Over the past few years, a word has made it into our lexicon, borrowed from German, that I'm sure most of you are familiar with, and which many of you may have even used. I am talking of schadenfreude, which is pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. And I am feeling schadenfreude at the result of the Canucks' loss last night, in overtime, to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Let me set the record straight, I really don't like the Chicago Blackhawks. Naturally, I don't like them because they are an opponent of the Calgary Flames, and I'm a homer. But I also had the worst experience I've ever had a sporting event, at Game Two of the first round series between the Flames and Blackhawks in 2009. Having things thrown at me, things yelled at me (a flurry of C-sharps and F-bombs) and an all around unpleasant time at a hockey game, has not endeared me to the team.
According to Dictionary.com a ‘nemesis’ is defined as an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
Well, the Blackhawks are, by definition, the nemesis of the Calgary Flames.
A team they have not beaten, in the regular season, since the 2007-08 campaign. A team that ousted the Flames in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last year, and a team that the Flames have only been able to score three paltry goals on in the last 11 periods of play. This dates back, of course, to the sixth game of this current season when the Flames jumped out to a 5-0 lead 11 short minutes into the contest, only to lose a heartbreaker 6-5 in overtime.
The Blackhawks are so deep-rooted in the psyche of the Flames players, it’s as if the game today was over before it even started. The Flames even transplanted a third of their team, yet the ‘new look Leafs’ could not get past the mental roadblock that is ‘Chi-Town.’
Even Miikka Kiprusoff, the Flames only saving grace this season, has put up AHL calibre numbers when facing Kane and Co. He has a disgusting .855 SV% with a goals against average hovering around four and a half over the four match-ups. The only problem with Kipper is that he can not physically score goals himself.
An opponent has not been this bamboozled by its foe since Dr. Claw was trying to figure out the best way to catch Inspector Gadget. Gadget had his niece Penny and her dog Brain; the Hawks have Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook and Patrick Kane. All Dr. Claw ever had was his stupid cat that did nothing but screech and yelp.
The Flames have no 'yelpers,' but they do have a mumbling bafoon for a GM.
With the Avalanche win tonight the Flames are now two points out of a playoff spot with three games remaining. Colorado holds the tie-breaker, so it might as well be three points, and for the second straight season it could be the Chicago Blackhawks who directly or indirectly knock the Flames out of the playoffs.
“I’ll get you next time, Blackhawks, NEXT TIME!!!!!”
Dr. Claw and the Flames: constantly chasing something that is better managed and has more skill.
As the Winter Olympics begin in Vancouver, the Calgary Flames start their hiatus from hockey for the next two weeks. With only three players participating in the games, most players will be enjoying some time off from hockey. It will also be a time to reflect on the final 20 games of the season, and how their success in those 20 games will determine whether or not they’re playing in the post season or not. Something that seemed almost impossible at New Year’s is now a very real possibility; the Flames may miss the payoffs for the first time since 2003.
The Flames’ run to the playoffs will be an uphill battle as they try to hold off Detroit, Anaheim, and Dallas, and catch Nashville, Colorado and Vancouver. With Calgary’s win on Saturday, they sit in eighth place in the Western Conference with 69 points, and 20 games left to play. Looking back at the post-lockout era, there is a problem for the Flames. With only 20 games remaining, the Flames have only 40 points still available. It is a pretty safe bet they won’t win all 20 games, so the questions is how many games will they need to win in order to secure a spot? In the past four seasons, the eight place team in the West has had 91, 91, 96 and 95 points. So in the best case scenario, the Flames would need 22 points, or the equivalent of 11 wins in their last 20 games. In the worst case scenario, the Flames would need 27 points in their final 20 games. To put these numbers in perspective, the Flames have recorded 14 points in their previous 20 games, and in their best stretch this season, from November 4th to December 13th, the Flames managed 27 points in 20 games. Securing the 8th playoff spot will be a gargantuan task for the boys in red.
