On the bright side

Ah. Clearly I'm here to point out the good parts.

• A strong start after a relatively inactive week. Nothing sucks more than muffing a game after a couple of days off, especially after the fantastic, emotional game that marked Conroy's return, vs. LA
  
• Iggy makes a return. More emotion. More chemistry with Conroy. Yay!
• Warrener notches a milestone point. On his 666th game, no less. Mwhahaha
• Strong play by people in places you don't expect. Zyuzin, anywhere on the ice. Regehr in the offensive zone, during the first period.
• Secondary scoring. This has been a major plus to the entire season, and the fact that we got goals from so many guys (not even counting the ones by Amonte which were called back, and even with Iggy back) can only be a good thing. One day when I have the time and energy, perhaps I'll expand on this.
  

There definitely exists a downside too...

What I'm most worried about is the amount of energy the boys expended in winning tonight. The Hitchcock-era Blue Jackets are no cakewalk, even with Conklin in net. It was a physical game, with a real toll on players. Besides Phaneuf and Regehr who may be out, there were two or three other guys (I'm thinking of Lombardi and Huselius in particular) who definitely got bumped out there. All this, before we face damn Vancouver again tomorrow night. Not a good thing.

Has anyone ever commented on the fact that when the Flames and the Blue Jackets play, it's one team named after a American Civil War event versus a team named after an American Civil War, um, fixture? (American history really isn't my thing. I'm going to shut up now.)

Next up: Vancouver, in a game I can watch on TV at home. Colour me excited! My prediction: it'll be a tough, tight game which will result in me being able to diss my Vancouver cousins some.
3-1 Calgary, with the "3" being an empty netter.