Sharks @ Flames Gamethread

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 4:15 PM PDT

San Jose Sharks at Calgary Flames, Mar 30, 2009 6:30 PM PDT

Sharks_flyers60_medium

San Jose Sharks @ Calgary Flames

7:30pm, SNET locally

Enemy Perspective: Fear the Fin

The Calgary Flames season has been punctuated by the San Jose Sharks thus far. In November, the Sharks pounded the Flames into a quivering mass, after which the coaching staff altered the clubs strategies and ultimately turned Calgary's season around. In January, the Flames became the first team to beat SJS in regulation in the Shark tank. It was, perhaps, one of the "biggest" victories for Calgary of year, if such a thing is possible in the middle of Jaunary.

And here we are again. Tonight, a Calgary win would mean a clinched play-off spot and another two points cushion above the ever-present Vancouver Canucks. The Sharks, on the other hand, don't have too much to play for outside of the Presidents Trophy.

San Jose, like Calgary, has stumbled recently, winning only 4 games (in regulation) in the last 15. Not that means they can be taken lightly - they're still the best team in the league with 109 points. Almost everything about the Sharks is elite: offense, defense, special teams. Their only weakness *might* be goaltending, something the Flames can relate to...

For Calgary's part, they played a complete game against what looks like a thoroughly bored and/or demoralized Wild club on Sunday. Everything looked to be back on track, although one wonders how much that had to do with the quality of the opponent. Tonight we'll see if Sunday's performance was a return to form vs. beating up on some guys were are basically mailing it in.

Notes:

- Eric Furlatt will be officiating the game tonight. Sigh.

- Curtis Glencross was the first star Sunday, despite not recording any points. Good to see, too, because the hockey gods were clearly against him that night: besides the two cancelled goals, Glencross also set up Jarome Iginla at the side of the net for a relative tap-in...which the Captain swiftly shot 10 feet wide.

- Cammalleri was in the dog-house for whatever reason last game. I think he saw the ice maybe a handful of times in the third period. Nystrom, on the other hand, was rewarded for his relatively strong performance with a bunch of extra shifts.

- Dion Phaneuf saw third pairing match-ups...and still got scored on twice. It's just not working for him this year.

- The Lundmark/Langkow/Bertuzzi trio was surprisingly effective. I haven't looked at the shiift charts or anything, but I would guess they saw some of the softer underbelly. Which would make sense (to me anyways).

- We got the best and worst of Todd Bertuzzi against the Wild. The good was his work with the puck down low in the offensive zone most of the night. The bad was stuff like that mind-boggling stupid play near the end of the game where he decided to circle in front of his own net only to have the puck poked off his stick. Argh! To those who wonder: it's sh*t like that that keeps Bert in my bad books.

- According to Fear the Fin's gamepost, the Flames are the league leaders in terms of home penalty differential. Who knew?

- Apparently, the Sharks are a little injury decimated themselves. Guys like Torrey Mitchell, Patrick Marleau, Ryan Clowe, Rob Blake and Jonathan Cheechoo probably won't be playing this evening.

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Bad Vandermeer! Bad!

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:40 PM PDT reply actions

A win tonight wouldn’t quite clinch the playoff spot. Anaheim could still earn 94 points, have the same number of wins, and put us out of the playoffs since they’ve earned 6 points compared to our 3 in the season series. So even with a win, we’d have to wait for Anaheim to lose to Edmonton tomorrow night.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 6:41 PM PDT reply actions

Here’s the livestream for the game tonight: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/puckyou

Nice name, as well.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 6:41 PM PDT reply actions

Well…close enough.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:41 PM PDT reply actions

Another comment on the Thornton steal on vandermeer…

Did you see Kipper’s response to resultant break? Thornton comes in, passes the puck across the crease and Kipper…slid the opposite way, towards the corner and out of the net. He misread it completely and it was a tap in if a Shark had have gotten his stick on it.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:43 PM PDT reply actions

Nice hit by Boyd. He seems to be getting stronger on his skates.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:45 PM PDT reply actions

Well, isn’t this a nice start. A 2 minute 5on3 five minutes into the game.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:46 PM PDT reply actions

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 6:46 PM PDT reply actions

That was a foregone conclusion.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Tabernacle!!

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 6:47 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah, that’s the textbook definition of a bad start. 1 goal down, still a lot of penalty left.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 6:48 PM PDT reply actions

Apropos of nothing, has Aucoin looked fairly terrible to anyone else recently?

