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Sunday, December 19, 1999
Flames freeze out Sens
Brathwaite closes the door on Ottawa's unbeaten streak
CALGARY -- Jason York thought he had just witnessed an unmatched feat, and he didn't like it one bit.
"I think that's the most icings I've ever seen in the world," deadpanned the Senators defenceman.
They say if you snooze, you lose and the Flames did everything in their power to put the Senators to sleep in a 2-1 Calgary victory last night at the Canadian Airlines Saddledome.
The Flames could celebrate the 35 saves made by Calgary goaltender Fred Brathwaite, but this game did nothing to sell tickets because Calgary did little but try to desperately hold onto its one-goal lead after the first period.
"I guess they have the right to play like that, because they have the lead, but it sure makes it tough," said York. "The one thing we have to do in that kind of situation is try to fight a little harder to get to the front of the net.
"I don't know if we made enough of a second effort to get in front and get the shots. We have to work harder."
Road streak ends
Boring or not, the Flames' strategy did ice the Senators' four-game unbeaten streak (two wins, two ties before last night). The Sens were 2-0 on their current road trip until last night's loss. Their western swing ends tonight in Edmonton.
The Senators undoubtedly consider this defeat a missed opportunity, but coach Jacques Martin found himself in an interesting situaton post-game.
"That's great hockey isn't it?" said Martin, who was himself accused of encouraging a boring style of play in the club's 2-1 victory in Vancouver Wednesday.
"I guess you play the way you're allowed to play. There were no penalties called by the officials.
"I know we have to be better and it's tough when you get down by a couple of goals and have to come back. That's a hard way to play hockey."
This was, unfortunately, a typical Senators-Flames game. It featured two teams trying to slow each other to a halt by clogging up the middle of the ice, limiting the scoring chances and keeping everything on the perimeter.
Calling it painful to watch would be an understatement, especially after it started out with promise. The two teams exploded for three goals in the first. Then it was bar-the-door time for the Flames.
Ron Tugnutt couldn't be fingered for the blame on the Calgary goals by Robin Regehr and Hnat Domenichelli -- the first was a screen and the latter a deflection -- but it looked like the Flames were going to run away by the 7:05 mark.
From that point, the Senators and Tugnutt found their form. He slid across the crease to make a highlight-reel stop with the pad off former teammate Andreas Johansson with five minutes left in the second.
"It's much easier for a team to play with a lead, and they just kept it simple," said Tugnutt.
Tugnutt's counterpart Brathwaite -- a Nepean native -- got busier as the game went on and was forced to make some big stops when the Senators were able to find their way through the Flames' obstruction tactics.
In fact, Senators defenceman John Gruden, a callup from Grand Rapids, must still be wondering how Brathwaite got his stick and glove down to rob Ottawa of a sure goal four minutes into the second.
"I don't look at anything special about playing against Ottawa," Brathwaite said."I like the Senators and they've got a good team. I have nothing against them.
"I'm just glad that the game was being shown in Ottawa."
At least Brathwaite's outstanding performance gave the fans in Ottawa, watching on Hockey Night in Canada, something to cheer about.
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