I love me some Jarome Iginla. Image via AtomicPope/Flickr

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I will start off with the video of the “fight” between Colin Fraser and Scott Nichol that was not on the previous report. Someone actually voted that Fraser won the fight. That person should be shot on site, as should anyone that votes Nichol the winner. This should have been two minutes for Delay of Game on each player, because this was pathetic if you consider it a fight. But I digress . . . .

Confidence-boosting wins in a contender’s building are fun to watch, aren’t they? The St. Louis Blues went to Pittsburgh and defeated a very good Penguins team at their place, 3-2 in overtime. Not only that, there was a scrap in this contest albeit a short one. Deryk Engelland went at it with Ryan Reaves, and while the votes aren’t tallied yet, the video is up (here) and it appears that we can comfortably give Reaves a win in this one, though Engelland certainly held his own. This slides the Blues up into a massive tie for 18th in the National Hockey League with eight fighting majors collected on the season. The fight record moves up to 4-0-4 on the season.

We’ve discussed tonight’s opponent, the Calgary Flames, twice before in this segment (October 10th and October 28th, to be exact), and while they didn’t fight the Blues in either of those games, you never know what will happen in a third matchup. The Flames have a few guys who are willing to throw punches with just about anyone, though their fight record would not readily show this. The Flames are currently in a massive tie for 11th in the NHL with nine fighting majors on the season. Their record is a very solid 5-2-2 in these fights.

Of the Flames players that have fought this season, the ever-truculent Tim Jackman (6’4”, 220lbs, 3-0-2) leads the team with five of their nine fights on the season. “The Greek God of Hockey Violence”, Tom Kostopoulos (6’0”, 200lbs, 0-2-0) has fought twice, and Cory Sarich (6’4”, 207lbs, Win) and my favorite NHL player to watch that has never been a blue, Jarome Iginla (6’1”, 207lbs, Win) each have fought once this season. Among players currently on the Flames roster, the fighters from last year go like this: Jackman (3-6-3) led the way with 12 fights, followed by Kostopoulos (1-4-1) with six fights. Following him are Mark Giordano (6’0”, 203lbs, 1-1-1) and Sarich (0-2-1) with three fights each. Iginla (1-0-1) checks in with two fights.  Solo fighters include Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (6’2”, 215lbs, Win), former Blue Lee Stempniak (6’0”, 201lbs, Draw), Olli Jokinen (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss) and Curtis Glencross (6’1”, 200lbs, Loss). Raitis Ivanans and Brendan Mikkelson would have also been on this list, but they were sent to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford in mid-October.

I would really like to see a fight in this game, but it’s not life or death. Tim Jackman could give Reaves a good challenge as they both match up size-wise, but who knows if both Reaves and Jackman will play? Also, a fight between Iginla and David Backes would probably set my heart on fire.

More home wins? I’d like them, yes.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights . . . with an assist today from HockeyFights.com

Tim Jackman is more violent than Barret Jackman, if that’s even possible. Image via Zimbio

Yours truly spent a while battling both a severe case of “Game 6 Hangover” and wonky internet connections at the office, therefore this post is decidedly late. My apologies for that, but the report moves on.

Speaking of “Game 6 Hangover” . . . sure, the St. Louis Blues are second-fiddle right now to the St. Louis Cardinals, but they were front and center on Wednesday and they took advantage of a mess of a goaltender situation in Vancouver by defeating the Canucks 3-0. Being that there was no need for a fight in the game, there wasn’t one. So the Blues stand at three fighting majors on the season, currently good for a tie for 15th in the National Hockey League in that category. The fight record remains at 1-0-2.

We’ve discussed tonight’s opponent, the Calgary Flames, once before in this segment (October 10th, to be exact), and while they didn’t fight the Blues in that game, the likelihood of a fight in THIS game is increased as the team has been struggling for much of the season and they are looking for a spark. The Flames have a few guys who are willing to throw punches with just about anyone, but thus far on the young season – like the Blues – they have only picked up three fighting majors on the season. As you see above, that’s good for a tie for 15th position in the NHL in that category, much like our Blues. The difference is that the Flames’ fight record stands currently at 1-1-1.