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:49 PM PDT reply actions

It’s time to respond… and there appears to be some jump to them at least…

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 6:50 PM PDT reply actions

Simmer recently noted here that McLellan is targeting the Iginla line with the Thornton line. I think what’s actually happening is the targeting of the Phaneuf duo, who are playing behind Iginla et al.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:51 PM PDT reply actions

Hadnt noticed Dion out there with Thorton, but have seen a lot of Reggie against Thorton.... Hmmm... will watch for it, but that would be surprising no? Given the Home Team change?

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 6:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, it’s only going to happen occassionally due to last change. Keenan is obviously going to target Thornton with Reggie. however, i have seen Thornton out against Phaneuf/Vandermeer twice already (once resulting in that terrible Vandermeer give-away).

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:55 PM PDT up reply actions

I guess we watch for Moose to come out on a flying change when Dion is already on the ice?

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 6:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Pretty much.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Other than the penalties, it’s a good start. Three icings by SJ already.

And a great move by Lundmark. It’s not just hard work that’s bringing him success.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 6:52 PM PDT reply actions

Blues

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 6:54 PM PDT reply actions

TSN Turning point

Dion’s hit…. that just brought the temperature of this game up… it’s been pretty lukewarm in comparison to the last few games in the conference until that last shift…

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 6:58 PM PDT reply actions

Well, not quite. Flames will have to actually turn it around on the scoreboard before any such considerations can be made…

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 6:59 PM PDT up reply actions

:) Yeah, fair enough… But certainly a different feel in that shift than the rest… :)

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions

fair enough.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Anyone seen Iginla yet?

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:00 PM PDT reply actions

There he is!

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 7:05 PM PDT up reply actions

haha! Speak of the Devil.

Soft, soft goal on Nabby.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Ooh, I just saw him!

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 7:06 PM PDT up reply actions

Hmmm…maybe I can try this trick with other players.

Man…uh…Jokinen sure is invisible tonight. Cammalleri and Phaneuf too.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Anyone seen Kipper?

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 7:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Way too much in some games.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 7:11 PM PDT up reply actions

The defensive play on Iggy was pretty weak. I guess he doesn’t know that you can pressure Iggy nowadays.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 7:07 PM PDT up reply actions

True, though Iginla wasn’t exactly in a dangerous area on the ice. Nabokov should have had that one for sure.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:09 PM PDT up reply actions

HAHAH!! Us Broadcaster just mistook Vandameer for Warrener… LOL!!!

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 7:10 PM PDT reply actions

haha! Ouch.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Decent period...

Sharks didn’t do much aside from the 5on3 and the one Vandy give-away to Thornton.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:13 PM PDT reply actions

Stop the press…Dion is a +1 so far!

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:24 PM PDT reply actions

Quote from Iggy during the break: “I’m just trying to put it on net, not trying to aim it.”

Maybe that’s the solution? Or maybe that’s the problem.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 7:25 PM PDT reply actions

No idea. He’s been bad all over the recently by my eyes, so who knows. Maybe this’ll get him back on track.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:26 PM PDT up reply actions

*the ice

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:26 PM PDT reply actions

Haha...

…what a terrible opening shift by Phaneuf. Two completely needless give-aways after the Flames win the face-off.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:30 PM PDT reply actions

Aucoin is terrible. Get him off the PP. Honestly. Can’t even make a basic pass.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:32 PM PDT reply actions

Ahh, Keenan’s “super line”. I was wondering how long it would take to surface.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:36 PM PDT reply actions

Bertuzzi seems like a good fit for Olli and Iggy. Those two produce some highlight reel passing plays, but it’s the rest of their game that isn’t that great.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 7:45 PM PDT reply actions

It’s a lone that’s okay on home ice as long as their ice time is well managed (lots of O-zone draws, favorable match-ups). However, at power v. power or on the road, I think they get murdered.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions

*line rather than lone

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:47 PM PDT reply actions

And there it is..

..the Super Line gets scored on. Iginla was totally lost on the ice and his guy gets the shot through from the point.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:50 PM PDT reply actions

You said it; he looked totally lost; well outta position, and ineffective… 20 seconds after turning it over at center ice…

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 7:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah. Terrible shift by the Captain. I have no idea what’s going through his head while he stands next to the net, covering no one.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:52 PM PDT up reply actions

I don’t know why that goal counted. Kipper was OBVIOUSLY screened.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 7:52 PM PDT reply actions

Haha! Zing!

