Grahame goes up in Flames

After losing star goalie Andrew Raycroft for up to two weeks, according to early medical opinions, the Boston Bruins trudged to Calgary to see how they would survive. The answer ended up being "not well."

John Grahame, in his first start in more than a months time, was torched by the Flames for three first period goals as he regained his ice-footing. Olli Jokinen scored twice in the first ten minutes to hit double digits on the year, and Markus Naslund added a third goal six minutes later to put a thorough embarrassing on the visitors.

With less than three minutes to play in the first, Matt Walker mugged Dave Scatchard to steal the puck, forcing it cross-ice to Fran Kaberle. Kaberle was able to juke two Calgarians and feed Andy McDonald, who on sheer will alone, put it past Mikka Kiprusoff for the lone Boston goal of the night.

In the second period, the official's whistle was far more active than the Bruins' offense. Bill Guerin and Keith Tkachuk managed to get whistled for eight minutes of box time in the period, for boarding, charging, and highsticking. Off of Tkachuk's highsticking time, the Flames managed to convert their lone power play goal of the night, making them one for four, as Rhett Warrener put the biscuit past Grahame from eighteen feet out.

The Bruins failed to convert on two power play opportunities in the third period to end their abysmal night. Grahame fell to 2-5-0 on the season, and Jokinen, Naslund, and Daniel Alfreddson took home the Molson Game Stars of the Night in front of more than fifteen thousand of their fellow Albertans. There have been unfounded rumors of a confrontation between Matt Walker and John Grahame.

Boston left Calgary for their next road game in Detroit, hoping for better results.