One Hand Clapping

A wise man once asked, ‘If a hockey game is held, and nobody is there to see it, does it still matter?’ The better question for the Calgary Flames tonight will be, ‘If a hockey game doesn’t matter, will there be anybody there to see it?’

This will be the situation the Flames find themselves in heading into tonight’s game against their divisional rivals, the Minnesota Wild. Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention, neither is in the running for a top draft pick, there isn’t really a heated rivalry between the two, and there aren’t any players chasing any kind of significant milestone. (Except of course that Jay-Bo could score his fourth goal of the season.) The game will be Fan Appreciation night for the Dome faithful, which if memory serves means there’s a special on hot dogs, and maybe a dollar off the beer. But really, who cares?

Myself, I’m curious about a few things in tonight's game. First off, what will the crowds be like? I don’t expect the sell out streak to end, but I imagine there will be a lot of empty seats, as the Saddledome suffers from ‘Phoenix Coyote-Syndrome.' (This is where the announced attendance and the actual attendance differ by several thousand.) Second, I want to see what the reaction will be from the fans, to a Flames team that has failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Will there be boos when the players come out, or maybe a smattering of applause like one hears at a Thrashers game? ‘We acknowledge that you’re on the ice, but don’t really care what happens, so we’ll simply clap politely.’

Of course the other big thing to see tonight will be what kind of game the fans are treated to. With neither team playing for anything of importance, other than pride, I imagine most players will be gliding around, avoiding an injury to finish off the season. Maybe both teams still feel the need to put in an honest effort for the benefit of the fans, but I’m not holding my breath. I think legally, tonight’s tickets should be required to carry a disclaimer of ‘May cause drowsiness, do not operate heavy machinery after watching this game.’ Let’s face it; these two teams aren’t very exciting at the best of times.

The last time the Flames played a meaningless game such as this was in 2003. That was the year that Darryl Sutter took over as coach from Greg Gilbert, and although the team played well down the stretch, they were eliminated from playoff contention with only 37 games left in the season. One of their last games that season, on March 31st 2003, was against this same Minnesota Wild team. Maybe ‘this same team’ is a stretch; all the players are different, the coaches are different, the owner is different, management has changed, and the uniforms are different. They still play in Minnesota though.

That night in Minnesota, the Flames took to the ice with nothing to play for, and it showed. Current Flames goaltending coach Jamie McLennan was put in net, giving Roman Turek, who had already recorded over 20 wins that season, a well deserved night off. The Wild were in control of the game from start to finish, and were able to gain a 3-0 victory, giving the Flames their 10th shutout loss of the season. (Yes, that says 10th; and you thought this year’s team was bad.) The Flames’ effort was so bad, that even the opposing goaltender, Manny Fernandez, was critical of their performance. Said Fernandez afterward, “It was a boring game,” referring to the ease in which he was able to record a 26 save shutout. “They didn’t show me they wanted to win at all. They didn’t have shots. I don’t know if the guys are just off their game because they know they’re not making the playoffs.” Ouch!

The Flames finished that season in last place in the NW division, and 17 points behind 8th place Edmonton. Of course they’ve faired a little better this year, but does any of it really matter? They still didn't make the playoffs, and the season has been considered a failure. Does anybody care what happens in this game? Well, I for one do care. I’d like to see some kind of effort from the hometown heroes tonight, not only to make me feel that they came as close as possible to the playoffs, but also to show that they have a little heart, even if there isn’t anybody there to see it.


- TheRev

Panic! at the Dome

The Flames have officially pressed the panic button.

Losing 10 of your last 11 games is not fun and usually signals change on a professional sports team. To add into the fact that you play in a Canadian fish bowl where every move is over-scrutinized to the extreme, you cannot help but think that the Calgary Flames GM Darryl Sutter made a move that he did not necessarily want to make but simply, had to make. Sutter officially traded away Olli Jokinen not even a year since acquiring him from the Phoenix Coyotes.
So the Flames, in essence, actually traded Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust Version 1, Brandon Prust Version 2 and a First round pick in the upcoming 2010 Draft for Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins. Sound fair? Would you be as angry if it had been Lombardi being traded a year later and not Jokinen, I think not?