Securing the necessary number of points will not be solely in the hands of the Flames either. As the League heads into the stretch drive, most games will be within the conference, meaning many games will represent four point swings. Not only do the Flames need to win their games, but they need other teams to lose, and they need them to lose in regulation time. Last week, the Stars, Canucks, Avalanche, Kings, Ducks and Red Wings were all involved in three point games, and with the exception of Colorado, were all on the losing end. However, they all gained points on the Flames those nights, who were unable to get any points.
Is there any positive news heading in the stretch drive? Well, the Flames have a slightly better road record than home record, and 11 of their final 20 are away from the Dome. But, one is against the league’s best team, the Washington Capitals, and one is in Chicago, where the Flames haven’t won since the Cubs were World Series champs. Only 12 of the final 20 games are against playoff teams. But, three of them are against the Red Wings and Ducks; teams the Flames traditionally struggle against and who are in the thick of the chase. The Flames have four games left against Minnesota, against whom they have a 22-7-3 record over the past five seasons. But, they haven’t beaten them in their two previous meetings this year.
Of course anything can happen in the final two months of the season, and I look forward to watching. Perhaps this Olympic break is exactly what the Flames needed to right the ship, and go on a winning streak. I remain fairly confidant the Flames will make the playoffs, but I fear they will be the 7th or 8th seed. Once again they will face Chicago or San Jose, and I am not confidant they can win a series against either of these teams. If the Flames do make the playoffs, it will likely be yet another early 1st round playoff exit.
One final bit of bad news for the Flames is that they don’t have any games left against the Edmonton Oilers, while Nashville, Chicago, Detroit, San Jose, Vancouver, Anaheim, Dallas, Phoenix, Colorado and Los Angeles do. Yet another two points they need to make up somehow.
Well, despite a stronger effort the Flames lost for the 6th straight time and the 8th time in 9 outings. This was also the 3rd straight loss to the Blackhawks this season and 7th straight, not including the post season. That was the Flames 5th straight loss at home to boot; the last win coming on January 2nd against the Toronto Marlies. To think, this team should have come hard out of the gate, however they only mustered a measly 5 shots on net in the opening frame. The Grinch (Sutter) really knows how to spark his troops up for a crucial home game; a real encouraging sign!
The Flames faced the leagues best tonight, and failed to throw that giant ape of the top of the Saddledome roof. The Flames were shut down offensively again, as they only had 20 shots on net and a single goal; the 4th time in 5 games they failed to score more than 1! Now, give credit to the Hawks, as they do possess the 2nd GAA in the league, but the Flames are out of excuses. They have apparently run into every hot goaltender in the league on this never ending slump.
Oh Captain my Captain! Want to guess the number of shots Jarome Iginla had on net tonight? Go ahead, guess…give up? I will give you a hint; it starts with Z and rhymes with hero (something this guy is supposed to be). He had two shots at the net, yet they were blocked. He did contribute an assist on the lone Calgary marker, but that is not even close to the production Calgary needs from him. He even tried shaving his head, ala Setoguchi, yet proved ineffective.
Glaring Weaknesses
Two categories: face-offs and shots on goal. The Flames rank 30th in face-offs won. That is dead last for those who are counting. That means every time the Flames step in the dot, they are unlikely to come away with the puck. This means that they possess the puck less and have even less control over the game as they are constantly trying to play defence. San Jose, Minnesota, Chicago and Washington are the top four in this category. Not surprising that all of them, save Minny, are top teams in the league. You control the puck, you dictate the flow of the game; it is that simple. In shots on goal, the Flames rank 28th in the league. Once again, set aside the Leafs, and top teams like Chicago, Pittsburgh, Washington and San Jose rank highest in this category. The more shots you throw at the net, the better chance you have of scoring a goal. It is not rocket science as to why the Flames constantly struggle to find the net. They rarely control the pace of the game and therefore have to wait for their chances, and when those atypical opportunities do come, they seldom convert. Think about how many unreal saves Kiprusoff had to make tonight; I can think of at least 3 or 4. The Hawks goaltender Antti Niemi made saves, but none, and not nearly as many or as nice, as Kipper had to make. #34 is constantly left out to dry by his team, and I am sure its beginning to wear thin.