Flames players that have fought this season include Cory Sarich (6’4”, 207lbs, Win), the ever-truculent Tim Jackman (6’4”, 220lbs, Draw) and “The Greek God of Hockey Violence”, Tom Kostopoulos (6’0”, 200lbs, Loss). Among players currently on the Flames roster, the fighters from last year go like this: Jackman (3-6-3) led the way with 12 fights, followed by Kostopoulos (1-4-1) with six fights. Following him are Mark Giordano (6’0”, 203lbs, 1-1-1) and Sarich (0-2-1) with three fights each.  My favorite NHL player to watch that has never been a Blue, Jarome Iginla (6’1”, 207lbs, 1-0-1), checks in with two fights.  Solo fighters include Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (6’2”, 215lbs, Win), former Blue Lee Stempniak (6’0”, 201lbs, Draw), Olli Jokinen (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss) and Curtis Glencross (6’1”, 200lbs, Loss). Raitis Ivanans and Brendan Mikkelson fell off the list as they were sent to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

Tim Jackman contested his first fight of the season last Thursday, so with him fully in the swing of things as it appears, it’s probably a great time for him to show more aggression. If Ryan Reaves plays tonight – and I suspect that he might – look for him to challenge the bruising Calgary forward. Otherwise, look for something strange such as, say, a scrap between the team’s two captains – Iginla and David Backes, which would be an excellent fight, if I don’t say so myself.

Is there more Western Canada goodness on tap? Let’s hope so. Also, a Game 7 win by the Redbirds would be nice. Let’s be greedy and ask for both, shall we?

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

The Flames got the lead early when Curtis Glencross beat Jaroslav Halak with a deflected shot. Jarome Iginla also scored for Calgary as the Blues continue to struggle shutting down this power forward. But that is all the opponent could muster with another dominating possession game for St. Louis.

Defensive play shined again for the Blues keeping their second straight adversary under twenty shots. Halak settled down after the first goal and turned away 15 of the 17 shots against. The Blues also finished the game with 16 blocked shots making Halak’s day a little easier in net.

Alex Pietrangelo led all Blues in ice time and scored the game winning goal. Chris Stewart skated to the front of the net to screen Henrik Karlsson when Pietrangelo fired a rocket to give the Blues a 3-2 lead. The young defenseman also assisted with a break out pass to Stewart who roofed a backhander to cushion the score.

Late in the first, the Blues were able to tie the score with an alert play by Alex Steen. As Matt D’Agostini drove down the boards with the puck, he set Jason Arnott up for the one-timer. The stopped shot could not be controlled by Karlsson and Steen finished the play off with a solid shot.

Over the off season, some fans criticized the signing of older veterans like Jason Arnott. Blues GM Doug Armstrong proved his point today. Arnott is off to a fast start as he scored his second of the year and got a helper for two more points on this young season. Fellow veteran, Andy McDonald, continues to be a force on the ice notching up two more assists.

Up Next: St. Louis goes on the road to play the Dallas Stars Thursday.

This Cutie Has Learned to Use his Body to his Advantage

Patrik Berglund #21: This cutie started Saturday’s scoring with a goal in the first period.  While the Blues couldn’t maintain the pressure, Berglund stood out during the game.  He seemed to be working hard and making the right moves at the right time.  Unfortunately, Pekka Rinne out-performed Halak and offensive pressure didn’t mean much during the game.  Berglund came into the season strong, with 2 goals and one assist in his 4 preseason starts.  Keep your eye on this cutie- he seems to have figured out how to use his big body to his advantage in addition to his scoring abilities.

