Monday, January 15, 2007
Flames Game Day
The Flames start their toughest week of the season this afternoon in Nashville (4PM MT, RSN West). I think they need to earn a split of this game and the one in Dallas on Wednesday, but at the same time, I'm just about looking at this one as a freebie: it's about as low as my expectations ever get for a Flames win.
The Preds have beat the Flames 6 straight times (they were the only team to sweep them last season). They're on a 5-game winning streak (as are the Flames); they're a terrific 15-3-3 at home (Flames road record = 6-10-4); and they have no injuries to speak of.
Things to cling to hoping for a Flames win:
**That's an empty net goal (ÞVic), I'll be adding it to the Glossary shortly.
The Preds have beat the Flames 6 straight times (they were the only team to sweep them last season). They're on a 5-game winning streak (as are the Flames); they're a terrific 15-3-3 at home (Flames road record = 6-10-4); and they have no injuries to speak of.
Things to cling to hoping for a Flames win:
- They're a near-respectable 3-3-1 on the road since starting 3-7-3
- They haven't allowed an ES goal since the 3rd period of the Florida game (193+ ES minutes ago)
- Brian Boucher is not expected to get the start in goal
- Roman Freaking Hamrlik, the biggest and best surprise of the season to date (with Langkow a close 2nd)
**That's an empty net goal (ÞVic), I'll be adding it to the Glossary shortly.
# posted by Matt @ 1:00 pm 
Comments:
While you are at it, feel free to add "Tjits" and "Joffrey Zoolander" to the Glossary. Oh, and Chris DeGroat from The Checking Line created an awesome Stempianked image that we should put in. It's in the link in the very last comment. Best looking hockey blog around, that Checking Line. Solid content, too.
5-2, Preds.
Kariya with a deuce, Sully and Legwand with one each and Scott Nichol with the Gordie Howe hat trick.
Phaneuf does all the scoring for the Flames with a PPG and a Shorty.
Grabia, does this sound about accurate?
Tjits - Description of Oilers defense situation in mid-January 2007 with respect to lack of veteran depth after the critical loss of Daniel Tjarnqvist to an "inflamed pubic bone". Coined by SweatyO
As for the Flames week ahead...they'll have done OK if they can split these four games.
Nashville gives them fits, Dallas is never an easy place to play, Anaheim with injuries on the 2nd night of a back-to-back is the "soft spot" perhaps, and the 2nd game of 2 nights is a road game against what SHOULD be an Oiler team looking for some payback?
Tough week, indeed.
I am going out on limb here Vernon Fiddler turns the trick.
Celine gets schooled by Tootoo.
Preds 4 Flames 1
CJ: If the Flames think they've got a shot to go deep, they'll keep Hamrlik and let him walk.
Think of him as a rent-a-player you already have on your team. Sutter's going to have to be mindful of the big money that Kipper will command in 2008, so letting Hamrlik walk this summer and looking for a cheaper puck-moving alternative (or just letting Giordano play a bigger role) seems like the plan of attack from my point of view.
Sutter knows that summer 2008 is going to be ugly for him, between trying to lock up Phaneuf long-term (5 years or more) and facing the prospect of likely having to let one of Regehr or Iginla go (they're not about to let Kiprusoff walk, are they), either by dealing someone at the deadline next spring or simply letting them walk for nothing (once again, depending on what kind of shot at the big prize Sutter thinks he has next year).
It's been on a slow burn for a couple of months now, but it's safe to say that the Flames' empty net goal fueled hubris is burning brightly right now.
That, of course, was triggered by a tremendous victory over the Oilers while overcoming staggering odds. You know staggering odds like home ice advantage, playing an opponent on the 2nd half of a back-to-back, and watching them ice four rookies on the blueline. It's a wonder they didn't bag a trademark empty netter as well.
It flips for next weekend though. I'm calling it now, the Oilers hold serve next Saturday and they do it style.
empty net goal fueled hubris
What's this, Tyler sets the tune and the rest of you start to dance?
Perhaps if the Oilers were ahead in the 3rd in a few more games they could inflate their GPG numbers too. Alas...
MetroGnome said...
What's this, Tyler sets the tune and the rest of you start to dance?
Sorry to break it to you but the stats junkies on the Oilogosphere started filtering out EN goals long before Tyler commented in Saturday night's thread.
Perhaps if the Oilers were ahead in the 3rd in a few more games they could inflate their GPG numbers too. Alas...
Thanks for conceding the inflation. Duly noted.
Riv, I'm with you.
Payback's a bitch and the Flames are getting a heaping helping of it next Saturday.