Cory Sarich might have played his way out of Calgary tonight displaying his sluggish speed on the penalty kill being beat to the puck by a much quicker Jonathan Toews. Sarich was weak at the (to use a Maguire-ism) ‘point of attack’ and Toews quickly passed the puck to Kane, who then opened the scoring. Just another glaring example of the Flames defence being too slow for the game right now. Doesn’t Keith, Seabrook and Campbell sound better then Bouwmeester, Phaneuf and Regehr. Comparable, yes, but everyone knows who they would choose.
At least Flames fans spring season will be less stressful…
Well the Flames came out looking good against the Hawks tonight...no, let me start again. The Flames special teams were outstanding tonight…wait, lets try it one more time. The Flames stunk up the Saddledome in one of the most humiliating losses on home ice in recent memory. There, that sums it up better.
In a game that was reasonably close through half the game, turned into a laugher as the Chicago Blackhawk’s demonstrated that they are a far superior hockey team. The Flames allowed a season high four powerplay goals and with no pressure to speak of on the penalty kill, the Hawks were able to work it around with ease and score at will. Kiprusoff had one of worst nights of the year, but also had little to no help in front of him. The turning point of the game came early in the second period. After the Flames managed to tie the score at one, Blackhawk Defenseman Nik Hjalmarsson absolutely obliterated Rene Bourque; a great hit that sent Bourque crashing to ice and out of the game (Not sure if this was true as the TV in bar had no sound, but by looking at Bourque’s TOI, it would seem to be correct). A powerplay goal would follow, and then the Hawks would pile on four more in the period to make it 6-1.
What happened?
Well, the lack of discipline was depressing for a veteran team that are playing like a bunch of rookies. For the second straight game against the Blackhawk’s (a team they should aim to beat) the Flames have been embarrassed on two different levels.
One key problem is the powerplay as they have gone 4 for 38 in their last ten games (no bueno) and failed to even gain the zone on many occasions, which is a serious concern going forward. Once again, why is Lowry consulting Preston about the PP?
Another serious concern is the lack of defensive ability anywhere on the team. Case in point, Colorado’s first goal on Tuesday night when the puck just sat in the slot while 5 Flames players stared at it, and eventually stared at it going into their own net. Tonight’s game; the Hawks control the play and are rarely pressured when handling the puck. Going back to the Leafs game, similar deficiencies can be found as the Leafs controlled much of the game and if it were not for Kipper, the Flames would be on a four game losing streak right now.
All of sudden the Flames can not win at home either. They have lost four of the last five games on home ice, getting outscored 16-6 in those four losses. What happened to teams being intimidated when they came into Calgary? That seems to be a thing of the past now as teams are coming in on a regular basis now and having their way with the Flames.
The Flames have now lost 3 of their last four games overall and have been severely outplayed in two of them (Toronto and Chicago). Maybe a road trip is the best thing for this team, as they need to re-group and re-focus on what it means to play as a team.
One final note, when did Sutter yell louder: during the second intermission tonight or yesterday talking to Phaneuf in his office? Apparently showing his displeasure towards Phaneuf about being selfish after Tuesday loss to the Avalanche, Sutter was witness to an entire team of heartless individuals play a game of hockey tonight.
I feel for the people that paid good money to see that game live…
It will be difficult for Flames fans to stay positive after Monday night’s humiliating loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Flames were, as everybody knows by know, up by 5 goals midway through the first period and lost the game in overtime 6 to 5. While much has been written on why this was a terrible loss for the team, why it was embarrassing, why this team is not as good as many thought they were, and so on, I’ve had a hard time finding anything positive about the loss. It then occurred to me that there wasn’t anything positive about this loss! However, the optimist continues to look for the silver lining in this stormy, dark cloud, and I for one am an optimist.