Flames Cutie to Watch: The Flames fell in their season opener to the Penguins 5-3 on Saturday.  Even with the loss, the Flames went down fighting, but an empty net goal by Jordan Staal sealed their fate Saturday (had to mention a Staal in here if it was possible!).  The Flames starting goaltender, Miikka Kipursoff, saved 32 of 36 shots he faced, but the team didn’t have the goal scoring needed to beat the strong Eastern Conference team.  Here’s who I’ll be watching today:

This Cutie is a physical offensive force for the Flames

Curtis Glencross #20, Left Wing: This cutie was one of the goal scorers for the Flames in their opener, and was also tied for most shots on goal in the game for Calgary (3).  Most hockey fans automatically think of Jarome Iginla when they think of the Flames, but Glencross is also a solid forward on the team.  Last season, he notched a career high 43 points (24 G 19 A).  This is the second season that Glencross’ overall stats have earned him a place on my fantasy team; he is a forward that brings in more than just points.  In Saturday’s game, Glencross had 5 hits and 1 block.  Watch for this cutie to be a physical offensive force for the Flames in today’s game.

Our old friend, Cam Janssen, fighting Tom Kostopoulos. Image via Zimbio

Well, things went a bit awry for our beloved St. Louis Blues in the season and home opener, taking it on the chin in a 4-2 loss to the Nashville Predators. But there’s good news here, and it comes in two parts: 1) It’s only one hockey game out of 82, and 2) Ryan Reaves scored a one-punch knockdown victory over Zack Stortini, followed by Stortini thinking the fight wasn’t over (it was . . . jerk. STAY DOWN!) and a couple five-minute fighting majors being handed out (video evidence here). So that gives the Blues one fight on the young season, and they are 1-0-0, at least in THAT category.

Of all teams that were enigmas last year both in the standings and on the fight scorecard, one of the most shining examples of such lunacy was the Calgary Flames. They began the season as a laughingstock, and there were even rumo(u)rs that the face of their franchise – Captain Jarome Iginla – was on the trading block. They fought a lot early in the season. Then they made some managerial moves, swung a few trades, and they stopped fighting and started playing some winning hockey. Up until about late-March, they were in line to possibly steal a playoff spot. Then, they faded, and the season ended with the Flames outside the playoff picture. But they still didn’t fight much, and they finished 18th in the National Hockey League with 35 fighting majors, going a not-horrible 10-15-10 in those fights. In their first and only game thus far this season – a 5-3 home loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins – the Flames did not fight anyone.

Among players now playing for the Flames, last year’s fight records do show some things. Tim Jackman (6’4”, 220lbs, 3-6-3) leads the way with 12 fights.  He is followed by the man I call the “Greek God of Violence”, Tom Kostopoulos (6’0”, 200lbs, 1-4-1) with six fights. Following him are Mark Giordano (6’0”, 203lbs, 1-1-1) and Cory Sarich (6’4”, 207lbs, 0-2-1) with three fights each.  My favorite NHL player to watch that has never been a Blue, the aforementioned Iginla (6’1”, 207lbs, 1-0-1), checks in with two fights.  Solo fighters include Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (6’2”, 215lbs, Win), former Blue Lee Stempniak (6’0”, 201lbs, Draw), Raitis Ivanans (6’4”, 240lbs, Loss, on IR with Post Concussion Syndrome), Brendan Mikkelson (6’3”, 205lbs, Loss), Olli Jokinen (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss) and Curtis Glencross (6’1”, 200lbs, Loss).

Tim Jackman and Reaves seem to be about the most perfect matchup anyone could think of, as they match up well size-wise and violence-wise. I will be disappointed if that fight does not come to fruition. For hilarity, look for Iginla and David Backes, two beloved Captains squaring off. Being that these two are my top hockey man-crushes, I might cream myself if that happens. (Okay, probably not.)

