CALGARY, Alberta The situation for the Calgary Flames is as bleakas it gets in the playoffs, not to mention as ugly.
Not only do the Flames trail the Blackhawks 3-0 with Game 4 inthe best-of-seven series set for Tuesday in Calgary (8:30 p.m.,SportsChannel), but they also have resorted to self-defeating "goon"tactics.
And there is no better example than Sandy McCarthy, whosepenalty at the end of the first period led to what coach CraigHartsburg called "the turning point" of the Blackhawks' 7-5 victory.It was bad enough McCarthy dropped Hawks captain Chris Cheliosto the ice with an elbow to the head. But McCarthy proceeded topunch Chelios while he was down - directly in front of referee DonKoharski.The incident put McCarthy in the penalty box for four minutesand led to two power-play goals that put the Hawks up 4-0."I just wanted to let him know I was going to be there the nexttime," McCarthy said. "I was trying to get their guys (ticked) offand it backfired on me. It's always been my style to be aninstigator; maybe it's time I change my style."Something has got to change for the Flames - quickly."Obviously the odds are stacked against us," Calgary coachPierre Page said. "And we have to show more poise."Really the difference now in the series has been thediscipline," Page said. "Our guys don't understand how thin thatline is. Our discipline has completely left us."Especially since the Hawks walked away from McCarthy and otherinstigators, like Theo Fleury, throughout the first three games.Fleury said it is a Catch-22 with a teammate such as McCarthy."Sandy is a guy who goes out there and gives us a lift attimes," Fleury said. "Unfortunately, that happened today. But it'san emotional game and sometimes emotions get the best of you. Thatwas probably the case in this situation."No matter the case, the Flames still are right where the Hawkswant them."All we can do is keep throwing everything we've got at them,"Fleury said of the Hawks. "And if they can withstand that, thenthey're a good team."
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