Flames refuse to indulge in ‘poor me’ mentality
But Gulutzan still lamenting team’s disallowed goal in Game 2 of series
The sun eventually came out on Sunday to melt the shocking spring snowfall and, Glen Gulutzan promised, the Calgary Flames weren’t feeling the doom and gloom either.
“We’re not down in the dumps, I can tell you that,” the head coach said shortly after getting off the team charter plane.
Facing a two-games-to-none deficit in their first-round National Hockey League playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks, the Flames return home.
Short memories are crucial in the post-season and momentum can change quickly. Both were reasons to be optimistic that Calgary can still take a hold of this showdown.
“I can tell you right now, the skyis-falling feeling isn’t here right now,” Gulutzan said. “We went into Anaheim to try and plant a seed that we could win, and win this series.
“We haven’t got the result but what we have done is planted a seed that, hey, these games are going to be close and contested and tough.
“Going into this Game 3, I think both teams are expecting the same thing. We’re going to have our home crowd behind us. There’s no ‘poor me’ right now.”
And that includes their response Saturday night’s perplexing goal/ non-goal call which still had Gulutzan scratching his head on Sunday.
Tied 2-2 midway through Game 2, Flames forwards Alex Chiasson and Sam Bennett were involved in a goalmouth scrum and saw the puck cross the goal-line just before the net was dislodged.
“I’m going to have to speak to someone because the protocol was a little bit confusing to me,” Gulutzan said. “Whether it was called off in Toronto, goalie interference or what they reviewed. I’m not quite sure. It was announced on the ice ‘no goal, goalie interference’ after they reviewed it in Toronto.
“I’m not sure how that’s supposed to work. We’ll get more clarification.”
Referee Brian Pochmara had ruled it no goal but the game was paused as the NHL’s Situation Room took a peek. Seeking clarification on the call, NHL senior vice-president of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy explained.
“We reviewed the play because the puck went into the net,” Murphy told Postmedia in an email. “We checked to make sure the net was on, which it was. The refs, however, informed us that they had no goal on the ice because (Anaheim goalie John) Gibbons was bumped in the crease and unable to play his position.
“That is their call and the play is not reviewable, so their call on the ice rules.”
Regardless, the Flames fought through two battles to the score of 3-2 and have business to take care of at the Scotiabank Saddledome if they want to keep their season alive.
Games 3 and 4 go Monday (8 p.m., CBC, Sportsnet 960 The Fan) and Wednesday (8 p.m., CBC, Sportsnet 960 The Fan).
“Our fans are into it,” said Sean Monahan, who was the author of the Flames’ game-tying goal in the second period on a one-timer from Johnny Gaudreau. “Calgary is a special place to play. Going through it two years ago, coming out on that ice you get pretty fired up. It’s an exciting time and we’re looking forward to it.”
And by no means do the Flames feel out of it.
“Unlike two years ago, it’s a really even series,” Gulutzan said. “I think (the Ducks) were probably slightly better than us in Game 1 and we were probably slightly better than them in Game 2. We haven’t got any bounces yet. But if you keep playing hard, which our team is doing — and these are really tight games — I think if you get puck luck and momentum on your side, things can shift. But we need to continue to push.” Also, stay determined. “Of course, it’s frustrating to see the puck bounce in the way it did,” Mikael Backlund said of the bad hop off Lance Bouma’s skate that led to Ryan Getzlaf’s game-winner on Saturday. “You just have to move on. It’s a new day today and it’ll be a new game (Monday). You just have to move on.”
Because, well, it’s the NHL playoffs and anything can happen.
“This game can change quickly,” Gulutzan said. “We already talked about momentum before the series started and how quickly it can shift from game to game and within a game.
“We’re hoping if we continue, it’ll change.”
What we have done is planted a seed that, hey, these games are going to be close and contested and tough.