The Sweet Sound of a Goal Horn

In the most back and forth game of the year, the Ridge Meadows Flames were able to put the nail in the coffin of this game in double over time. The final score being 6-5 over the Aldergrove Kodiaks

Arguably the best all around well played game by the Flames this season.

The Flames had goals from four different players tonight and assists from six different skaters, the scoring is proving to be by committee. 

One thing that was truly noticeable in tonight's game is organization. Whether it be structured offencive breakouts or plays from the back end, the Flames seemed to have a tough time structuring it all together. When the puck is put in play, there lies no issues, it is simply a matter of collectivity of the team starting out a play. 

Looking at what the Flames did well tonight, aside form getting the "W", they played a full, energetic sixty minute game. Now sure there were times were the Aldergrove Kodiaks outplayed the Flames, but that would be an embarrassment for the Kodiaks if they couldn't win a single battle on the ice. The Flames found a way to outplay and out skate the Kodiaks the majority of the game, and that's what mattered. 

Looking at the beginning of the third period, the flames lead disintegrated faster than ice melting on a summer's day. But what highlighted the third period was the Flames fire to jump back into the game. Unlike what Flames fans have seen all season, they did not give up on this bout. After going down 5-3, Ridge Meadows pounced back with two quick goals from veterans Danny Wilson and Dale Howell who both scored two goals in this game, This impressed me because this had unfortunately become a trend this season, for the Flames to play an incredible forty minutes and then a tired final twenty. Tonight proved that the Flames are a hungry team willing to fight to stay within reach of the win the whole way through. 

This was a huge stepping stone in the Flames season, it is still early, but it brings them closer to .500 hockey and within reach of the Harold Brittain Conference lead. It brought huge confidence boosters to at least three players on the team, those being Bradley Crompton, Dale Howell, and Grant Rostvig, all for very similar, yet different reasons. Crompton was acquired by the Flames a few weeks ago, and tonight was his first goal as a Flame. Always special and important to get that goal scoring monkey off your back. As for Dale Howell, he is Mr. Assist, as shown last year, but tonight he was able to put his first pair of goals in the net this season, which will give him more confidence to shoot, rather than always passing. And last, but most certainly not least, Mr. Confidence Grant Rostvig. Every time the gritty assistant captain heads to the broadcast booth for an interview, I tend to always ask him who's scoring the next goal for the Flames, and he always answers with himself. Well tonight he didn't score the next goal, but he DID in fact score the most important goal. That being the game winner in double overtime. Knowing the feeling I had when I called the goal is nothing at all in comparison to the feeling he must have had when he scored the darn thing. Not only was it an important goal, but it was a beauty of a goal.

Nothing like finishing a game off on a breakaway, beautifully stick handling the puck past the goalies pads.

Rostvig mentioned in the intermission interview that the way the Flames have been playing as of late, it simply doesn't get much worse. Tonight is proof that this game was a leap in the right direction for the rest of the Flames season. 

Next stop, Mission City tomorrow night.

After that, Flames host the Abbotsford Pilots at the Cam Neely Arena Friday, October 17th. Puck drop is 7:30!