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Flames Current Line Combos

  • Bourque - Stajan - Iginla
  • Higgins - Langkow - Kotalik
  • Hagman - Conroy - Moss
  • Glencross - Nystrom - Mayers
  • Bouwmeester - Staios
  • Regehr - White
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Thursday Thoughts and Reading: West Standings Based on WIN%

I was doing some browsing around the SBN blogosphere the other day to get acclimatized to the network and stumbled upon this excellent post by Mr. Plank at Fear The Fin, coincidentally, the Flames' opposition tomorrow evening. He discusses San Jose's lack of success against playoff teams this season throughout the post, but I was more interested in this chart. What he's done here is compiled a chart showing the Reconstructed Western Conference Standings based on the winning percentage of the top nine teams in the West against Western playoff opponents, excluding games that have gone to a shootout, which can be found under the GSO column. 

Reconstructed Western Conference Standings

#
TEAMGPGSOGF/GGA/GG DIF.WLWIN%
1 Chicago
24
6 3.03
2.27 +0.76 16 8 66.6%
2 Detroit
28
4 2.78 2.53 +0.25 17 11 60.7%
3 Vancouver
24
4 3.25 2.43 +0.82 14 10 58.3%
4 Phoenix
18
9 2.15 2.33 -0.18 9 9 50.0%
5 Nashville
30
1 2.52 2.87 -0.35 14 16 46.6%
6 San Jose
22
6 2.89 2.89 E 10 12 45.4%
7 Colorado
21 5 2.42 2.88 -0.46 9 12 42.8%
8 Calgary
26
3 2.31 2.69 -0.38 11 15 42.3%
9 Los Angeles
25 4 2.34 2.86 -0.52 9 16 36.0%

As you can all see, the change for the Flames isn't that dramatic, they jump from ninth to eighth and into a playoff position with a 42.3% winning percentage, but if one ever wanted a partial explanation as to why this team is in ninth place in the West to begin with, look no further than their goal differential and, of course, the fact that they are three games under .500 against opponents in a playoff position. Those Chicago games, that loss to the Sharks, those losses to Colorado--it adds up. Including games against Eastern Conference playoff opponents and overtime/shootout games, the Flames are 17-17-9 against all playoff teams this season.

This chart puts Calgary, a team that has vastly underachieved, depending on who you ask, with Colorado, a team that has vastly overachieved this season. The Avs fall from fifth to seventh in the West due to their goal differential and ultimately, their record against playoff opponents, also three games under .500. I know that there have been many examples of statistical analysis done to expose the Avs for the bunch of lucky overachieving punks that they really are, and this chart drives the point home. As pointed out in the post, not all teams have played the same number of games against Western playoff opponents, so they have varying numbers of games left against said opponents. The Flames have six games left against Western playoff teams, and seven including a date with the Capitals at the end of March. 

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Col/Cgy Post-Game - A Negative Look at a Positive Result

Photo

More photos » David Zalubowski - AP

 

Corsi

Faceoffs

Scoring Chances

 

OK, we know we're supposed to drown our sorrows after a loss by tossing a pint or two and composing haiku upon haiku in the post-game comments.  It's easy to figure out how to react.  But do we know how we're supposed to celebrate after a win?  A win that looked like that?  Sure, after the Ottawa game I noted that I finally found out what it felt like to be cheering for the Avs.  But I didn't mean I wanted to feel like that after every game.  Hell, we managed to out-Colorado Colorado tonight, which is no mean feat.  I want to keep feeling superior to Avs fans for having to watch that hockey all the time, but the Flames are starting to play that way all the time too.  And, by the way, don't let tonight's result fool you, the Avs are going to the playoffs and the Flames aren't. Not if the next three weeks look like this game.

Why am I so down after a win?  I really don't know.  Let's analyze a bit and see if I can feel better after that.

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38 comments  |  1 recs

A Brief Introduction

Hello everybody! I'm happy that I have the pleasure of introducing myself here after a Flames victory. My name is Hayley and I will be the new Managing Editor here at M&G. Some of your might have read my previous work at my site Join The Rush. I've been a long-time reader of this site and was thrilled when I got offered the job here. Of course I'm a little nervous about taking the reigns after Kent did such great work here, but I think it'll be a good challenge and a great experience. I'm looking forwards to getting to know all of you and am really excited about the prospect of the further growth of this site. It's going to be a bit of a learning experience and it might take me a little while to get a hang of things, so if you have any questions, concerns, advice, or criticisms don't hesitate to contact me at hazel.mutch@hotmail.com or hayley.mutch@gmail.com

I've received a very warm welcome from the SBN family and I can't wait to get started! 

