-18.  They’re 1-1-0 against the Blues this year, with both fights happening in the two games already played in St. Louis: Robyn Regehr over David Backes on November 5th and Cam Janssen over Brandon Prust on December 15th.  It should be mentioned that Prust looks a bit like BJ Crombeen’s long lost twin brother.  Hey, they ARE both named Brandon after all.

The Flames sport two leading fighters – wingers Prust (5’11″, 195lbs, 7-3-7) and Brian McGrattan (6’4″ 235lbs, 9-2-2).  These two have contested in 30 of the teams 54 fights, so if you’re looking for punches, these would be the guys most likely to throw them.  Other Flames with multiple fights on the season are winger Eric Nystrom (6’1″, 193lbs, 1-0-4), winger and franchise player Jarome Iginla (6’1″, 207lbs, 2-0-2), defenseman Regehr (6’3″, 225lbs, 2-1-0), defenseman Mark Giordano (6’0″, 203lbs, 1-1-0), defenseman and team whipping boy Dion Phaneuf (6’3″, 214lbs, 1-0-1) and winger Rene Bourque (6’2″, 213lbs, 1-0-1).  Even old friend, center Craig Conroy (6’2″, 193lbs, 0-1-0) has gotten in on the act – he registered the first Flames fight on the season, actually.

If Backes comes back for this game, he’s got one member of Team Canada to shoot for – Iginla.  I, for one, would LOVE for this to happen.  Alas, it probably won’t.  Excepting that, the dream matchup of the evening would be a rematch between Prust and Janssen.  They’re about even size-wise and they both are very skilled fighters.  It would be MUCH better than the fight between Bodie and Winchester from Saturday, that is for certain.

This is an important Western Canada swing if the Blues think they’re going to stay alive in the Western Conference playoff hunt.  Let’s take ‘em.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights