I feel like I am in the F$%&ing twilight zone every time I watch this Flames team play hockey. Every game is the same, regardless of who the opponent is. Every goalie is a Vezina trophy winner and every defence is the second coming of the 1995 New Jersey Devils. This Flames team has such ineptitude to scoring goals; you have to wonder if they could find the net against a ‘shooter tooter’. It is so frustrating and boring, I might add, to watch this team try and play hockey. Flames fans must understand where I am coming from on this.The last time the Flames won a game when the opposing team scored more than one goal was January 9th against the Vancouver Canucks; a span of 17 games. You want to hear something insane? The last time the Flames won a game on home ice when the opposing team scored more than one goal was October 24th against the Edmonton Oilers! Does that give you a sense of how incapable this team is of putting the puck into the net? Struggling is one word I might use…pathetic is another.
Tonight, the Flames came out and absolutely dominated the Dallas Stars for the first 20 minutes of the game. They out shot the Stars 11-4 and apparently out chanced them 10-0. The Flames should have potted at least 2 or 3 goals in the period but finishing a play is not their style. Marty Turco is a good goalie, I will admit that, but so are 90% of the goaltenders in this league. The Flames have to find a way to score goals regardless of who is in the opposing net.
Tonight, a Flames player did not actually get to the feel the gratification of putting the puck into the net, as Stars Captain Brendan Morrow did Iginla the favour on the Flames lone goal by shovelling it past Marty Turco. I am sure Iginla will thank Morrow next week, yet now, Morrow has the last laugh.
There was one positive that I saw out of tonight’s game. Jay Bouwmeester actually did what I assumed he was brought in to do; jump into the play offensively. On more than one occasion he led the rush into the zone and showed that unique ability to use his speed to create some offence. It is a shame he has only started doing this now; possibly a side effect of that Phaneuf guy leaving town.
The play of Miikka Kiprusoff can not go unnoticed either. I feel like I mention his play a lot in my blogs, but then again, I feel like it is never enough. Without #34 between the pipes this pathetic excuse for a hockey team is ‘bumping uglies’ with the mullets up north. He makes numerous jaw-dropping saves in each and every game. If I were him, I would be giving the rest of my team a serious pep talk. I am surprised he has not taken the puck up ice himself at certain points in games.
I am frustrated. I am annoyed, and I think the majority of Flames fans can agree with me when I say this team is going nowhere fast.
This has been,
Newman on the Flames
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2 comments:
I hate to place the blame on anyone but the players, but you have to start questioning the coaches Darryl Sutter has been employing behind the bench. I'm sure you remember my regular rants about the Flames' brand of hockey back in the summer of 2004 when I was also a fan of the Red Wings....clutch and grab hockey. The strategy behind those 1-0 victories may have worked in the pre-lockout, and sometimes may even fly in the playoffs. But in general, those days in the NHL are gone. Mike Keenan's best days are the remnants of that roadkill 32 miles back down the road. And now Brent Sutter, who much like his brother, is all about defensive hockey. How did his NJ team fare in the playoffs against the aggressive 'Canes last year? How is Boston doing with that unimaginative goof Julien behind the bench now that Tim Thomas is human again? Who does Hitchcock currently work for again?
Look at all the successful teams recently, and you'll see 1 common theme - aggressive play. And that comes straight from the coach. The Pens were borderline terrible last year with Therrien, then BANG, they win the cup with Bylsma. Babcock, while preaching defensive responsibility, is still an aggressive coach. Watch the Blackhawks and Sharks play, or Boudreau and the Caps. Sure, they have more talent, but look at Ottawa. We were consistently one of the highest scoring teams in the league before putting Paddock behind the bench, and we tanked it - with virtually the same roster. Then Clouston comes in, and look at our record since then. We're not ripping up the scoresheet, but our goals for is very respectable, especially given the remaining talent.
The coach doesn't score (or not score) goals, but you but the psychological chains on the players by continuously demanding defensive play. Until Sutter gets that and hires a coach with a progressive philosophy, get used to these 2-1 games.
I agree with you. But I think you wont see that happen in Calgary until the whole Sutter clan is ousted. You dont just fire Darryl or just fire Brent. You have to fire the whole insestual group. But I also do not see that happening until they go on a run( a couple of years) of futility...and in the back of my mind I am secretly hoping for that because otherwise this team is going no where in the next couple years. We have Kipper playing the best hockey of his life, yet the Flames can not score so it doesnt matter.
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