Père Murray used to tell his gang, "Adversity is a bone for the Hounds to chew on." The Calgary Flames had better hope that this bone has plenty of meat on it still.
The Flarin' Horse Head Nostrils suffered a huge set-back the other night when Stephane Yelle, know as "Sandbox" to his teammates and fans (often the same people) for his gritty style of play, went down with a sonovabitchin' leg injury which included a fracture and a messed up ankle. He's gone for at least 2 months and, even though Yelle would never lay down and die--unless to stop a blistering shot from the point--this is the type of injury which might cut a man's career short.
Last season, when Marcus Nilson was down for a large portion of the season, the team's chemistry was noticeably affected by his absence. How much more, then, will the Flames have to contribute to make up for the loss of their best faceoff-man and perhaps the league's best defensive forward? Only time will tell.
Yelle didn't win many games for his team but he was able, just like Kiprusoff, to keep the team in the game, night in and night out. Perhaps Jamie Lundmark and Byron Ritchie will be able to partially fill this void and take charge in a way only Yelle could. Perhaps this injury is what the team needs to slap itself out of its present funk and start playing defense Calgary-style.
Yeah, and maybe I'm a Chinese jet pilot.
The grit-less Flames will be put to the test tonight against the all-ribs-and-no-balls Desert Dogs of Phoenix. If you purchase the game through Pay-Per-View, look for me. I'll be wearing the red sweater.