Second game of the season, and my first in person. Bring home a win, boys.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Not Sir Jaxx, but at least Tim Jackman is violent. And has missing teeth. Image via Zimbio

Wow.  WOW.  W.O.W.!!!!!  Sure, the season is over, but if you’re a Blues fan, how can you NOT enjoy a 10-3 Blues victory over the Detroit Red Wings?  IT IS NOT POSSIBLE.  Seriously, the only thing that would’ve been better, in my case?  Had it been done against the Chicago Blackhawks (and yes, I still do detest the Blackhawks more than the Red Wings, and I have my reasons, so back off).  Honestly, I could care less that there were no fights in the game, and call blasphemy on me if it was a problem I didn’t see most of the game because of a regular bowling obligation.  That game may have been more fun than what I’d imagine a date with Cindy Crawford circa 1993 would be like.  Wow.  Again.  Anyway, since there were no fights, the Blues remain at 72 fighting majors on the season, still leading the NHL in that category.  The fight record, obviously, remains at 30-21-21.

The Calgary Flames, up until about a week ago, were still in the hunt for a playoff spot.  Mathematically, they still are, but they have taken some ugly losses lately to severely demerit their chances to reach the grand tournament for Stanley.  So they may have nothing to play for except pride.  You know what?  Let them do that, that’s the style the Blues have been playing from time to time lately, with some semi-decent results.  They don’t fight a lot, but they are not lightweights in that category either.  The Flames are alone in 18th place in the NHL with 35 fighting majors on the season.  Their current fight record comes in at a somewhat-even 10-15-10.

Tim Jackman (6’4”, 210lbs, 3-6-3) leads the team with 12 fights and is clearly the leading fight threat on the team (and he’s not as bad at it as his record would indicate).  He is followed by Tom Kostopoulos (6’0”, 200lbs, 1-2-1 as a Flame and 1-4-1 overall including a loss to Cam Janssen) with four fights.  Mark Giordano (6’0”, 203lbs, 1-1-1), Stefan Meyer (6’2”, 195lbs, 2-0-1, currently with Abbotsford in the AHL) and Cory Sarich (6’4”, 207lbs, 0-2-1) have fought three times each as Flames.  Those with two fights each include my favorite NHL player to watch that has never been a Blue in Jarome Iginla (6’1”, 207lbs, 1-0-1), Robyn Regehr (6’3”, 225lbs, 1-0-1) and former Blues farmhand Steve Staios (6’1”, 200lbs, 0-1-1).  Solo fighters include Brett Sutter (6’0”, 192lbs, Win, traded to Calgary and currently assigned to Charlotte of the AHL), Olli Jokinen (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss), Curtis Glencross (6’1”, 195lbs, Loss) and Raitis Ivanans (6’4”, 240lbs, Loss, out with a concussion).

I think there’s a legitimate shot at a fight tonight, with both teams pretty much headed for tee times in about two weeks.  Perhaps Tim Jackman and Ryan Reaves give it a go?  I would actually LOVE to see that.  And since I’ll be there tonight, I would REALLY REALLY love to see that.

BLUENOTE ZONE MEET-UP!  6:15PM, IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF THE SECTION 118-119 CONCOURSE!  I’LL BE THERE BEFORE THE GAME!  BE THERE IF YOU WILL BE AS WELL! I WANT TO MEET YOU FOLKS!  DO IT, PLEASE!

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Why so angry, Tom? Image via Sports Illustrated

The first shutout in over 100 games for the Blues – what was at the time the longest active streak in the NHL – is now over after Sunday’s 1-0 loss to tonight’s opponent, the Calgary Flames.  Then, the Blues decided to sell off Brad Boyes and Brad “F.” Winchester following the game and ahead of the NHL trade deadline.  I kinda like this, but that’s another thought for another time.  Anyway, there were no fights between the Blues and Flames on Sunday, and the Blues still place second in the NHL in fights.  Due to some recent events, that is only good for a TIE for second place with the Boston Bruins and the Anaheim Ducks, now each with 59 fighting majors on the season.  The Blues’ fight record still stands at 24-18-17.

Remember these guys?  You should – the Blues played them on Sunday night!  So yes, we have covered the Calgary Flames in this space before (January 26th, too, as well as Sunday).  So this will be a somewhat-abbreviated report as nothing much has changed.  Their 32 fighting majors on the season is 17th in the NHL by themselves and only two more than they had the last time the Blues played them.  Their fight record is somewhat mediocre at 9-13-10.

