Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Flames Game Day
The Flames visit Les Habitants de Montreal tonight at 530PM MDT. The telecast is on PPV, and will be my first taste of that crew this season. I understand Jim Peplinski has "retired" as the analyst, but I haven't heard who the new guy (or girl!) is; regardless, it should be an improvement.
On that same topic: I've caught three of the five games so far this season on the radio only, but pretty much in their entirety. It pains the hell out of me to say this (hence the numerous qualifiers that follow), but Peter Maher seems to have declined noticeably as a play-by-play man.
His analysis, or rather reporting, is still just fine. It's not the same as (to pick the obvious example) Don Cherry, where the pet theories, hobbyhorses, and whatever else have become larger than the active part of his brain. But the PbP is suffering.
I don't want to go through a laundry list, but take the single element that is "game score". During Monday's debacle against the Sharks, Maher announced or otherwise referred to the score of the game incorrectly three times in the last two periods. Not five minutes after the overtime conclusion of the Leafs game, he mentioned that the Flames had lost 5-2. These are things that might have happened once every ten games when I was younger.
Peter Maher is being honoured by the HHOF next month, and the honour is richly deserved. He's been awesome for 25 years. I hope whatever happens over the next few doesn't diminish that.
Anyway, back to Les Hommes de Carbonneau. For all my Canadiens analysis, I go to Jeff at Sisu, and here's what he had to say about Les Habs pre-season:
Montreal 95
I hesitate to place these guys in this neighbourhood. It doesn't seem right. However, they are pretty much the same team as last year plus Samsonov. Even if goaltending disappoints it can't be worse than the Theodore fiasco. With several competitors getting worse, I have no choice but to place them 6th.
That sounds OK. I'm probably less negative about Montreal's EC competition (relative to Montreal), but I can't see their team goaltending being any worse than "slightly above average", so it probably evens out.
The game is the first of back-to-backs for Montreal. Huet is on my fantasy team, so naturally, he's starting against the Flames where I'm forced to wish him ill, while Aebischer starts against the Hawks in the meaningless-to-me game the next night.
And wish him ill, I will. I think Lombardi and Tanguay are going to light him up, resulting in a 5-2 Calgary victory. It's time for a bit of a tear: the schedule over the next two weeks (and really, even the four weeks after that) is pretty favourable. Go Flames.
# posted by Matt @ 7:08 am 
Comments:
It's a good thing there are no more games on the schedule in Toronto. 13 Ls in the last 14? I never would have guessed.
You guys are lucky that you are facing Huet and not Aebischer. I'd love to see the Flames win and complete the perfect Eastern Canada road trip.
The Canadiens have been anything but consistent. Who knows what will happen when the puck drops? What we do know is that Kovalev won't pass and Huet will trip at least once when he leaves the net during the game.
The early season eastern swing should help this team gel.
Giordano was a pleasant surprise. He's still learning how to play better D, but he sure has a great sense of when to pinch. It's going to be interesting to see who sits when Warrener comes back.
Don't trust Les Habitants this year further than we can throw 'em.
You gotta be a fan of Saku Koivu though...if he had been treated like a can opener during the playoffs last year versus Carolina, who knows what would have happened?
After all that bitching from people about more Flames coverage, only five people have commented? I was expecting to see about 400 comments.
Bear in mind that 'all that complaining' was really just the foot-stomping of a single fussy little Flames fan who felt Matt was squandering the incredible reach and opportunity for punditry that BoA represents.
Personally, I think the coverage ratio on this site is true to life. The Oilers are a dynamic and interesting team that writes storylines filled with soaring highs and crushing lows. The Flames are just... unengaging.
So says my incredible bias, anyhow.
chris!
Hrmm, my prediction was that Phaneuf mows down most of the midget players and Habs lose after pleading them to stop.
Not really, but the track record of the Habs aren't all that bad. But they've already had three shootouts, it's going to be a bitch to have another one.
Charlie Simmer has taken the place of Pepper. And Mark Stiles still doesn't smile at the camera at the end of his bits. Snicker.
Go Flames!
what is the deal with Flames PPV? I want to watch the game, especially the one against Montreal...
