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| The Calgary Flames’ Mike Cammalleri, bottom, has to contend with San Jose Sharks Mark-Edouard’s stick under his visor in front of goalie Antti Niemi during the third period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
The NHL is back. And so is the Calgary Flames’ pre-lockout form, it would appear.
An early glimpse of promise, giving way to the reality of a lacklustre performance.
The Flames fell 4-1 to the San Jose Sharks in their season opener Sunday evening – having led 1-0 at the first interval.
It’s only one game – not enough time to draw any serious conclusions. But judging from the in-stadium banter of play-off deprived fans,”we’ve seen this all before,” is the shared opinion.
Yes it’s early, but Flames fans have some unwanted experience in this type of thing – the Flames have failed to qualify for the play-offs in three successive seasons.
I’m sure the team and brand new coaching staff will be aiming to give their faithful something to get behind soon – I miss shooting play-off hockey.
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| The Calgary Flames’ Miikka Kiprusoff, left, and the San Jose Sharks’ Logan Couture during the first period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The Calgary Flames’ Sven Baertshi and Mikael Backlund celebrate Lee Stempniak’s goal against the San Jose Sharks’ Antti Niemi during the first period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The Calgary Flames, Miikka Kiprusoff, left, and Mark Giordano, right, and the San Jose Sharks’ Joe Pavelski battle during the first period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The Calgary Flames’ Chris Butler, right, is met along the boards by the San Jose Sharks’ Marc-Edouard Vlasic during the first period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The Calgary Flames’ Jarome Iginla, left, attempts to slide the puck past the San Jose Sharks’ Antti Niemi during the first period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The San Jose Sharks’ Antti Niemi makes a save against the Calgary Flames during the third period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The Calgary Flames’ Dennis Wideman, left, is met along the boards by the San Jose Sharks’ Logan Couture during the second period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The Calgary Flames’ Miikka Kiprusoff, left, can only watch as the San Jose Sharks’ Martin Havlat scores his side’s second goal during the second period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The Calgary Flames’ Derek Smith, right, is hassled by the San Jose Sharks’ Ryane Clowe during the second period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
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| The Calgary Flames’ Miikka Kiprusoff reacts to the San Jose Sharks’ third goal during the second period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Sunday, January 20, 2013. |