After all the crap Hemsky had to put up with from Regehr, I hope Huselius finds himself launched into the 3rd row courtesy of Jason Smith within the first five minutes of the game.
PS: Stoll > Lombardi. Just had to throw that in there. Because it's the truth I like to speak..
Let the trash talk and pre-game hype begin. Third meeting in 21 days between the two squads on Saturday, I think this one might get a little bit nasty...
Blah Blah -- the Oilers crowd doesn't think much of empty net goals this year, mostly because they hardly have any.
But I think empty net goals do tell us a few things: If you score a lot of them, you are also winning games. It also suggests you are playing with the lead in the late stages of the third period, which is also a good thing.
And sometimes, they really do matter. Patrick Stefan cacked up an easy one and gave the Oilers a chance to get a point. In that goofy game the Flames played against LA a few weeks ago, they scored 2 empty net goals, and one of them turned out to be the winner.
Not all goals are pretty or exciting, but they are all a measure of some level of success on the ice.
I'm feeling magnanimous, so I'll concede that if you throw out EN goals, the Oilers offense is almost as good as the Flames. They're only narrowly behind in 5-on-5 G/gm, 5-on-4 G/gm, 4-on-4 G/gm, and have an 8-5 advantage in 5-on-3 goals (but down 3-11 in SHG).
Relative to the difference between the teams in Goals Against, it's nothing. (5-on-5 GA: CGY 48, EDM 88)
I knew you'd come around Matt; you couldn't be that obtuse forever.
Matt said...
Relative to the difference between the teams in Goals Against, it's nothing. (5-on-5 GA: CGY 48, EDM 88)
True dat. (Except I've got them down for 86 5V5 GA based on the scoresheets. I'm not sure why the NHL.com stats page and I do not agree on a couple of goals. Actually the difference is four goals - 2 5v5 GF and 2 5v5 GA. I wonder why that is?)
Of course this is the Oilers' true problem - 5V5 goal differential.
Oh baby!!! Don't look now but the Flames just gave up three EV goals against. In one game.
Full credit to Matt for the karmic streakbusting in the pre-game thread. The much ballyhooed empty netter was just a cherry on top. Looks like the Flames had a parade to the box while getting outshot too.
This Saturday is going to be a great one.
Also, is it just me or do most Alberta hockey fans also have a sneaking suspicion that the Preds wouldn't make it out alive if they were in the NW division?
Hard to say. They look like a decent team for the most part; on the other hand, all 3 of those goals were own-goals, redirected by a Flame.
I don't think you'll find me or any other Flames fan talking down Nashville any time soon, though.
Take that back, about Ritchie anyway. Amonte's been OK too.
Amazingly Jeff Friesen -- one game after scoring his first goal as a Flame in Gm43 -- deflected one past Kiprusoff. Oh, and it ended up being the game winner. Awesome.
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While you are at it, feel free to add "Tjits" and "Joffrey Zoolander" to the Glossary. Oh, and Chris DeGroat from The Checking Line created an awesome Stempianked image that we should put in. It's in the link in the very last comment. Best looking hockey blog around, that Checking Line. Solid content, too.
5-2, Preds.
Kariya with a deuce, Sully and Legwand with one each and Scott Nichol with the Gordie Howe hat trick.
Phaneuf does all the scoring for the Flames with a PPG and a Shorty.
# posted by 
: January 15, 2007 2:05 pm
: January 15, 2007 2:05 pm Grabia, does this sound about accurate?
Tjits - Description of Oilers defense situation in mid-January 2007 with respect to lack of veteran depth after the critical loss of Daniel Tjarnqvist to an "inflamed pubic bone". Coined by SweatyO
As for the Flames week ahead...they'll have done OK if they can split these four games.
Nashville gives them fits, Dallas is never an easy place to play, Anaheim with injuries on the 2nd night of a back-to-back is the "soft spot" perhaps, and the 2nd game of 2 nights is a road game against what SHOULD be an Oiler team looking for some payback?
Tough week, indeed.
I am going out on limb here Vernon Fiddler turns the trick.
Celine gets schooled by Tootoo.
Preds 4 Flames 1
# posted by : January 15, 2007 2:29 pm
: January 15, 2007 2:29 pm CJ: If the Flames think they've got a shot to go deep, they'll keep Hamrlik and let him walk.
Think of him as a rent-a-player you already have on your team. Sutter's going to have to be mindful of the big money that Kipper will command in 2008, so letting Hamrlik walk this summer and looking for a cheaper puck-moving alternative (or just letting Giordano play a bigger role) seems like the plan of attack from my point of view.
