Sunday, April 22, 2007
Flames-Wings: Game 5 Review
Well, if I'm lucky, I'll never have to hear again how the key for the Flames is The First Ten Minutes (and 1A, Staying Out of the Box). The lads played their best period in Detroit of this series in the first, and when Dan Cleary grabbed a bobbled puck 3+ mins into the 2nd, the Flames were working on their 3rd PP of the game, against only one for the Wings.
I truly didn't think I was tempting fate -- seriously! -- by talking yesterday about how Calgary's comparative advantage in this series is the PP/PK. But maybe I phrased something in a way that angered the hockey gods, because Detroit's PK was suffocatingly effective yesterday, and that's not even to mention the two shorties.
2006/07 Pet Concept "The Ripple Effect" seemed to be well in evidence yesterday too, to my eyes: no Regehr, so Warrener plays with Stuart instead. Warrener can't pull the same ice time as Regehr, so what basically ends up happening is Hamrlik/Phaneuf are thrown out there in every situation, every other shift... which serves to neutralize some of Phaneuf's stronger points. Dude should be hitting people, busting out on the rush on occasion, etc.: when he's playing 10 minutes a period, he just can't. For one, the mentality is all wrong, and for two, he appears to be exhausted.
When Cleary picked up that puck to go end-to-end, I thought he was a little strange; it looked like he decided right there that he wouldn't catch him, and that he should skate to the goal (take the angle and the trailer) instead -- even though it didn't look like Hamrlik was in any better position than he was. And at the end: I doubt that Phaneuf wants to go with Bertuzzi under many circumstances, but at that moment where Phaneuf has 25+ minutes in the books and Bert has 14+, there's no damn way.
Props again to NBC. I watched some of both networks yesterday, and I just couldn't believe how much more enjoyable the NBC broadcast was than the CBC. Emrick was making non-forced Slapshot references (beyond the little Hanson brothers clip they had queued up), and Pierre was in top form between the benches. Wittman, on the other hand ("and you know that Coach! Mike Babcock! won't be happy with the blah blah zzzzzz....") gets worse every year (fortunately he's only got about a decade left until retirement), and Drew Remenda has just never found his stride this whole year. Well, either that, or he's just awful.
As for the late game antics... it wasn't one of the franchise's proudest moments, that's for sure, but let's not go overboard here. Hearing the McGuire/Emrick reaction to Noodles' slash before seeing the replay, I was expecting much worse (like either Simon/Hollweg or an ankle-breaker). No word on suspension at this moment: since there was neither an attempt to "injure" nor an actual injury, I'm guessing 1-3 games (but when it comes to the Wheel of Justice, who knows). Iginla was obviously trying to start something on his last shift (and said as much afterwards), but I doubt that he butt-ended Schneider, mainly because Schneider did not drop in extreme pain with a couple of broken ribs.
The worst offense was probably Langkow's, although I'm reluctant to condemn him without reservations: the segment of the league that freaks out when they think someone is going for their knees is probably a majority. At any rate, simple fairness would dictate that if Lebda can't play today, then Langkow shouldn't be allowed to either.
Much, much moreso than after Game 2, how the Flames lost is totally meaningless set aside the fact that they lost. Seriously, can you ever remember hearing or thinking something like this in your life?
Never. Back later with a game day post.
I truly didn't think I was tempting fate -- seriously! -- by talking yesterday about how Calgary's comparative advantage in this series is the PP/PK. But maybe I phrased something in a way that angered the hockey gods, because Detroit's PK was suffocatingly effective yesterday, and that's not even to mention the two shorties.
2006/07 Pet Concept "The Ripple Effect" seemed to be well in evidence yesterday too, to my eyes: no Regehr, so Warrener plays with Stuart instead. Warrener can't pull the same ice time as Regehr, so what basically ends up happening is Hamrlik/Phaneuf are thrown out there in every situation, every other shift... which serves to neutralize some of Phaneuf's stronger points. Dude should be hitting people, busting out on the rush on occasion, etc.: when he's playing 10 minutes a period, he just can't. For one, the mentality is all wrong, and for two, he appears to be exhausted.
