Game 6 Recap: Bad Luck

by Justin Azevedo on Oct 20, 2011 10:00 PM PDT in The Department of Game Posts

How I reacted to the Rangers goal with .5 seconds left in OT.

Ten Thoughts

-I like Scott Hannan. He is good at hockey and saved at least two goals. Likewise, Matt Stajan was pretty good tonight too.

-Henrik Karlsson could eventually be a starter. Right now though, any time the puck goes near him I'm terrified.

-Brent Sutter thinks this team is way better then it actually is. Had Miikka Kiprusoff played tonight, that would've been a win for sure. I respect that the coaching staff has a schedule, but seriously. These are games you need to win. Karlsson should've played against Edmonton if he needed a start.

-Good game for Iginla with a goal and an assist.

-Mark Giordano had a meh game today, despite his goal. Got caught a few times.

-Tim Erixon got booed every time he touched the puck. Made me chuckle a little bit.

-The team had 35 shots on the night. Huge improvement, but it really didn't seem like they had a lot of scoring chances (11 at ES) and Kent's numbers reflected that.

-Smith, Sarich, Bourque, Stajan and Hagman were underwater in terms of Corsi. Don't blame 'em since they got a lot of time against Callahan et al.

-Wait, actually-I blame Cory Sarich. He needs to leave. Go. Vanish.

-The PP was utterly and completely inept. I'm confused by the way the coaches are thinking-the team kept on dumping the puck in losing possession because the Rangers were getting to it first. Why don't you, I dunno, carry the puck over the line? I mean, it's not as if you have an extra fucking player on the ice. Oh, Wait.

Reverse Three Stars

1. Cory Sarich-Would've spent 9 of the first 20 minutes of the game in the penalty box was it not for a PP goal against. He was slow, lazy and awful. Like always.

2. Chris Butler-I'm trying so hard not to pick on the guy but he's the reason Bouwmeester's now playing soft minutes. Dude just cannot handle it, and it shows.

3. Henrik Karlsson-As Sarah said, how often in the past couple of seasons have we been able to say that Kipper likely would have won the team a game? Well, that probably would've been the case tonight.

Finally...

One lazy play and inadequate positioning/rebound control cost the team the extra point. This is one of those games you look back at in March and wonder what if. The Flames' next game is Saturday against Nashville.

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Despite the result and the weak links in the chain this game appeared to me, without looking at the numbers, to be the best one the Flames have played so far this season.

It shows what we have for a team with the Iggy line clicking, which is was and strong team effort overall for the game.

I don’t disagree with Justin’s goats. Sarich was terrible, Karlsson needs a lot of work and Butler is stretching to meet top 4 expectations but a lot of players are finding their groove. Most notably Iginla who again had his best game of the season imo and what a difference that makes.

by Mitch Smith on Oct 21, 2011 4:42 AM PDT reply actions

absolutely. if the team had that performance against edmonton I don’t doubt they would’ve put up 5.

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by Justin Azevedo on Oct 21, 2011 6:54 AM PDT up reply actions

Reghr gone and they need another D.

If Borque goes it better be for a Defenceman, its obvious that Calgary needs a big defenceman who can play powerplay minutes and kill penalties. They are close but what happens when they meet a top tier team? I have to say Jokinen is one of the better players this season. Sarich does hit at least, he really can lay a guy out but on TV you don’t see the whole ice and mistakes aren’t always seen. Morrisson will be on he top line next game hopefully.

by budgie d on Oct 21, 2011 7:38 AM PDT reply actions

they haven’t had a quality 4th defenseman since phaneuf got traded. obviously that’s what they were hoping for with babchuk, but that hasn’t panned out at all.

Joker has been doing well, yes. the one good part of Sarich’s game is that he doesn’t really take himself out of position when he makes a big hit. not sure the top line needs fixing with the way it played last night.

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by Justin Azevedo on Oct 21, 2011 7:58 AM PDT up reply actions

Morrison was mind-numbingly terrible last night and him being on the ice for that offensive-zone draw with Iginla is what eventually led to the winning goal. David Moss is one of the few Flames who will consistently make an effort to go get a puck. He’s one of two players on the roster, currently, who’s willing to do that every shift. The other being Olli Jokinen (every shift, maybe not). If Brendan Morrison finds himself on the top line Saturday then I’ll lose even more respect for the coaching staff than I already have this early in the season.

by Scott Lepp on Oct 21, 2011 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions

Morrison is great for draws and should be used as such. I do not doubt though that the coaching staff will play him with the first line and nullify them this weekend.

by Jeremywilhelm on Oct 21, 2011 10:10 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Its becoming pretty obvious this isn’t a team that has an actual top line just a collection of 2nd and 3rd lines. And the play on the ice is really demonstrating that.

The team needs to embrace this and get their hard hats ready because this season is gonna be a grind.

by Jeremywilhelm on Oct 21, 2011 8:23 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

Had Miikka Kiprusoff played tonight, that would’ve been a win for sure.

Not sure how you come to this conclusion. All three Ranger goals were legit chances. The Flames only managed 2 goals themselves. And Kipper was a below replacement level goalie himself last year.

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by Kent Wilson on Oct 21, 2011 9:27 AM PDT reply actions

to start-ot goal, karlsson was a foot out of his crease and wasn’t able to get across fast enough to make that play. while that was a legit chance, I just don’t see Kipper making that mistake. Same thing on the Prust goal. He over commited, left himself in a shitty position and the team paid for it.

And yes, I am well aware of the shittiness of Kipper last year

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by Justin Azevedo on Oct 21, 2011 9:48 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Without the long-term Kipper stats in the equation. I think Kipper has looked better since the sit-down in St. Louis.

Even if you don’t like Kipper’s game I don’t think you can fairly slot Karlsson above him and in a close game like this one Kipper may have made a difference.

I also think Kipper would have made the save on the SH Prust goal – he followed the puck way too slow to Prust. Sure the root problem was the Jbo turnover or Iggy not picking up Prust and assuming Jbo gets the puck but it is still savable imo.

by Mitch Smith on Oct 21, 2011 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions

I cant blame Karlsson on this loss. As much as i want to. Bad bounce led to the goal. Bang bang plays are a tough thing to adapt to. Like it or not, the Flames arent getting good bounces right now. I wouldnt call any of their goals they have scored this year, lucky.

They will go on a tear in a month and look like world beaters, and then when the bounces settle out, theyll look like what they are. A middling team.

by Jeremywilhelm on Oct 21, 2011 10:05 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Glad I did not get this one

That OT goal would have pissed me off immensely if I saw it live. Seeing it now, it is just a shake of the head at how bad this team appears to be.

by brisulph on Oct 21, 2011 11:26 AM PDT reply actions

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