Jokinen was too inconsistent and did not fit in with the team. He went goalless in the last 13 games of last season. He scored 2 goals in October, 3 in November and 2 in December of this season. So for people to say that this was a bad trade, I strongly disagree because what, really, were the Flames getting rid of? This was Olli Jokinen’s market value. A guy making $5.5 million who scores as infrequently as this guy does and has little to no experience in a “critical situation’ does not get you much in the NHL these days. Now you might say he had good playoffs, and fine he did play well, but it still does not make up for the strings of invisibility that Olli would go on. He was brought in to be the Number one centre men for Jarome Iginla and did not fit. You can not fit a square peg into a round hole...or something like that. I am glad to see him go, as I believe the Flames did not lose a whole lot to begin with. And one final note about this moustached Finn is this...Matthew Lombardi has the same amount of points (35) as Jokinen at this point and costs $3.15 million less. You cannot argue the numbers.

In saying that, Kotalik and Higgins are not saviours by any means, but after watching last night’s shameful performance by the Flames I am not sure anything will help them right now. I am fully expecting a first round loss or to miss the playoffs entirely. If the Flames do squeak into the playoffs, they will be either the 7th or 8th seed and be forced to go up against the Sharks or the Hawks, which spells immediate doom for all intensive purposes. You cannot send 4 roster players out and bring in 6 new ones and expect everything to be ok. This is a team game, and teams take a while to gel. The Flames have been in trouble for a while and I am not sure this full fledged panic attack will help solve any of the immediate problems, except for maybe the salary cap situation, which in better shape.

These next 3 months should be interesting, but do not be surprised if the Flames have ‘garbage bag day’ a few days earlier than normal this year.

This has been,

Newman on the Flames

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Make it Eight

Heartbroken. Disappointed. Frustrated.

All words that describe how the Flames must feel right now. The Flames lost their 8th consecutive game tonight despite holding a lead going into the final period. They fought hard in the 2nd, arguably their best period, but let one squeak by them with only 24 seconds left in the period to cut their lead in half. This event, one of two goals to bank off of Flames defensemen tonight, was the turning point of the evening. The Flames went into their ‘prevent defence’ formation in the 3rd and let Dallas dictate the flow of the period. The Flames managed only 5 shots in the 3rd and overtime before falling in the shootout.

For the first time in 11 days the Flames held a lead going into the final period. However, for the 2nd time in 11 days, they relinquished said lead. They simply have zero confidence in themselves and it shows on the ice. Once their friend ‘adversity’ shows up, the Flames players seem to run for the hills. You can not expect to win hockey games by allowing teams to dominate you in the final period when the game is on the line.

Due in part to a bonehead play by Rene Bourque (you are supposed to drop your stick when it breaks), the Flames were forced down a man. Thirty seconds later Bouwmeester joins Rene in the sin bin, giving Dallas their much needed opportunity to tie the game. They did not miss. The Flames were ‘white-knuckling’ the steering wheel and it cost them the chance to snap the drought. The Flames can not win if they only show up for a half, or two-thirds of a 60 minute affair; they are not that good of a team. The Flames must bear down and play a full game.

A few positives out of this game was the play of the Captain and his moustached comrade, Olli Jokinen. Both players scored goals tonight which was a great sign for a team in desperate need of scoring help. For the first time since November 30th the Flames scored two powerplay goals in a single game. This was thanks in part to Mark Fistric for using Nystrom’s helmet as his own personal Billy club. That had to be one of the most bizarre things you might ever see in a fight. Another bizarre happening was Miikka Kiprusoff getting awarded back-to-back slashing calls in overtime. Kipper clearly getting frustrated but at the same time, they were very, very soft calls.

The silver lining is this: they have a chance to get right back on that dilapidated horse and try it again against the Coyotes. If they can finally get a win and come away with 3 of 4 points on this mini road trip, than maybe, possibly they can turn this runaway train around.

Otherwise they might as well make this their theme song:

“Pants on the Ground, Pants on the Ground, looking like a fool with your pants on the ground!”

This has been,

Newman on the Flames

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Source of Photo: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/stars-rally-to-beat-flames-in-shootout/article1446889/

Lucky Number Seven

Question: What is the difference between a falling tree and the Calgary Flames?

Answer: A tree never gets booed out of its own forest.

Lucky consecutive loss number 7 for the Flames tonight, as they were shut out for the 2nd time in 3 games on home ice. They have scored a staggering 2 goals in their last 4 games at the Saddledome. They must be reading the Tiger Woods book on "How to ruin your image," because the Flames have fallen out of a Northwest division lead and into a logjam of teams fighting for the final playoff spot. The good news is, at this pace, the suspense of waiting to see if the Flames make the playoffs will not last long.