When Cleary picked up that puck to go end-to-end, I thought he was a little strange; it looked like he decided right there that he wouldn't catch him, and that he should skate to the goal (take the angle and the trailer) instead -- even though it didn't look like Hamrlik was in any better position than he was. And at the end: I doubt that Phaneuf wants to go with Bertuzzi under many circumstances, but at that moment where Phaneuf has 25+ minutes in the books and Bert has 14+, there's no damn way.
Props again to NBC. I watched some of both networks yesterday, and I just couldn't believe how much more enjoyable the NBC broadcast was than the CBC. Emrick was making non-forced Slapshot references (beyond the little Hanson brothers clip they had queued up), and Pierre was in top form between the benches. Wittman, on the other hand ("and you know that Coach! Mike Babcock! won't be happy with the blah blah zzzzzz....") gets worse every year (fortunately he's only got about a decade left until retirement), and Drew Remenda has just never found his stride this whole year. Well, either that, or he's just awful.
As for the late game antics... it wasn't one of the franchise's proudest moments, that's for sure, but let's not go overboard here. Hearing the McGuire/Emrick reaction to Noodles' slash before seeing the replay, I was expecting much worse (like either Simon/Hollweg or an ankle-breaker). No word on suspension at this moment: since there was neither an attempt to "injure" nor an actual injury, I'm guessing 1-3 games (but when it comes to the Wheel of Justice, who knows). Iginla was obviously trying to start something on his last shift (and said as much afterwards), but I doubt that he butt-ended Schneider, mainly because Schneider did not drop in extreme pain with a couple of broken ribs.
The worst offense was probably Langkow's, although I'm reluctant to condemn him without reservations: the segment of the league that freaks out when they think someone is going for their knees is probably a majority. At any rate, simple fairness would dictate that if Lebda can't play today, then Langkow shouldn't be allowed to either.
Much, much moreso than after Game 2, how the Flames lost is totally meaningless set aside the fact that they lost. Seriously, can you ever remember hearing or thinking something like this in your life?
"Yeah, Team X lost Game 5 to go down 3-2, but they looked so good doing it that now I like them to win the series more than ever."
Never. Back later with a game day post.
# posted by Matt @ 9:18 am 
Comments:
If I had the technical props to do so, I'd mate the audio from McGuire and Co. with a clip of the second plane hitting the WTC. It would not have seemed out of place.
If I was running the NHL, nobody would get suspended for any of that. Seriously. Also, I like Bill, the A2Y guy's writing a lot, but him ripping on Iginla, saying he's not fit to be a captain and that Yzerman pisses rainbows of love and harmony across the country...please. I'm so fucking sick of the reverence that those fucking people have for Yzerman. The reason Yzerman would never do something like that is that he'd get tuned in immediately upon doing so.
If this was anyone but Calgary, I'd be cheering for them, just because the media and fan whining from Detroit makes me so sick.
NBC?!?!?!?! Emrick & pierre both sound great on mute. Haven't heard CBC so I can only imagine how bad they are.
Seriously, can you ever remember hearing or thinking something like this in your life?
"Yeah, Team X lost Game 5 to go down 3-2, but they looked so good doing it that now I like them to win the series more than ever."
I kind of remember something like this last year in Round 1.
:)
"We'll start worrying about whether we are classy or not when it's a column in the standings"
The Calgary Flames
Lebda deserved a nasty shot from Langkow. If that was an attempt at a hip check, it was certainly a brutal attempt that should never be repeated lest a larger man than Langkow be involved. If it was a callous and intentional low shot to the knees, he won't be pulling that maneuver again any time soon.
I thought the NBC broadcast was plenty more entertaining than CBC but you're right in saying Maguire went too far. With Tomas "I've never met a back I wouldn't like to hit" Holmstrom in full form, as well as Matthew "Necks Marks the Spot" Schneider being even a bigger weasel than usual, I'd be disappointed if the captain didn't stand up for his teammates.