To recap the fighters again from Sunday . . . free-agent signee Tim Jackman (6’4”, 210lbs, 3-6-3, questionable with an “upper body issue”) leads the team with 12 fights, a total that also puts him just short of the Top 10 individual fighters in the league.  Tom Kostopoulos (6’0”, 200lbs, 1-1-1 as a Flame and 1-3-1 overall) and Stefan Meyer (6’2”, 195lbs, 2-0-1, currently with Abbotsford in the AHL) both have fought three times each as Flames.  Those with two fights each include possibly my favorite NHL player to watch that has never been a Blue in Jarome Iginla (6’1”, 207lbs, 1-0-1), Robyn Regehr (6’3”, 225lbs, 1-0-1), Mark Giordano (6’0”, 203lbs, 0-1-1), former Blues farmhand Steve Staios (6’1”, 200lbs, 0-1-1) and Cory Sarich (6’4”, 207lbs, 0-1-1).  Solo fighters include Brett Sutter (6’0”, 192lbs, Win, traded to Calgary and currently assigned to Charlotte of the AHL), Olli Jokinen (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss), Curtis Glencross (6’1”, 195lbs, Loss) and Raitis Ivanans (6’4”, 240lbs, Loss, out with a concussion).

So with Winchester gone, that’s one less bruiser to go after a Flames player.  With Tim Jackman not playing because of shoulder issues, that’s one less bruiser to go after a Blues player.  With Ryan Reaves being called up from Peoria after all of this trading, that’s one MORE bruiser to go after a Flames player.  Who will it be?  I think it will be someone.  It would be hilarious if “The Grim Reaver” went after Kostopoulos and destroyed him, in my humble opinion.

Back to the home crowd the Blues go.  Make it worth our time, boys.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

SHOW ME YOUR WAR FACE, TIM! Image via Zimbio

I’ll say this: I was in a somewhat poor mood and in somewhat ill condition before Friday’s Blues game with the Edmonton Oilers, and after about the second period of the 5-0 shellacking The Note dealt to the Oil, I felt about 150% better about myself both mentally and physically.  I can’t lie about that . . . it was THAT good.  We can only hope our boys keep this trend up.  Anyway, after some testy action between the two clubs throughout the game, there was a fight after the game was essentially put away by the Blues, and it involved Jason Strudwick and Cam Janssen (video here).  Irony would have it that it came seven seconds after Janssen’s first point of the season (an assist on Matt D’Agostini’s goal).  Strudwick seemed to use his size advantage well in this one, but I thought Janssen did his best to hang right in there with him despite not being afforded the second minute of the fight by the linesmen (as you well know, Janssen dominates fights late because he keeps himself in REALLY great physical condition . . . oh, and he doesn’t play much).  Regardless, it was a unanimous decision in favor of Strudwick.  The Blues still place second in the NHL, now with 59 fighting majors on the season.  Their fight record now stands at 24-18-17.

We have covered the Calgary Flames in this space once before (right ahead of the All-Star Break on January 26th).  Since switching coaches, the Flames have overachieved on the ice, and unfortunately part of that is not fighting as much as they previously had.  It’s a trend that I wish were not totally true, but it seems to be, at least these days, the better teams fight less.  Of course, the Pittsburgh Penguins fly right in the face of that as they’re a postseason team at this point.  Anyway, the Flames still DO fight, just not nearly as much as they did earlier in the season when they were a top-five fighting team.  Their 32 fighting majors on the season is 17th in the NHL by themselves and only two more than they had the last time the Blues played them.  Their fight record is somewhat mediocre at 9-13-10, but not outright terrible.