Last season, as the Flames struggled to an 8-6-1 record, they headed to Chicago on November 9th, 2008, to face the new, young, upbeat Blackhawks. Having lost 3 of their previous 4, things were looking gloomy for the hometown heroes. This continued that November night in the Windy City and after 60 minutes of play, the Flames found themselves down six to one, having not only lost the game by five goals, but also having been beaten by the Blackhawks in pretty much every measureable statistic in hockey: face offs, giveaways, takeaways, shots, penalty kill, power play, fights won, even amount of Gatorade drank. It was an embarrassing, humiliating loss, plain and simple. Sound familiar? After last season’s humbling defeat in Chicago however, the Flames went on to win 15 of their next 22 games, putting them atop the standings in the Northwest division. The loss to the Blackhawks was looked back as a turning point for the team, as its’ humiliating nature served as a wake up call for the team.
Can last night’s loss, last night’s debacle rather, serve as the same motivational tool for this year’s team? While the Flames record is 4-1-1, it would be hard to say they have played a full 60 minute hockey game, with a couple of last minute (even last second) wins over the Oilers, having nearly blown a 3-0 lead to the Canucks in the home opener, etcetera. Perhaps this loss to the Blackhawks, a team the Flames have not beaten in the regular season since March 16th, 2008, a team that many pundits have picked to be one of the top team in the Western Conference, and the same team that knocked the Flames out of the playoffs last year, will serve as the wake up call for what should be an improved team. Perhaps this game will serve as a wakeup for a defence that is allowing an average of 33 shots per game and hasn’t allowed fewer than 3 goals in a game this season. Perhaps this game will serve as a reminder to the fans that while the Flames may be improved this season over last, there is still a lot of work to do if the city of Calgary is to see any post season success next Spring.
If, like last season, a turnaround is to happen after this loss to Chicago, it will need to begin tonight, as the Flames travel to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets. Last week this game would have only been looked at as a road game against a 2nd tier team, but after last night’s loss, tonight’s game as become a litmus test of the character and skill of the team and a game that could determine whether this season is a success or not. The optimist thinks that history can repeat itself, and last night’s loss may eventually be looked upon as a turning point in a successful season. Only time will tell.
My mission is to see the Flames play in all 30 NHL arenas, a mission that began in October of 2005 while at a local pub watching the Flames take on the Oilers. With the previous season’s work stoppage, and the season before’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals, Flames tickets had become a very hard item to come by. I was then struck with the idea of combining two of my favourite activities; watching hockey and travelling. You can follow my quest to visit all 30 arenas right here…
March 16, 2008 – Chicago, IL
This leg of our journey began in Atlanta, GA, the morning after watching the Flames blow a 3-0 lead. Having drunk a few too many fruity drinks at the Trader Vic’s in Atlanta, we headed out on the road a little later than we had originally planned. It didn’t matter however, as we had two full days to reach Chicago, and I had only anticipated the drive taking about 12 hours total. We spent one night outside of Louisville, KY on the way there, home to Churchill Downs and the world’s greatest horse race, the Kentucky Derby. When we checked into our hotel that night, we learned we had missed a deadly tornado ripping through downtown Atlanta by only two hours. On TV, we saw images of the CNN Center and Olympic Plaza in ruins, a mere three blocks from our hotel, and where only 12 hours earlier we had been walking around after the hockey game
The game in Chicago was on a Sunday afternoon, and we made our way into the city on Saturday, which gave us a little time to take in the sights of the Windy City. The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade had been held on Saturday morning, and we we’re lucky enough to see the river dyed green for the event. (You might remember this from the movie “The Fugitive.”) We were also lucky enough to see the results of drinking green beer from 7:00AM to 7:00PM, as there were several puddles of green puke on the sidewalk!
The United Center is another new arena, featuring many of the same amenities as any other. One thing that is different however, is the location. The United Center is near downtown, but not right downtown, and not within walking distance of downtown. (especially not in Chicago’s winters) We arrived via the subway, which drops people off three blocks away in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway. The walk to the arena passes empty parking lots and government row housing, and provides an unwelcoming and desolate approach to the facility. The arena itself is surrounded by a sea of parking lots and fences, and is not very inviting. There aren’t any restaurants or shops anywhere near the arena, and only one bar, the Billy Goat Tavern, located about two blocks away. Now, I have never liked afternoon games, as it just doesn’t feel right heading to an arena before you’ve had lunch. There’s a reason it is called Hockey Night in Canada and not Hockey Mid-Afternoon in Canada. However, upon further thought, it might have been a good thing the game was in the afternoon, as the area didn’t look like one a couple of Canadians should be walking around in at night.
