Game Day

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Photograph by : Kevork Djansezian

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Calgary at Nashville

6 p.m., Sommet Center

TV: Sportsnet Radio: the Fan 960

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It's a topic Miikka Kiprusoff finds very unsettling.

Mere mentions of it produce sighs and shrugs, squirms and scoffs, eye rolls and head shakes.

Is it Tomas Holmstrom? Nope.

Corey Perry? Nope.

Rather, it's the notion of self-appraisal -- Kiprusoff on Kiprusoff -- that deeply pains the man.

Even by his well-established standards of tight-lippedness, the Calgary Flames goalie will offer precious little about himself, about his play, about his expectations.

After Saturday morning's optional twirl in Columbus, Kiprusoff

takes the initiative when hailed by a couple of curious reporters. All the better to short-circuit any line of questioning.

"I talked to you guys last night," says Kiprusoff, sort of joking. "I've got nothing to add."

This happens to be the morning after that 40-shot masterpiece against the Detroit Red Wings, so, surely, there's more to be mined. Especially from a fellow who takes first-star bows on a near-nightly basis.

"Ah," he croaks, "I've been all right."

Just all right?

"Don't try to make any stories. Geez."

Prodded further about this rejuvenation, about operating at such a high level, Kiprusoff responds with a burst of mock exasperation.

"Yeah, yeah, same, same. Yeah, nothing new. All the same."

As a matter of fact, that word-- "same"--has been popping up in recent weeks. As in, Kiprusoff right now is the same as he was in 2003-04. High praise, considering the Finn not only set the National Hockey League's modern-day record for goals-against average, a skinny 1.69, but he carried the Flames all the way to the Stanley Cup final.

But that's how well Kiprusoff is guarding the Calgary net these days.

"Really?Well, that's not good news for us," says Mike Commodore, currently employed by the Columbus Blue Jackets. "I was around in 2004 and that guy was unbelievable. If he's playing that well again, the league's in trouble. And the Flames are in good shape.

"Good for him and good for Calgary if he's playing like he did in '04. No disrespect to Jarome or anybody else . . . but I think even Jarome would say that Miikka's the main reason we got there."

Asked about folks making favourable comparisons to 2003-04, the goaltender does allow himself a tight smile.

"Nice to hear," Kiprusoff says, "but everyone knows it's how your team plays."

Burning Issues: Find out what our panel of experts says about tonight's Flames-Preds game

With the Nashville Predators on the menu today at the Sommet Center, Kiprusoff's current line is a sharp one--14-5-3, 2.38 goals-against average, .922 save percentage.

None of those figures puts Kiprusoff at the top of statistical categories, but it's hard to imagine him crunching his numbers daily and panicking about rankings. Indeed, it's that laid-back demeanour that makes him such a soothing presence.

"There's something to be said for a fiery goaltender . . . but it's kind of nice when the goaltender's calm," says Commodore. "I mean, guys are going to score every once in a while--that's just how it's going to work. Most of the good goaltenders have a pretty even keel. That's a good trait to have."