GAME OF THE NIGHT: Chicago Blackhawks at Calgary Flames, Monday, April 27, 2009, 930pm ET (730pm Calgary)

Chicago at Calgary

GAME SIX, STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS WEST QUARTERFINAL
CHICAGO LEADS SERIES 3-2

9:30 PM ET, April 27, 2009
Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta

TSN

Blackhawks-Flames Preview

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- The Calgary Flames will have a raucous home crowd backing them as they fight for their playoff lives Monday night. Having Jarome Iginla reappear would be a help, too.

The Flames captain called his own performance "terrible" in Game 5, which Calgary lost 5-1 in Chicago on Saturday night.

"The team should be prepared to respond to any situation that arises," Flames coach Mike Keenan said. "Be prepared to play to their level of ability and the expectations we have of them and more importantly what they have of themselves."

Calgary can draw confidence from two previous wins at home this series and a regular-season record of 27-10-4 at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

"We found out how tough it is in Calgary," Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville said. "That building will be alive again. We know the challenges of going in there."

The injury-riddled Flames will need every advantage home ice gives them to avoid a first-round ousting for the fourth straight season.

Dion Phaneuf is the latest to join Calgary's long injury list. With about eight minutes remaining Saturday, Chicago's Troy Brouwer leveled Phaneuf after the Flames defenseman unloaded a shot on net. Phaneuf wobbled to the bench and did not return to the game.

Phaneuf didn't speak to reporters Sunday and Keenan's assessment of him was "day to day," which has been the coach's standard postseason response.

It's been a rough series. The Flames didn't skate Sunday on their return from Chicago. The Blackhawks canceled their scheduled practice and headed to Calgary.

Calgary managed just 20 shots on Nikolai Khabibulin in Game 5, partly because of the Flames' injuries up front.

"We do have depth and we do have more depth than we've had in a long time and now is the time for it," Iginla said. "There's no time for excuses. Hopefully Dion is back and feeling great for next game, but if not, we still need to find a way to win."

The Blackhawks are trying to win their first playoff series since 1996, which was a four-game sweep of Calgary.

The Flames are trying to win a series after falling behind 0-2 for the first time in franchise history.

"We need to come out with the same kind of fire they came out with against us," forward Craig Conroy said.

do or die for the Flames, their only advantage might be that they are going back to Pengrowth, but wow, even the home crowd can't make up for the dismal effort (or more appropriately, the lack thereof, didn't Keenan remind them they had a game to play?) Either way, Chicago showed up and put up a good case of why they should be winning that series, and even if Calgary does play better, they will still have a tall task to stay alive.

The Flames needed to go deep this year after loading up at the Deadline and going with a hard nose coach like Keenan. They had all the pieces but as SJ is showing in their series that may not be enough. Does Sutter get the axe or perhaps just Keenan?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The Flames needed to go deep this year after loading up at the Deadline and going with a hard nose coach like Keenan. They had all the pieces but as SJ is showing in their series that may not be enough. Does Sutter get the axe or perhaps just Keenan?

One can't dismiss the fact that the Flames have key injuries. Losing Robin Regehr has been crippling.

The news that Phaneuf may not play can only make things worse.

But from an objective point of view, the Blackhawks have beaten the Flames in all four regular season games for some very substantial reasons.

The Blackhawks are faster, younger, stronger and more skilled. Their puck possession game is excellent.

The goaltending is an outstanding matchup. Both Kipper and Khabby have been awesome even in losses.

The reason the Flames have won two games is Jarome Iginla.

The Hawks should have won one game at the Saddledome, but didn't because they made critical errors.

They knew it, and played a near-perfect game at the United Center.

No disrespect to the Flames who have shown a lot of fight...but the Hawks are a better team from top to bottom.

If the Blackhawks do not win tonight, Chicago has no excuses.

Should be a great game.
:##:

Oh man... Flames are on the ropes... and maybe no Phaneuf.

C'mon FLAMES!!!!!!

Well, I have Hawks in 7 so here's hoping the Flames hang on for a win in game six :D: . Seriously though with the injuries and the way the Hawks have played the Flames this season and this series I wouldn't be surprised if it ends in six.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Well, I have Hawks in 7 so here's hoping the Flames hang on for a win in game six :D: . Seriously though with the injuries and the way the Hawks have played the Flames this season and this series I wouldn't be surprised if it ends in six.

To be honest, the Flames are so banged up their chances in Round Two, assuming they would meet the Canucks--or in the case of a inexpected comeback, the Sharks--would be minimal.

The Flames are warriors. No greater leader than Jarome.

But the young braves of the Blackhawks tribe should prevail.

With Phaneuf AND Regehr out, the challenge for the Flames becomes massive.

However, I do not discount for a moment the ability of Jarome Iginla and the Saddledome crowd to give Calgary an extraordinary boost.

The Blackhawks will have to be focused, disciplined and ruthless.

Get the early goal, keep the pressure on, build a healthy lead and keep the pedal to the floor...

Keep it simple. Just win, baby.

This is going to be one HELL of a game.

:##:

Let's go Blackhawks.

Bert's elbow costs his team...HAWKS SCORE.

HAWKS ATTACK...HAWKS SCORE.

BUFF TO BURISH.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Well, I have Hawks in 7 so here's hoping the Flames hang on for a win in game six :D: . Seriously though with the injuries and the way the Hawks have played the Flames this season and this series I wouldn't be surprised if it ends in six.

Uh-uh-uh. I've got them in six. Tonight's the night.

I'm marking it in the spreadsheet now. I'm now in the lead

Not looking good so far for the Flames.

End of one.

Two-nothing...advantage Blackhawks.

Two more periods to go.

Khabibulin has been solid so far...but the Hawks have to choke off the Flames attack.

Calgary will be more desperate in the second.

The Blackhawks' mission is to win. Tonight.