Despite loss, Flames still excited
Canadian Press
6/6/2004
CALGARY (CP) - Denied a chance to win the Stanley Cup at home, Calgary Flames defenceman Rhett Warrener was asked to explain his emotions Saturday night.
Frustration? Emptiness? Anger?
Strangely, Warrener selected none of the above.
``Excited,'' replied the native of Shaunavon, Sask.
``We have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Who wouldn't take it?'' he said. ``It's a chance of a lifetime. We'll be ready to go.''
The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Flames 3-2 in double overtime Saturday. Martin St. Louis scored 33 seconds into the second extra period to silence a raucous Saddledome crowd and force a seventh and deciding game Monday in Tampa Bay (CBC, 7 p.m. EDT).
There was resignation and obviously disappointment in the Flames dressing room, but also a strong resolve. After all, this was a team that waited seven years just to make the playoffs and hadn't won a playoff series since Calgary's 1989 Stanley Cup championship.
Canada's Cinderella team is still dancing at the ball and the clock hasn't struck midnight yet.
``It's not easy and it's not supposed to be easy,'' said captain Jarome Iginla, who had just two shots on net and none after the second period.
``This is tough stuff. It's emotional and it's exciting. We believe in ourselves in this room. We have had a lot of tough games this playoff. Some tough losses. We found a way to regroup and bounce back. We plan on doing that now.''
Defenceman Steve Montador started the playoffs watching from the press box but will end them living just about every child's dream, playing in a Game 7.
``It's one game to win the Stanley Cup,'' said Montador, forced into the lineup due to injuries.
``It's something we would have accepted at any point during the season. We're going to go down there prepared to win a hockey game. It's awesome. It's great.''
The Flames didn't play their best hockey Saturday. At times they looked apprehensive, maybe even nervous.
They trailed 1-0 and 2-1 on power-play goals by Brad Richards. Chris Clark and Marcus Nilson scored for Calgary to force the overtime.
Montador said losing a close game doesn't make it any harder, or easier, to rebound.
``I don't think it's any different,'' said Montador.
``This game is over. It's done. There's nothing we can do, so now we're going to go and win Game 7.''
Warrener said the Flames are going to have to play better, cut down on the turnovers and be sharper on special teams.
``The penalty kill let us down tonight,'' he said.
``There's still lots of room to improve. We feel it was there to win but we didn't do enough to deserve it.''
Nilson admitted the Flames would have preferred not to make another five-hour transcontinental flight, but the team has a history of doing things the hard way.
``We've been through adversity all through the playoffs,'' said Nilson.
``We've been in this situation before. It's just another challenge. It's another one-game mission.''
It was a Nilson giveaway which led to Richards' second goal. He redeemed himself by steering an Oleg Saprykin pass past Tampa goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin.
The playoffs have come full circle for the Flames.
They needed seven games to defeat Vancouver in the opening round. Calgary also had a chance to wrap up that series at home but lost Game 6 in triple overtime.
Cheers,
Aquaman