Go Flames Go! Onwards to the post-season...maybe

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Flames vs. Avalanche Game Thread

I'd love to say I feel your pain, but a lot of what you're feeling is the result of self-inflicted wounds, Butter. Deal.

DARRYL DYCK - AP

I'd love to say I feel your pain, but a lot of what you're feeling is the result of self-inflicted wounds, Butter. Deal.

 

Pepsi Center

7 PM MT

Opposition: Mile High Hockey

TV: TSN

I don`t know when the last meaningful chance to salvage this season of disappointment will occur, but if in retrospect it turns out to have been this evening in Denver, would anyone be surprised at this juncture? The scoring of last week was nothing but a chimera, it appears, with the shots and chances fading away, and the hopes of of the Flames are just about gone with them. Having the Avalanche apply the coupe de grace would have a certain painful appropriateness, as much as I'd hate to admit it.

The eulogies, though, will have all summer to be composed, so today, as I sit in my Austin hotel room waiting to go some place where happier things await, let's address the matter at hand. The Flames can't afford one more game like Monday's, or one more period like the first on Sunday. The margin that this team operates under at the moment is so unforgiving that one more failed outing will almost certainly guarantee ninth or worse. So, now what?

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Cgy/Det Post Game - A Big One That DID Get Away

Photo

More photos » Larry MacDougal - AP

H2H Ice

Corsi

Faceoffs

Scoring Chances

 



The season isn't at an end, but you can see it from here.  I'm on the record as saying that there is no outcome that may result from the Flames missing the playoffs that is worth it happening.  Even first round exits are better than not geting the chance.  However, as Resolute noted below, playoff hockey in Calgary may only be the junior variety this year.

Having said that, I'm not here to write obituaries.  There are still 13 games left.  So, let's talk about this game in particular.

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Yes Virginia, there is playoff hockey on the horizon


While the Flames season appears lost, the Hitmen are beginning their second season on Thursday.  Calgary won the Scotty Munro Trophy as regular season champions for the second year in a row, Brandon Kozun won the scoring title with 107 points and Martin Jones was the top goaltender in the league.  Eight players scored 20+ goals.  Calgary finished the regular season on a 23-2-0-1 run.  There really is a team in this city that knows how to win in the clutch.

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Flames vs. Red Wings Game Thread

Photo

Paul Sancya - AP

 

Pengrowth Saddledome

7:30 PM MT


TV: TSN


Tonight may not officially be a Game Seven, but the Flames do find themselves in a bit of a pickle at the moment. I didn't expect the Flames to run off 19 straight to end the year or anything of that nature, but last night's no-show first period did come at an unwelcome time, leaving this evening's tilt with the Red Menace with the feel of an elimination game for Calgary.

The situation is fairly simple, of course. If the Flames win, they will be back in 8th with some worthwhile tie-breaker advantages. Lose, and they're 3 points in arrears with only 13 games left. It's a big game, or more accurately, a Big Game™. If the Flames are going to be on the right side of the scoresheet, a few of last night's problems will need to be expunged, and they'll possibly have to do it without a fairly useful gentleman in the line-up.


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227 comments  |  0 recs |

Cgy/Van Post Game - The "No-See-Em" Report


H2H Ice

Corsi

Faceoffs

 

I have nothing to add, nothing to report, no analysis to give.  Seriously.  I got home late tonight, planned on fast forwarding the first 10 minutes or so to get an idea which way the game would go, and, well, you know the rest.  I decided to fast forward the entire game and didn't see any reason to watch on normal speed.  Other than to confirm that Robyn Regehr only scores in games I didn't see and am glad I missed.

So, we'll try again after tomorrow night's game.  It's a pretty important game.  And there isn't anyone on God's green earth that knows which Calgary Flames team will show up.  In the meantime, here's another thread to vent.

25 comments  |  0 recs

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Northwest Standings

GP W L OTL PT
Vancouver 70 43 24 3 89
Colorado 70 40 24 6 86
Calgary 70 35 26 9 79
Minnesota 69 34 29 6 74
Edmonton 70 21 42 7 49

(updated 3.18.2010 at 6:02 AM PDT)

35 - 26 - 9

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An Interview With Sharks Prospect Jamie McGinn

Denver left winger Rhett Rakhshani (9) and Colorado College defenseman Nate Prosser (15) chase the puck into the corner during an NCAA college hockey game in Denver, Friday, March 5, 2010.

2010 Hobey Baker Award Finalists Announced

New Jersey Devils' Patrik Elias, of the Czech Republic, comes out with a green hat on St. Patrick's Day after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 17, 2010, in Newark, N.J. Elias was voted the star of the game. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Devils Complete Regular-Season Sweep Of Penguins With 5-2 Win

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