Free-agent signee Tim Jackman (6’4”, 210lbs, 3-6-3, questionable with an “upper body issue”) leads the team with 12 fights, a total that also puts him just short of the Top 10 individual fighters in the league.  Tom Kostopoulos (6’0”, 200lbs, 1-1-1 as a Flame and 1-3-1 overall) and Stefan Meyer (6’2”, 195lbs, 2-0-1, currently with Abbotsford in the AHL) both have fought three times each as Flames.  Those with two fights each include possibly my favorite NHL player to watch that has never been a Blue in Jarome Iginla (6’1”, 207lbs, 1-0-1), Robyn Regehr (6’3”, 225lbs, 1-0-1), Mark Giordano (6’0”, 203lbs, 0-1-1), former Blues farmhand Steve Staios (6’1”, 200lbs, 0-1-1) and Cory Sarich (6’4”, 207lbs, 0-1-1).  Solo fighters include Brett Sutter (6’0”, 192lbs, Win, traded to Calgary and currently assigned to Charlotte of the AHL), Olli Jokinen (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss), Curtis Glencross (6’1”, 195lbs, Loss) and Raitis Ivanans (6’4”, 240lbs, Loss, out with a concussion).

With THEIR Jackman out with a suspected shoulder problem, it’s hard to imagine that anyone else really thinks about stepping up in his place – especially considering he has battled 12 of the Flames’ 32 fights.  If anyone would, however, I’d bet on Kostopoulos, whom I’ve started to call “The Greek God of Hockey Violence”.  He would be a spectacular matchup for Janssen, if Janssen were to play.  Otherwise, we have two teams going in different directions and those usually lead to fisticuffs you don’t expect, so expect anything.

It’s a “somewhat” home-and-home with the Flames with the second game on Tuesday.  MOMENTUM IS HUGE!

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Is “Kostopoulos” Greek for “Face-Breaker”? He’s done a lot of that lately. Image via the Calgary Herald

The Blues’ 4-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday was not the prettiest of games, but at least our home squad decided to show a bit of resiliency in a tough spot, even if it was a small amount.  And the return of Cam Janssen to the lineup brought another fight with someone who is much bigger than him – this time, it was former Blue David Koci.  And Cam didn’t do too poorly in the fight – while the edge would probably go to Koci for landing a couple more punches, I do believe this was rightfully judged a draw by the voters as it was a tale of two fights (video proof here).  This fight keeps The Note in a draw for first place in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks, who each have collected 49 fighting majors on the season, with their fight record still steady at 19-17-12.

For the first time in a while, the Blues play an opponent tonight that they have not played yet this season in the Calgary Flames.  And of course, as luck would have it, the Blues are catching the Flames at the absolute worst possible time.  Since watching GM Darryl Sutter resign in late December, they’ve elevated their overall play and surged in the Western Conference standings.  The main unfortunate point in this, though, is that the team’s fighting ways have seemingly regressed since that time as they’ve only collected three fights in the month of January.  Overall, the Flames are 14th by themselves with 30 fighting majors on the season.  Their fight record isn’t bad at 9-11-10, but it’s not great either.

Free-agent signee Tim Jackman (6’4”, 210lbs, 3-4-3) leads the team with 10 fights.  Tom Kostopoulos (6’0”, 200lbs, 1-1-1 as a Flame and 1-3-1 overall) and Stefan Meyer (6’2”, 195lbs, 2-0-1, currently with Abbotsford in the AHL) both have fought three times each as Flames.  Those with two fights each include Jarome Iginla (6’1”, 207lbs, 1-0-1), Robyn Regehr (6’3”, 225lbs, 1-0-1), Mark Giordano (6’0”, 203lbs, 0-1-1), former Blues farmhand Steve Staios (6’1”, 200lbs, 0-1-1, on the IR with the dreaded “Upper Body Injury”) and Cory Sarich (6’4”, 207lbs, 0-1-1).  Solo fighters include Brett Sutter (6’0”, 192lbs, Win, traded to Calgary and assigned to Charlotte of the AHL), Olli Jokinen (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss, look at this piece of genius from a Swedish website), Curtis Glencross (6’1”, 195lbs, Loss) and Raitis Ivanans (6’4”, 240lbs, Loss, out with a concussion).

The Flames’ version of Jackman seems to be willing to go with anyone (as he has been in the past), but finding a dancing partner for him tonight will not be easy, as he’s too long for the lighter weights but too slight of build for the heavyweights.  If Janssen plays (and I have my suspicions he won’t tonight), he will probably be the most likely choice to go with either Jackman or Kostopoulos.

