Saturday, April 29, 2006
Flames Playoff Game Night
As Edmonton's utes are looting and turning over cars in Old Strathcona, the Flames are getting ready for a, uh, pretty big game.
I don't have much to say. I noted the importance, and benefit, of the Flames home-ice advantage before the series, and I still believe it unreservedly. The defensive errors in Game 2 were very unusual for a home game, and unlikely to be repeated. And finally, I'd say through 4 games we've now seen what each team can do, and the Flames' best looks better than the Ducks' best.
All that said, the longer you leave a series to chance, the more opportunity you give the hockey gods to mess with you. Tonight's prediction is Anaheim: 1, Calgary: More than 1. Go Flames.
I don't have much to say. I noted the importance, and benefit, of the Flames home-ice advantage before the series, and I still believe it unreservedly. The defensive errors in Game 2 were very unusual for a home game, and unlikely to be repeated. And finally, I'd say through 4 games we've now seen what each team can do, and the Flames' best looks better than the Ducks' best.
All that said, the longer you leave a series to chance, the more opportunity you give the hockey gods to mess with you. Tonight's prediction is Anaheim: 1, Calgary: More than 1. Go Flames.
# posted by Matt @ 7:20 pm 
Comments:
No comments? What gives? Didn't see the game, but there should be at least some ballyhooing (?) about a Flames win. Granted, if I were a Flames fan, I'd be worried that Carlyle might realize that Giguere is the only thing keeping Anaheim out of this series and decide to start Bryz next game. Judging from the stats (didn't see the game), it looks like Giggy took Hrudey's comments to heart, and gave an even more crestfallen performance than usual.
PS. On a sidenote, it seems like Jarome's regular season doppleganger Jarmoe has decided to recede into the dark depths of the BoA glossary.
Giguere is the only thing keeping Anaheim out of this series
Other than Scott Niedermayer and the Selanne/McDonald line pulling a dissapearing act?
Well, let's look at the scoring shall we? Only one game has been decided by more than one goal, and Giggy put in a 5 goals on 24 shot performance in that one. Bryzgalov on the other hand currently sports a 0.959 SV% and 1.13 GAA when he's played. My implied assertion that the series would be closer if Bryz was playing instead of Giggy seems pretty airtight to me.
PS If you want the comparison, JSG currently sports a 0.868 SV% and 3.31 GAA. I'm not much into numbers and spreadsheets but, ouch!
pffff. There is a reason Bryz is the backup and its that he is nothing special either. His numbers are a bit inflated as he came into the game with the Flames up 3-egg and playing that defensive style developed by Craig macTavish which as of yet has no name.
Lots of good news from last night: The Flames won, they scored early and often and some guy named Jarome has pulled on the number 12 jersey instead of that overpaid guy we saw in the regular season.
More and more its looking like BoA round 6 next week. I don't know if I can handle it. The 1986 series (hereafter referred to as 'the greatest playoff series of all time') just about killed me and we won that one. The 1988 and 91 (was it 91? I've blocked out some of these memories) series left permanent scars.
Those scars are going to start healing up now ...
My implied assertion that the series would be closer if Bryz was playing instead of Giggy seems pretty airtight to me.
I'm not disagreeing with you on Giguere's performance, but the remainder of this Ducks squad hasn't exactly performed well. Niedermayer has only 4 points and sits at a -4, Selanne has only only 4 points and 1 goal and McDonald has 3 points and 1 goal. Coming into this series, these were the players that everyone was talking about wrt the Ducks. Based on numerical and qualitative evidence I would say that they have failed to perform at a level that would allow their team to win the series. While Bryzgalov may provide more competent goaltending, he can't score.
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No comments? What gives? Didn't see the game, but there should be at least some ballyhooing (?) about a Flames win. Granted, if I were a Flames fan, I'd be worried that Carlyle might realize that Giguere is the only thing keeping Anaheim out of this series and decide to start Bryz next game. Judging from the stats (didn't see the game), it looks like Giggy took Hrudey's comments to heart, and gave an even more crestfallen performance than usual.
# posted by 
: April 30, 2006 1:19 am
: April 30, 2006 1:19 am PS. On a sidenote, it seems like Jarome's regular season doppleganger Jarmoe has decided to recede into the dark depths of the BoA glossary.
# posted by : April 30, 2006 1:21 am
: April 30, 2006 1:21 am Giguere is the only thing keeping Anaheim out of this series
Other than Scott Niedermayer and the Selanne/McDonald line pulling a dissapearing act?
Well, let's look at the scoring shall we? Only one game has been decided by more than one goal, and Giggy put in a 5 goals on 24 shot performance in that one. Bryzgalov on the other hand currently sports a 0.959 SV% and 1.13 GAA when he's played. My implied assertion that the series would be closer if Bryz was playing instead of Giggy seems pretty airtight to me.
PS If you want the comparison, JSG currently sports a 0.868 SV% and 3.31 GAA. I'm not much into numbers and spreadsheets but, ouch!
# posted by : April 30, 2006 2:03 am
: April 30, 2006 2:03 am pffff. There is a reason Bryz is the backup and its that he is nothing special either. His numbers are a bit inflated as he came into the game with the Flames up 3-egg and playing that defensive style developed by Craig macTavish which as of yet has no name.
Lots of good news from last night: The Flames won, they scored early and often and some guy named Jarome has pulled on the number 12 jersey instead of that overpaid guy we saw in the regular season.
More and more its looking like BoA round 6 next week. I don't know if I can handle it. The 1986 series (hereafter referred to as 'the greatest playoff series of all time') just about killed me and we won that one. The 1988 and 91 (was it 91? I've blocked out some of these memories) series left permanent scars.
Those scars are going to start healing up now ...
# posted by : April 30, 2006 8:30 am
: April 30, 2006 8:30 am My implied assertion that the series would be closer if Bryz was playing instead of Giggy seems pretty airtight to me.
I'm not disagreeing with you on Giguere's performance, but the remainder of this Ducks squad hasn't exactly performed well. Niedermayer has only 4 points and sits at a -4, Selanne has only only 4 points and 1 goal and McDonald has 3 points and 1 goal. Coming into this series, these were the players that everyone was talking about wrt the Ducks. Based on numerical and qualitative evidence I would say that they have failed to perform at a level that would allow their team to win the series. While Bryzgalov may provide more competent goaltending, he can't score.
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