It's On!

Not that the first two games between the Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks weren't physical, but they lacked that big fight that always happens in a long playoff series. Yes, there were big hits against the boards, crashes in center ice, and collisions in front of the net. Yet what I am talking about is that long, extended fight in which the officials get down on the ice to break it up and punches throw as the referees are in the middle of two players.

Well, we got that near the end of Game 3. You knew Calgary wanted to come out physical in front of their home fans, and you also figured the young Hawks would want to show that they won't back down. Chicago has some bad boys of their own like Ben Eager, Dustin Byfuglien, and, at the end of tonight's game, Adam Burish as well.

Tensions boiled over and, in front of Calgary's version of a sea of red, the players got into it. I am usually a lover, not a fighter, but come playoff time, all bets are off. As for the game, Calgary took control late in the second period and carried that into the third. Their 4-2 win saw a couple of goals that took weird bounces and ended up past Nikolai Khabibulin.

With the win, the Flames ended their six-game losing streak against the Blackhawks dating back to the regular season. You didn't think Chicago would go 8 for 8 against the Flames this season, so take this loss, and see what you can do on Wednesday.

One thing is for sure...this series has really begun in the sense that fight is back in both teams. The first big fight of the series came tonight and should carry into Game 4 on Wednesday.