On the verge of sounding redundant, the Flames simply have one single solitary problem that is hindering them from posting “W’s” instead of loser symbols; scoring goals. This team simply is not able to put the puck into the yawning cage. It seems like the last 7 Vezina trophy winners have rolled over the Flames. Yet, Conklin, Niemi, Nabokov, Hiller, Ellis, Fleury, and Anderson do not posses any hardware of that nature. This is an extremely fragile hockey team right now as was evident in the loss tonight. Once the Blues scored that second goal with 8:39 left in the 3rd period, the Flames sails went limp and there wasn’t enough Cialis, Viagra, or ‘transgressions’ in the world to lift their spirits. It is as if they lost all hope for victory, and fans knew it as well, because two goals in the span of 8 minutes is something this hockey team is currently not capable of doing.

Who is to blame? Is their a point in blaming anyone? This is a team game, is it not? So, the Flames, as a team, have to crawl out of this mess or face a continuing chorus of boos as they play in their home rink, not unlike tonight.

They go on the road for two games this week before returning home to play the Oilers on Saturday. Phoenix who sits 5 points up on the Flames for fifth in the West and Dallas who are looking up on Flames but only 3 points in arrears. The Flames have split both affairs with Coyotes; both games ending in 2-1 decisions for the home team. In both games against the Stars, Flames back-up Curtis McElhinney has started. Expect more of the same as they face the Coyotes the following night. Maybe changing the one thing this team does not really need to change will spark them…than again I heard Taylor Hall is pretty good...

Maybe Brent Sutter should call up Coach D’Amato for a talk about inches…

“That's a team, gentlemen and either we heal now, as a team, or we will die as individuals.”



This has been,

Newman on the Flames

Flames Are Not Good

The Calgary Flames are moving in the wrong direction in the Western Conference standings. After tonight’s dreadful loss at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, the Flames now sit in 8th spot in the West, only 2 points up on Detroit. The Flames are falling faster than Tiger Woods bank balance. With only 1 win in the last 7 contests, the Flames continue to play horrifying awful. The goal scoring is bone dry and when Kipper has an off game like tonight, the Flames do not have a chance at winning the game. Kipper let in some goals that were suspect including the weirdest goal I have ever witnessed when Mason Raymond flipped a perfect arching puck over the shoulders of Miikka from outside the blue line and into the net to close out the first period. The defence though, deserves no credit whatsoever. They were beaten cleanly by Vancouver’s forwards on 2 of the goals and failed to pick up one of the sisters on the first goal.

For instance on the Canucks first goal, Dion Phaneuf found himself in a shoving match with Henrik, but then left him to protect the front of the net, but forgot about the Swede, as did Regehr. Hank was then left wide open at the side of net and potted in the goal; after which he made sure to let Phaneuf know about it. Phaneuf gave him a quick spear for good measure. From all reports, “Hank was screaming at the top of his lungs.”

The Flames tried to come out and play the physical game but were thwarted by a much smarter Canuck team. Giordano went for a big hit in the neutral zone, but took himself out of the play and the Canucks break in 2 on 1 for another goal. Again out of position and beaten by the Canucks speedy forwards. Regehr and Pardy looked extremely slow and can not keep up with the forwards; a growing trend as the games wear on.

The Flames were undisciplined and were running around for most of the night. It was an embarrassing game to be a Flames fan and horrible display of hockey.

Brian McGrattan was itching all night long to beat someone up, in particular Darcy Hordichuk who he pummelled earlier in the season. In the third, with the game out of reach, Sutter sends out his goon to teach Darcy a lesson, yet Darcy is a little smarter than that. Hordichuk took the abuse and Vancouver was granted a 4 minute powerplay. Why would Hordichuk fight? They are up 5-1 and he knows he will lose. If this was Sutter’s master plan at redemption for a porous effort the rest of the night, he should think again.

Sutter should audition for ‘Grumpy Old Men 3: Grumpier than Ever.” His negative mantra seems to wearing thin and his philosophy of ‘fore-check, fore-check, fore-check’ and ‘work till you drop’ does not seem to be working. The players look exhausted and unwilling to work and its only December 27th! Something has to change, as the Flames are spiralling out of control and into the basement of the Western Conference. I am not saying fire the Coach but this team has underperformed now for almost a solid month.

The Flames play 5 games in 7 nights this week, and 3 against divisional opponents. Well you can cross off one of those games as a loss, and travel up to Edmonton for a clash with the lowly Oilers. Hopefully that is the cure for what ails the Flames right now. Everybody beats the Oilers these days, don’t they?

This has been,

Newman on the Flames

Source of Photo: http://cdn1.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/118507/49244_canucks_flames_hockey.jpg