We passed through the gates, and were each handed a free green Blackhawks hat, in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Fortunately, we had come equipped with our own green Flames hats, which I had bought the previous year for a game against the wild on March 17th. The Blackhawks are beginning to experience a sort of renaissance. The team is improving because of some new young talent, but it is the passing of long time owner Bill Wirtz that is having the greatest impact. There was suddenly life injected into the franchise by his son Rocky, who took over. This included broadcasting games on TV (something that hadn’t been done in over 40 years) inviting former players like Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita to the arena as “hockey ambassadors,” (they wouldn’t set foot in the United Center because of their dislike for their former boss), and many other fan-friendly efforts. According to some Blackhawks fans we talked to after the game, old man Wirtz’s passing was like flipping a switch on the franchise, and it began to turn around almost immediately.
The concourses of the Untied Center are fairly standard, being wide, well lit and clean. The concessions are also pretty standard, except that most of them serve Chicago-style hot dogs instead of your normal frank. The dogs also come in a convenient hot dog coffin, which encloses around the dog and snaps shut, avoiding any possible spilling; perfect for taking to your seat. One unique concession was the Budweiser Brew Pub, which included an actual working brewery inside the arena, and a large seating area to enjoy a beer before the game, much like Dutton’s in the Dome.
We headed to the seats well before puck drop, to check out the seating bowl and ice. The United Center is the 2nd largest arena in the NHL, with a capacity of 20,500. As a result, the seating bowl is huge, and very cavernous. It is made even worse by the fact that the Blackhawks rarely sell out; in fact their average attendance this season is only 13,000. However, as with everything else, this has been on the rise since the passing of Bill Wirtz, and the team has even had a couple of sell-outs in the middle of a losing season. Our seats were located in section 109, in the corner of the Flames’ attack end. We were low enough that we could still hear the players, but high enough there we could see over the glass. Given my druthers, this is probably where I would want my season tickets to be.
As we approached puck drop, we prepared ourselves for something we had heard about going to Blackhawks games, the National Anthems. Unlike most arenas in Canada, where people sing along with the anthem, or most arenas in the States, where people turn toward the flag and salute, the fans in Chicago go, for lack of a better word, bezerk. As the anthem started, the cheering began, and not just a little bit of clapping or whistling, but rampant, hollering, cheering, screaming, arm waving and fist pumping. I’d never seen anything like it. The crowd was louder during the anthem than when the Blackhawks scored. The game ended up being a nice change of pace for us on this road trip, as the Flames dominated the game from start to finish and out played the Hawks in pretty much every way. On the backs of Iginla, Aucoin, Phaneuf and Huselius, the Flames were able to leave the Windy City with a 4-2 victory, and a chance of evening up their record on this road trip in two nights in Columbus.
After the game, which due to the afternoon start ended at 3:30PM, we headed to the Billy Goat Tavern for a beer. Despite being surrounded by Blackhawks fans, we walked in with our heads held high, and weren’t worried at all about hearing any verbal from the opposition. While drinking green beer (it was still St. Paddy’s Day weekend after all), we met a group of 40 Blackhawks fans from Wisconsin, who rent a bus and drive down for every afternoon game, something they had been doing for over 15 years. We even managed to make our way into the group photo they take for each trip; 40 Hawks jerseys and two Flames jerseys. The fraternity of hockey fans was alive and well in Chicago.
Ten arenas down, one third of the league, and only twenty to go…
-TheRev
United Center Fast Facts
Seats:Section 109; $75; Blackhawks Score:Flames 4, Blackhawks 2 Arena Rating:6.4 Unique Concession:Chicago-style dog in hot dog sarcophagus Souvenir Stick:Blackhawks, red, wooden Public Transit: ‘El’ Station three blocks from arena Unique Arena Trait:Brewery in arena Swag:Blackhawks St. Paddy’s Day hats
Photos
Now it’s on to Columbus, Ohio to see if the Flames can even up this trip…
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