It was an awful game and I got to put Babcock in the same league as Bob Hartley when it comes to the disrespecting the opposition on such a vicious level.
Flames in 7.
It's nice that the Flames are making it so easy to call these games. Game in Calgary = Flames win. Unfortunately, we'll be deprived of another ten minutes of the Intent-to-Injure Circus, but it'll be made up for in spades come Game Seven.
I should be fair, however. Calgary is a team of gutless pukes, yes. But Detroit is also a team of gutless pukes, and while Calgary has been the somewhat more gutless this series, they've also had greater opportunities to be gutless. I'm sure that if the Flames rack up a 6-2 lead late in the third in this one we'll be watching the elbows fly.
You just have to love how much Pierre McGuire is pandering to the American hockey audience. The whole time he acts like he can't believe what is seeing, like he's never seen a team goon it up at the end of a game before. How long has this guy been in hockey? 30, 40 years? And he can't understand what's going on? Give me a break. I would take Pierre's self-righteous indignation more seriously if it wasn't so bloody disingenuous.
I forget how to use the fancy HTML tags...
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2845678
The wheel of justice has arrived.
5 games for Noodles
$25K for Playfair "Spits"
$100K for the Flames organization
Tyler...I never said Yzerman pisses rainbows of love and harmony, although I like that line and I may use it. My point is that he knew how to take a loss in stride and with class. God knows he had enough experience the last three four years to demonstrate that.
I saw your point at my place and I see it here, but I stand by what I said: Iginla's actions were not captain-like. And he's a punk.
Matt, if Lebda doesn't play it'll be because he f'd his own knee on the play, not from the punch.
And mc79 is right, listening to Pierre, you would have thought genocide was taking place.
The Detroit fans have officially lost it.
Lord Bob: You're exactly right. Calgary isn't a team of saints, but neither is Detroit, so lets not pretend it's so.
You just have to love how much Pierre McGuire is pandering to the American hockey audience. The whole time he acts like he can't believe what is seeing, like he's never seen a team goon it up at the end of a game before. How long has this guy been in hockey? 30, 40 years? And he can't understand what's going on? Give me a break. I would take Pierre's self-righteous indignation more seriously if it wasn't so bloody disingenuous.
McLea, that was EXACTLY my take on it. Had he never seen a blow out finish before?
boys will be boys
why are you guys hating on the flames so badly for a few pushes and shoves at the end of a game? its not like the coilers are any better behaved
this is hockey! they dont play by marquess of queensbury rules, for stevens sake!
Good post Matt.
I didn't really pay attention to what the announcers were saying in the 3rd period but I did watch NBC for the first 40 and they do a much better job than Wittman though I always hit CBC for the intermissions. I mentioned this to Ty yesterday but why doesn't the CBC pick out the best announcing teams from the squads that didn't make the playoffs and just offer them some gigs with the CBC for the first round at least?
Remenda has toned down his act from the days when he was doing colour for the Sharks but he still hardly provides anything worth listening to. One thing I've noticed is that Harry Neale is good when he doesn't have a Leaves agenda. The whole announcing thing is killing me though. Hughson should not be allowed near Canucks playoffs games and the same goes for Millen with the Senators. I'm intending to post about this one of these days but there's a downside to being able watch virtually every game, there's just no objectivity anymore and that's alright on the local tip but when these guys do national games, it's like they forget themselves and it just kills me.
As for the Flames/Wings, there's no question that Det is a lot more likely to win a game in Cgy then the other way around and there's no question that The Sheepherder's absence certainly has something to do with that. Then again the Flames are a horrible road team with him as well so maybe that's a bugaboo that just won't be vanquished.
I thought Cgy had a fine first period with Hasek showing the young buck at the other end that he knows a thing or two about keeping teams in games. Then it was back to Kippa Mikrusoff on the SO goal with him trying for the pokecheck and Cleary reminding everyone that he used to know what to do around the net.
