SLAM! Sports
SLAM! Hockey
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
COLUMNS
NHL
The Teams
Full Schedule
Monthly Schedule
Standings
Statistics
Rosters
Injury list
Movement
Trades
Hits Gallery
INTERACTIVE
JUNIOR
MORE HOCKEY
ALSO ON SLAM!
Friday, December 24, 1999
Christmas wishes
It won't be Christmas visions of sugar plums dancing the Calgary Flames are dreaming about tonight. It will be visions of playoff hockey.
Of ending three years of ineptitude, of turning this city back onto hockey.
Those Christmas Eve visions were made possible last night by the Flames' 2-1 win in this year's first installment of the Battle of Alberta.
And by the fact Fred Brathwaite has inspired a festive hockey atmosphere in this city by leading the Flames to a seven-game undefeated string at home.
But no game in that streak was as important as last night's.
Last year, the Flames won just once in six games against their provincial rivals. The Oilers took nine points to the Flames' three.
That six-point swing was the difference between the eighth and final playoff spot, held by Edmonton, and Calgary.
Every player in the Flames room was acutely aware of the importance of last night's game -- indeed, of the season series.
And they sent a convincing message that perhaps this Flames team has what it takes to end three years of failure.
"You have to feel good now," said defenceman Tommy Albelin, an unheralded star in the Flames' success. "That was a huge win for us -- going into Christmas, we're just two back of Edmonton instead of six. That is a great confidence-builder for this team."
Cory Stillman agreed: "Last year, we were so far out at this point. Now we're three points out of first in our division and when we go home for Christmas, we'll all have that hope for the second half.
"That was a special win going into the Christmas break, playing Edmonton and beating them at home. It adds a lift to our team and we know coming back that we have a chance to take a run at this."
But as the accolades deservedly continue to pour in for the goaltending exploits of Fred Brathwaite, it has become increasingly obvious that success is due as well to the defence in front of him.
Denis Gauthier, Derek Morris, Bobby Dollas, Tommy Albelin, Phil Housley and Robyn Regehr are enabling Brathwaite to see shots when they come. But more importantly, they are eliminating rebounds.
"Our success goes hand in hand," said Albelin of Brathwaite and the defence. "As a defenceman, when you know Freddie is making the key saves, you can challenge a little more and be more effective."
Calgary couldn't beat Tommy Salo at the other end of the ice until the second period.
Val Bure tipped a loose puck up to Rene Corbet at centre ice and he fired a slapshot/pass at the net onto the stick of Clarke Wilm, who had worked himself into position for the deflection past Salo.
Bure put the Flames up by two goals later the period in a rare four-on-four situation. The Russian winger took his time in firing a wrist shot over Salo's arm for the two-goal lead into the third period.
Ryan Smyth cut the lead in half early in the third period with a powerplay marker but the Oil failed to get the equalizer. In the final minutes, Brathwaite once again had a near capacity crowd chanting "Freddie, Freddie, Freddie."
And sending everyone home with visions of something more than sugar plums dancing this Christmas Eve.
 Bert's back on blades Blue Jays boot game Bombers drop Peterson Felicien rebuilds race | Visit our Polls Archive |