Joe Sakic tried his back out this afternoon but it was decided that he wasn't ready and he missed his fourth game in a row due to injury. As a point a game player, the Flames are thankful he couldn't notch a point today as they held the Avs off the scoreboard and Miikka Kiprusoff stopped eighteen shots to record his second shut-out of the season.

It's amazing what a little time off can do for a team. Going into their four day respite, the Flames were wallowing through a sub-par streak that was raising concerns and questions about the identity of the team, the leadership, and the front office as they went from a six game winning streak into a 2-5 run that had many fans screaming for a shake-up and many pundits scratching their heads attempting to discern what the problem with this line-up could be. The Flames said all the right things during the short break and assured us that they would come back rejuvenated and re-focused... Looks like they weren't kidding.

Sure the Game Tuesday was a more dominating performance that actually flattered the Avs with the 4-1 final, but in its own way this game may have actually been the more important of the two. Why? Start with the fact that (as long as you don't count the Flames start to the season) it's extremely difficult to best a team in consecutive games at any time let alone at a home and home. Add to that the Flames seemingly constant road woes, four losses in a row entering tonight, and you've started with a pretty high degree of difficulty. Also, don't forget to consider that the Flames have historically had trouble in general at the Pepsi center so they definitely had their work cut out for them.

And work they did. It wasn't as lopsided a performance as Tuesday but the elements were very similar. They controlled the face-off circle and the puck. They outshot the Avs badly and outchanced them as well. They skated hard and played well defensively but most importantly were able to do it without a parade to the penalty box and that simply can't be over-stated. Simply put: They won a the kind of game they used to win but were thought to be incapable of winning any more.

Once again Kipper looks like he's back to his old self. Maybe he's always been his old self to be honest. Maybe the team in front of him just hasn't been there to lend the support he needs to find his "groove". It's easy to blame the goalie when the average is high and the save percentage is low (because a lot of the time it's the case let's not mince words) but either Miikka has become as hot and cold as it gets or perhaps the criticism regarding the team defense by the Flames was well founded and they've found a way to shore things up. To be honest I think it's a little bit of both, but a little confidence sure goes a long way in seeing both elements improve.

Speaking of goalies, even as a Flames fan one can't help but feel bad for Peter Budaj. Sure he was shaky to start the season but he's sure been rock-solid for the past few weeks. Even though he takes back-to-back losses against the Flames this week, if it wasn't for his play, these games aren't even close. Special mention tonight should also go to his posts for making three clangs that were like fingernails on a chalkboard to Flames fans.

Maybe the Flames did use their long weekend to retool and redefine themselves. Maybe this team has found the formula that works for them in today's NHL. If only there was some litmus test they could perform to gauge their performance...

Oh yeah, the Wings come to town Saturday. Nothing like measuring yourself against the best! :)

Have a great day!
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