CALGARY — Calgary Flames' coach Mike Keenan looks as if he'll be making his first lineup change of these Stanley Cup playoffs. The key word is looks.
With Keenan you never know for sure.
Eric Godard played the first two games against the San Jose Sharks and managed precious little ice time, especially with the Flames took penalties in their 2-0 loss in Game 2. Marcus Nilson, meanwhile, sat out both games and spent today's morning skate on a line with David Moss and Eric Nystrom.
Nilson had a stellar showing when the Flames and Sharks clashed in the 2004 playoffs. If the Flames continue to have discipline problems in tonight's Game 3 set for the Pengrowth Saddledome, Nilson would be an asset killing penalties.
That appeared the most likely change — Nilson for Godard — then again Moss left the ice before Godard at today's morning skate, which means Keenan is intent on juggling at least one line — not that he would say as much at his morning briefing with the media.
"I think the flexibility of different groups has an advantage," Keenan said when talking in general terms about shuffling his line-up. "Unless things are moving in a positive fashion all the time, the changes are good in energizing each other."
The Flames will be re-energized by their fans and the Sharks are hoping to counteract that by scoring early. Joe Thornton, San Jose's leading scorer, has been held to one assist so far despite having plenty of scoring opportunities and power play time.
The Flames believe the best way to control the Sharks' top line is to control Thornton, who can score but is more adept as a playmaker.
Thornton acknowledged he has to do more to help his team.
"It's two games in," he said. "Obviously, I'd like to get better. I will get better. It's been a tight series. I assume it'll be a low-scoring game tonight."
The Sharks were the NHL's best road team during the regular season. The Flames won 21 games both at home and on the road.
"I think you go out with a different mentality on the road," said San Jose head coach Ron Wilson. "The other team is going to come out a little harder and fore-check and we can counter-punch … The importance is scoring the first goal. In the playoffs, it's been 100 per cent to this point (the team that scores first, wins). It will change but it's amazing the psychological importance of the first goal of the game."
