Calgary Flames lose ‘too safe’ game vs. Rangers

NEW YORK – It took the Calgary Flames over seven minutes to register a shot against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. They had just 21 for the game, and just six in the third period. Goalie Cam Talbot, who pitched a 1-0 shutout, said the Rangers knew the Flames would be “ a desperate team,” but Calgary didn’t exactly play the part.

“When we’re at our best, we’re an aggressive team that plays an up-tempo game. You have to give them credit. They’re a good hockey team. They take away a lot of things, in the neutral zone especially,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano, who said the Flames played "too safe" at times.

“In those tight games, you have to do a little bit more, generate a little bit more. But when it’s nothing-nothing, that’s easy to say. Both teams are playing tentative, going into the third. And they get a break."

The Rangers’ lone goal came three minutes into the third period, as Kevin Hayes buried an odd-man rush pass from Derick Brassard. What preceded it were two periods of a chess match, a conservative battle that saw the Rangers bottle up the neutral zone and both teams stifle offensive chances.

“Right from the start, there wasn’t a lot of room on the ice,” said Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. “It was really tough to create opportunities.”

The Rangers are second in their division, so playing not to lose can be expected in tightly contested games. The Flames are on the outside of the playoff bubble looking in, and the Rangers kept their chances to a minimum.

“Anything we gave them we pushed to the outside,” said Talbot. “The guys did a great job boxing out and we didn’t give them a lot of second opportunities.”

The Flames have lost two in a row, and head to New Jersey on Wednesday to play a New Jersey Devils team that, inexplicably has won four straight. Then it’s off to Long Island on Friday.

Giordano called the Devils game a must-win; his coach said they all are.

“We’re hoping to win every game. But if we battle in every game, and we drop one here and one there, it’s going to [about] our ability to bounce back,” said Bob Hartley.

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