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Wednesday, November 24, 1999
Two-timers
It's a streak!
Back-to-back wins.
OK, it ain't much, but it's a start for a team that won just its second game of the season in regulation time last night with a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders.
It's the first time the Flames have won back-to-back games all season -- and we're already more than a quarter of the way through the schedule.
The Flames almost blew the streak in the third period, when the Islanders scored two goals in the final ten minutes to make it close.
After the Flames had gone the first 19 games without holding a lead after two periods they accomplished that feat for the second consecutive game last night.
The lead did not come until that second period though, thanks to a first period in which the Flames fizzled, firing only three weak shots on Islander goalie Felix Potvin.
But while Brathwaite did his job in keeping his team in the game, he wasn't facing much more offence than Potvin.
In the second, Val Bure, Calgary's lone offensive bright spot all season, again sparked the Flames.
It wasn't pretty, but when Bure cut to the middle and threw a weak backhand at the Islander net, the puck bounced off the skate of New York defenceman Rich Pilon and through Potvin's pads.
Newcomer Andreas Johansson picked up an assist on the goal -- his first point as a Flame in his first game for Calgary. He didn't look out of place playing on a line with Bure and centered by Jeff Shantz.
The second goal came from a less likely source.
Jason Wiemer has been mired in a mini-slump since returning from a knee injury, with no goals in seven games going into last night.
But late in the second period, he skated over the blueline and fired a slapshot that simply overpowered Potvin for a 2-0 Flames lead.
Calgary defenceman Phil Housley drew an assist on Wiemer's goal, moving him to the top of the scoring list for NHL defenceman. Just seconds after setting up that goal, Housley fired a long pass to Marc Savard at centre ice and the Flames forward moved in on a breakaway that Potvin turned aside to keep his team within two goals heading into the third period.
Calgary hasn't won back-to-back games at home since March of last season.
These past two wins are of course the team's first two in regulation all season.
Jarome Iginla added what proved to be the winner in the third period on the powerplay, swatting at a loose puck in front of Potvin that bounced off the skate of defenceman Zdeno Chara and into the net.
It was a good thing.
The Islanders spoiled Brathwaite's shutout bid when Mike Watt scored his first goal of the year, deflecting a Kenny Jonsson point shot over the Flames goalie's shoulder.
And when rookie Mathieu Biron blasted a slapshot past Brathwaite on the powerplay the Flames three-goal third period lead had been reduced to one.
Brathwaite was making his fourth start in a row and he's been the Freddie of old in each.
After losing two 2-1 games, he led the Flames to their 3-1 win over Detroit and again last night to victory.
In each of his last two starts, he's lost his shutout bid halfway through the final period.
It was Brathwaite who turned the Flames' season around last year with an improbable run once he got a start.
Can he do it again?
Don't expect coach Brian Sutter to tinker with what is working in goal, especially with the eminently beatable 'Hawks coming into town tomorrow night.
Could anyone believe three in a row?
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