Can we just start the All-Star Break now?  No?  Well, how about stealing a win from Cal & Gary first?

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights

Blues @ Flames Gameday

Mercy finally makes it’s arrival for the Blues. Tonight’s tilt in the frozen hinterlands of Alberta is the final game before the All Star Break. A chance to recuperate from the last 36 games.

Pitted against each other are two teams heading in opposite directions.

The Calgary Flames (23-21-6, 52 Points) came in to the 2010-11 season much like the Blues. A team that could finish anywhere from 5th to 12th in the ultra competitive Western Conference. Injuries and substandard performance has hampered the chances of ending their campaign near the high end projections.

However, the Flames have found their stride of late. Winners of three straight and 5-2-3 in their last 10. Using three game segments to gradually raise their stature and re-enter the slugfest for playoff position.

The Blues (22-19-7, 51 Points) are moving south for the winter. Using a 2-7-2 record in January to slide from around 8th/9th place to as low as 14th earlier this week. The cause? An alarming 3.72 GAA so far in 2011. Don’t look to solely blame Jaroslav Halak. A good chunk of the responsibility falls on the a lack of overall team effort and weak team defense.

Leading Calgary, as always, is captain Jarome Iginla. Posting 21 goals and 46 points in 50 games. He is the embodiment of a power forward and the Flames physical style of play.

Physical play may be an understatement. Take a look at recent suspendable hits likeTom Kostopoulos’ on Brad Stuart and Curtis Glencross’ on Clayton Stoner. Proof they play with a distinct edge. One the Blues need to be ready to counter.

Keep an eye on the Calgary special teams units. In four of their last five wins they have tallied a PPG. They’ve also allowed just one PPG against in four of their last give as well. A 22.7% power play conversion and 95% penalty kill rate. The Blues special teams? Just 3 for 32 on the man advantage (9.4%) and 28 for 37 on the kill (75.7%) this month. Special teams play will go a long way in determining this game.

Finnish netminder extraordinaire Miikka Kiprusoff has not been himself. So far the usually rock solid back stopper is 19-18-2 with a 2.79 GAA and .900 save percentage.Kiprusoff has been quite the “Blues Killer” in his career though. With a 14-4-2 record, 2.17 GAA and .915 save percentage in 20 total games.

Tentative expectation is that Mikka will face Jaroslav Halak in net.

Halak’s numbers against Calgary are not so hot. Just 1-3-0 in 4 career games with a 3.02 GAA and .910 save percentage. Combine those numbers with his January performance (and support level), you end up with this fantasy suggestion. Bench Halak, Start Kipprusoff.

On the injury front the Flames will be without defenseman Steve Staios. The Blues are missing the usual suspects. Forwards Andy McDonald, David Perron (Consussions) and defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo (Eye). Fellow blueliner Barret Jackman (lower-body) is questionable.

The Blues lineup is likely to remain similar to the setup in Colorado.

Alex Steen – David Backes – BJ Crombeen
Vladimir Sobotka – Patrik Berglind – TJ Oshie
Brad Winchester – Jay McClement – Brad Boyes
Stefan Della Rovere – Matt D’Agostini – Cam Janssen

Eric Brewer – Roman Polak
Erik Johnson – Alex Pietrangelo
Nikita Niktin – Tyson Strachan

Berglund comes in riding a 6 game point streak. In which he has 3 goals and 7 points. Boyes also comes in quietly with a productive month. Registering 6 goals and 17 points in 11 games. Currently on a 3 game streak, he has only two games this month where he hasn’t put up a point. Slowly, but surely, Boyesie is returning to form.

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(UPDATE #1: Jeremy Rutherford confirmed Ty Conklin is starting)

(UPDATE #2: Per Jeremy Rutherford’s Morning Skate blog, D’Agostini is back with Backes and Steen. Crombeen is on the 4th line with Phil McRae at center and Della Rovere on left wing.)

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