But I guess Payperview is better than noviewatall but unforutanetly, not everyone can GET payperview. Although, at this point I'm getting passionate enough just listening to the radio... wait a minute, Lombardi scores his second!
Tanguay assist, maybe, sounds like you were right! Great work, dude.
Two goals already!! Wow!! The Flames have outscored the Oilers terrifying offence over their last 2 games.
Go Flames!!
Three goals!! It's a Flames scoring frenzy. Too bad we're giving them up like the Oilers tonight.
Two goals already!! Wow!! The Flames have outscored the Oilers terrifying offence over their last 2 games.
We just scored two in the first five minutes of the game. How long did it take you guys? Six games?
At least Flames fans can count all 12 of the Oilers' goals against without taking off a shoe.
HAHA yes, I have hit the East Side's in Cobourg.
It's always nice to see someone trying out new things with insults. Not douchebag, that's overdone. Douchefucker. Well played.
Whoa, mudcrutch is at 666 profile views...I guess Satan is still an Oilers fan
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It's a good thing there are no more games on the schedule in Toronto. 13 Ls in the last 14? I never would have guessed.
You guys are lucky that you are facing Huet and not Aebischer. I'd love to see the Flames win and complete the perfect Eastern Canada road trip.
The Canadiens have been anything but consistent. Who knows what will happen when the puck drops? What we do know is that Kovalev won't pass and Huet will trip at least once when he leaves the net during the game.
# posted by 
: October 17, 2006 8:44 am
: October 17, 2006 8:44 am The early season eastern swing should help this team gel.
Giordano was a pleasant surprise. He's still learning how to play better D, but he sure has a great sense of when to pinch. It's going to be interesting to see who sits when Warrener comes back.
# posted by : October 17, 2006 1:10 pm
: October 17, 2006 1:10 pm Don't trust Les Habitants this year further than we can throw 'em.
You gotta be a fan of Saku Koivu though...if he had been treated like a can opener during the playoffs last year versus Carolina, who knows what would have happened?
After all that bitching from people about more Flames coverage, only five people have commented? I was expecting to see about 400 comments.
Bear in mind that 'all that complaining' was really just the foot-stomping of a single fussy little Flames fan who felt Matt was squandering the incredible reach and opportunity for punditry that BoA represents.
Personally, I think the coverage ratio on this site is true to life. The Oilers are a dynamic and interesting team that writes storylines filled with soaring highs and crushing lows. The Flames are just... unengaging.
So says my incredible bias, anyhow.
chris!
# posted by : October 17, 2006 3:08 pm
: October 17, 2006 3:08 pm Hrmm, my prediction was that Phaneuf mows down most of the midget players and Habs lose after pleading them to stop.
Not really, but the track record of the Habs aren't all that bad. But they've already had three shootouts, it's going to be a bitch to have another one.
Charlie Simmer has taken the place of Pepper. And Mark Stiles still doesn't smile at the camera at the end of his bits. Snicker.
Go Flames!
what is the deal with Flames PPV? I want to watch the game, especially the one against Montreal...
But I guess Payperview is better than noviewatall but unforutanetly, not everyone can GET payperview. Although, at this point I'm getting passionate enough just listening to the radio... wait a minute, Lombardi scores his second!
Tanguay assist, maybe, sounds like you were right! Great work, dude.
Two goals already!! Wow!! The Flames have outscored the Oilers terrifying offence over their last 2 games.
Go Flames!!
# posted by : October 17, 2006 6:29 pm
: October 17, 2006 6:29 pm Three goals!! It's a Flames scoring frenzy. Too bad we're giving them up like the Oilers tonight.
# posted by : October 17, 2006 6:53 pm
: October 17, 2006 6:53 pm Two goals already!! Wow!! The Flames have outscored the Oilers terrifying offence over their last 2 games.
We just scored two in the first five minutes of the game. How long did it take you guys? Six games?
At least Flames fans can count all 12 of the Oilers' goals against without taking off a shoe.
# posted by : October 17, 2006 8:25 pm
: October 17, 2006 8:25 pm HAHA yes, I have hit the East Side's in Cobourg.
It's always nice to see someone trying out new things with insults. Not douchebag, that's overdone. Douchefucker. Well played.
Whoa, mudcrutch is at 666 profile views...I guess Satan is still an Oilers fan
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