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Another needless neutral zone turn-over leading to a scoring chance. This one by Langkow. Flames money players are having a rough period for sure.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 7:57 PM PDT reply actions

The Flames aren’t lacking in scoring chances tonight. We just need to get some more past Nabokov.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 8:01 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah, I’d say the scoring chances are pretty close.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Lombardi with another point tonight

Good for him.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:02 PM PDT reply actions

Well...this period could mark the end of the Flames long reign atop the NW...

…but maybe not. I guess we’ll see.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:19 PM PDT reply actions

The light schedule the ’Nucks face already has it leaning against them… but still games to be played to determine a winner/loser

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions

What’s with all the Flames slipping? It seems to happen a few times per game.

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 8:21 PM PDT reply actions

Good question. No idea.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions

FOR CONSIDERATION: Thought about this during the intermission...

Yo, just noticed that Columbus is actually pretty close to the bottom of the pack right now! And look at their schedule!!

Mar 31: Home vs Nashville
April 4: Visiting Nashville
April 5: Home vs Chicago
April 8: Visiting Chicago
April 10: Visiting St. Louis
April 11: Home vs Minnesota

Two Home and Aways, and all of the teams in the hunt for a playoff position (arguably Chicago with one locked, and Minne out of it, but their definitely bookend of the spectrum)

Consider the fact that Nashville has won their last three, and last night just toppled Detroit to sit 2 points back of the Jackets! Can you imagine what a sweep would mean to the Preds? What two loses would mean to Jacket’s playoff hopes? They were advertising playoff tickets during the game last night…. Whoops?

What could this mean for CGY’s dance partner… who would you rather face in those six? Me I would take the Preds or the Blues any day over the Jackets!

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 8:22 PM PDT reply actions

True enough, although I find it extremely unlikely the BJs will fall totally out of the picture.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Western/Central/BlueJackets.html

This site says Columbus has a 91% chance of making the dance. Of course, I would definitely prefer NSH or Blues in the first round.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh! Don’t get me wrong… I think they are going to make it to, but I am just saying, “It would be interesting if….”…

I think it would also be terribly unfortunate for that organization at the same time..

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 8:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, big time. Especially that team objectively deserves to be in the post season this year I think. Im kinda cheering them on, actually.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:27 PM PDT up reply actions

:) Canadians eh? We always seem to root for the underdogs regardless. :)

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 8:28 PM PDT up reply actions

NIce save

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 8:25 PM PDT reply actions

Nice shift by the 4th line.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:26 PM PDT reply actions

Oh Aucoin. You just…..ugh.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:31 PM PDT reply actions

Ruined a third line shift, which is honestly our best chance of scoring. (Next to a PP, of course.) (Nevermind, the third line is probably better at scoring than our PP right now.)

by ngthagg on Mar 30, 2009 8:33 PM PDT up reply actions

The PP is still awful. Stupid perimeter rims and passing. It’s total garbage.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:34 PM PDT reply actions

That’s quite the save there. Nabby making up for the softy in the first.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:35 PM PDT reply actions

Langkow is having a rough game too

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:36 PM PDT reply actions

Conroy has to shoot the puck in that position. He just has to.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:37 PM PDT reply actions

No interference on that play?

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 8:37 PM PDT reply actions

It’s only interference if a portion of your skate blade is in the crease.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:38 PM PDT up reply actions

Nice recovery by Kipper there.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:39 PM PDT reply actions

“Iginla can’t break through…!”

That sums up the Captains last two weeks pretty well I think.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:43 PM PDT reply actions

Well, the boys are definitely pressing but nothing is going iin. I think they played a pretty decent game tonight (aside from the PP).

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:48 PM PDT reply actions

On a positive note, I think Leo has had a very strong game.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:51 PM PDT reply actions

Jarome Iginla Star 2?? Didnt he turn over the puck on the go ahead, and leave the shooter wide open????

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 8:54 PM PDT reply actions

And miss a glorious scoring chance on a 3on2. And…

But he did score the lone goal I guess.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 8:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Kent, where do you look for Corsi Numbers on the game? are they up this early on?

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 9:09 PM PDT reply actions

Here you go.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 9:30 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks!

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 9:43 PM PDT reply actions

Hilariously, Bert and Jokinen have two of the worst figures on the team.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 30, 2009 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions

More hilariously was how much Bert was played at the end of the game… blech… Why are we watching the 3rd and 4th lines out muscle and play the opposition, then benched by the close of the game….

by Cubesworth on Mar 30, 2009 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions

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