Sutter knows that summer 2008 is going to be ugly for him, between trying to lock up Phaneuf long-term (5 years or more) and facing the prospect of likely having to let one of Regehr or Iginla go (they're not about to let Kiprusoff walk, are they), either by dealing someone at the deadline next spring or simply letting them walk for nothing (once again, depending on what kind of shot at the big prize Sutter thinks he has next year).
It's been on a slow burn for a couple of months now, but it's safe to say that the Flames' empty net goal fueled hubris is burning brightly right now.
That, of course, was triggered by a tremendous victory over the Oilers while overcoming staggering odds. You know staggering odds like home ice advantage, playing an opponent on the 2nd half of a back-to-back, and watching them ice four rookies on the blueline. It's a wonder they didn't bag a trademark empty netter as well.
It flips for next weekend though. I'm calling it now, the Oilers hold serve next Saturday and they do it style.
empty net goal fueled hubris
What's this, Tyler sets the tune and the rest of you start to dance?
Perhaps if the Oilers were ahead in the 3rd in a few more games they could inflate their GPG numbers too. Alas...
MetroGnome said...
What's this, Tyler sets the tune and the rest of you start to dance?
Sorry to break it to you but the stats junkies on the Oilogosphere started filtering out EN goals long before Tyler commented in Saturday night's thread.
Perhaps if the Oilers were ahead in the 3rd in a few more games they could inflate their GPG numbers too. Alas...
Thanks for conceding the inflation. Duly noted.
Riv, I'm with you.
Payback's a bitch and the Flames are getting a heaping helping of it next Saturday.
After all the crap Hemsky had to put up with from Regehr, I hope Huselius finds himself launched into the 3rd row courtesy of Jason Smith within the first five minutes of the game.
PS: Stoll > Lombardi. Just had to throw that in there. Because it's the truth I like to speak..
Let the trash talk and pre-game hype begin. Third meeting in 21 days between the two squads on Saturday, I think this one might get a little bit nasty...
Blah Blah -- the Oilers crowd doesn't think much of empty net goals this year, mostly because they hardly have any.
But I think empty net goals do tell us a few things: If you score a lot of them, you are also winning games. It also suggests you are playing with the lead in the late stages of the third period, which is also a good thing.
And sometimes, they really do matter. Patrick Stefan cacked up an easy one and gave the Oilers a chance to get a point. In that goofy game the Flames played against LA a few weeks ago, they scored 2 empty net goals, and one of them turned out to be the winner.
Not all goals are pretty or exciting, but they are all a measure of some level of success on the ice.
# posted by : January 15, 2007 3:12 pm
: January 15, 2007 3:12 pm I'm feeling magnanimous, so I'll concede that if you throw out EN goals, the Oilers offense is almost as good as the Flames. They're only narrowly behind in 5-on-5 G/gm, 5-on-4 G/gm, 4-on-4 G/gm, and have an 8-5 advantage in 5-on-3 goals (but down 3-11 in SHG).
Relative to the difference between the teams in Goals Against, it's nothing. (5-on-5 GA: CGY 48, EDM 88)
I knew you'd come around Matt; you couldn't be that obtuse forever.
Matt said...
Relative to the difference between the teams in Goals Against, it's nothing. (5-on-5 GA: CGY 48, EDM 88)
True dat. (Except I've got them down for 86 5V5 GA based on the scoresheets. I'm not sure why the NHL.com stats page and I do not agree on a couple of goals. Actually the difference is four goals - 2 5v5 GF and 2 5v5 GA. I wonder why that is?)
Of course this is the Oilers' true problem - 5V5 goal differential.
Oh baby!!! Don't look now but the Flames just gave up three EV goals against. In one game.
Full credit to Matt for the karmic streakbusting in the pre-game thread. The much ballyhooed empty netter was just a cherry on top. Looks like the Flames had a parade to the box while getting outshot too.
This Saturday is going to be a great one.
Also, is it just me or do most Alberta hockey fans also have a sneaking suspicion that the Preds wouldn't make it out alive if they were in the NW division?
Hard to say. They look like a decent team for the most part; on the other hand, all 3 of those goals were own-goals, redirected by a Flame.
I don't think you'll find me or any other Flames fan talking down Nashville any time soon, though.
Take that back, about Ritchie anyway. Amonte's been OK too.
Amazingly Jeff Friesen -- one game after scoring his first goal as a Flame in Gm43 -- deflected one past Kiprusoff. Oh, and it ended up being the game winner. Awesome.
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