SB Nation St. Louis - Calgary Flames At St. Louis Blues: Blues Douse Ice Cold Calgaryhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49009/stl-fave.png2011-11-25T21:58:18-06:00http://stlouis.sbnation.com/rss/stream/23507182011-11-25T21:58:18-06:002011-11-25T21:58:18-06:00Calgary Fames At St. Louis Blues Final Score: Brian Elliott Snags Third Shutout Of Season, Blues Win 2-0
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<p>Brian Elliott will be starting in net for the Blues on Sunday. How do I know so soon? Because coach Ken Hitchcock rewards shutouts, and Elliott got a doozy of a shutout tonight against the Calgary Flames. A team that normally tends to give the Blues fits proved to be a very not-difficult opponent, and proved why they’re in the bottom of the Northwestern Division.</p>
<p>Calgary has not had a pleasant season thus far, and tonight compounded their issues. Sure, Elliott stoned them several times – most impressively on a Lee Stempniak breakaway – but they could not seem to get it together save for a stretch in the second period. The Blues, however, sensed Calgary’s timidity and went for it.</p>
<p>The Blues’ penalty kill is steadily improving, and tonight it got a bit of an unexpected gift: a short handed goal by the captain, David Backes. A clearing pass off the boards by Kevin Shattenkirk went directly to Backes, who split down the middle of Calgary’s defense and nailed a high glove goal into an open net that Kiprusoff tried valiantly for – but more or less out of frustration than anything else.</p>
<p>The Blues other goal of the evening was a beauty of a shot by Alex Pietrangelo, who got wide open in front of the net to wrist in his fourth goal of the season. He’s an outstanding defenseman, but he has the sense of a forward as to where exactly you need to be to get that perfect goal. A Backes check loosened the puck along the wall, from which he was able to pass it around the back of the net to a waiting Alex Steen, who dished it directly to Petro for the goal.</p>
<p>Despite the outstanding performance tonight by the Blues (who are now 6-1-2 under Hitchcock) and the stellar job that Elliott did in net, there is a bit of an issue to worry about. Vladimir Sobotka took a shot off of the face that left him hunched over on the ice dripping blood. He was helped from the ice and did not return; it looked like the puck struck him around the left eye/side of his face area. Hopefully he’ll come back soon, as he’s been one of the best players for the Blues all season.</p>
<p>With tonight’s win the Blues’ record is 12-8-2, giving them 26 points on the season, good for 6th place in the Western Conference. They are still just three points behind the division leading Blackhawks, and face the basement dwelling Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday at 5:00.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-blues/2011/11/25/2587188/calgary-fames-at-st-louis-blues-final-score-brian-elliott-snags-thirdLaura Astorian2011-11-25T15:51:06-06:002011-11-25T15:51:06-06:00Calgary Flames At St. Louis Blues: Blues Need To Douse Mikka Kiprusoff
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<p>Mikka Kiprusoff has beaten the Blues five games in a row, but coming in off of a solid win against the Penguins should give the Blues the oomph to beat the Flames.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/">Blues</a> have always had problems with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.matchsticksandgasoline.com/">Calgary Flames</a> goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff. He's started 27 games against the Blues in his career, and he's won twenty of them. He also has a 1.91 GAA lifetime against the Blues and a .928 SV%. It's never been Calgary itself that has given St. Louis fits - the last time they visited Scottrade they lost 5-2, but that was sans Kipper. The new addition of recently-former New York Islander <span>Blake Comeau</span> probably won't bolster their offense much. The Flames are last in the Northwest division, are 4-6-0 in their last ten, and blew a lead Wednesday night to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.wingingitinmotown.com/">Red Wings</a>.</p>
<p>On the flip side, the Blues are chugging up the standings. They're 6-2-2 in their last ten games, have just one regulation loss under Ken Hitchcock, and are three points behind the division leading <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.secondcityhockey.com/">Chicago Blackhawks</a>. Both Brian Eliott and <span>Jaroslav Halak</span> are playing solid hockey, Eliott especially showed this Wednesday in Pittsburgh. He allowed two goals, which is the most that he's allowed all season. Unfortunately, the last time he started against Calgary, they handed him his only loss this season - a 2-1 frustration where the Blues couldn't give their netminder goal support to save their lives. Hopefully they will tonight, because Elliott has allowed five goals all season at home, with an amazing .950 SV%. It's on the offense tonight.</p>
<p>The Calgary offense hasn't been firing on all cylinders, and their penalty kill allowed their collapse on Wednesday. If the Blues' power play, which is still struggling without <span>Andy McDonald</span> and <span>David Perron</span>, can exploit this, they're fine. Calgary isn't a bad team at all, but this season they're certainly not very good.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2011/11/25/2586643/calgary-flames-at-st-louis-blues-blues-need-to-douse-mikka-kiprusoffLaura Astorian