I lost 5 of my poolies on Thurs night so I no longer am conflicted about what I'd like to happen in this series. I'm getting excited just thinking about how Roger Millions will feel either tonight or Tues night and I hope that when I flip over from watching Then Sopranos, the fun has already begun.
One last note on Yzerman. Fuck him. Really. I have much respect for what he did in '02 both in the NHL and in Utah and there's no question he was an outstanding player. But he murdered the Oil and I always hated him for that and the guy never shut his mouth when it came to whining to the officials. It seems like everyone loves him and Sakic like they loved Beliveau and I never met another person who hated yzerman until I spoke to Ty about it. I can't express how happy I was when the Oilers finished his career last April.
What did Yzerman do to "murder" the Oil? What did he do other than play hockey well and fairly?
NBC broadcasts are tough to watch because they have the American TV habit of following a storyline instead of the play. As in, "Chelios gathers it behind his own net. Chris, who we will be featuring in our second intermission, is the second oldest player ever to play an NHL playoff game. The oldest, of course, was Gordie Howe, who played as a 52 year old Hartford Whaler on this day in 1981. That was also the year Mount St. Helens erupted, just like the Wings erupted for four goals in the second stanza here tonight..." instead of "Chelios behind his own net. Skates out of his own zone. Head mans it to a streaking Zetterberg. Drop pass to Lang. Shot on net. Gloved by Kiprusoff."
I think Yzerman was only more successful against the old Norris Leaves then he was against the Oilers. He just killed us.
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If I had the technical props to do so, I'd mate the audio from McGuire and Co. with a clip of the second plane hitting the WTC. It would not have seemed out of place.
If I was running the NHL, nobody would get suspended for any of that. Seriously. Also, I like Bill, the A2Y guy's writing a lot, but him ripping on Iginla, saying he's not fit to be a captain and that Yzerman pisses rainbows of love and harmony across the country...please. I'm so fucking sick of the reverence that those fucking people have for Yzerman. The reason Yzerman would never do something like that is that he'd get tuned in immediately upon doing so.
If this was anyone but Calgary, I'd be cheering for them, just because the media and fan whining from Detroit makes me so sick.
# posted by 
: April 22, 2007 10:31 am
: April 22, 2007 10:31 am NBC?!?!?!?! Emrick & pierre both sound great on mute. Haven't heard CBC so I can only imagine how bad they are.
# posted by : April 22, 2007 12:26 pm
: April 22, 2007 12:26 pm Seriously, can you ever remember hearing or thinking something like this in your life?
"Yeah, Team X lost Game 5 to go down 3-2, but they looked so good doing it that now I like them to win the series more than ever."
I kind of remember something like this last year in Round 1.
:)
"We'll start worrying about whether we are classy or not when it's a column in the standings"
The Calgary Flames
Lebda deserved a nasty shot from Langkow. If that was an attempt at a hip check, it was certainly a brutal attempt that should never be repeated lest a larger man than Langkow be involved. If it was a callous and intentional low shot to the knees, he won't be pulling that maneuver again any time soon.
I thought the NBC broadcast was plenty more entertaining than CBC but you're right in saying Maguire went too far. With Tomas "I've never met a back I wouldn't like to hit" Holmstrom in full form, as well as Matthew "Necks Marks the Spot" Schneider being even a bigger weasel than usual, I'd be disappointed if the captain didn't stand up for his teammates.
It was an awful game and I got to put Babcock in the same league as Bob Hartley when it comes to the disrespecting the opposition on such a vicious level.
Flames in 7.
It's nice that the Flames are making it so easy to call these games. Game in Calgary = Flames win. Unfortunately, we'll be deprived of another ten minutes of the Intent-to-Injure Circus, but it'll be made up for in spades come Game Seven.
I should be fair, however. Calgary is a team of gutless pukes, yes. But Detroit is also a team of gutless pukes, and while Calgary has been the somewhat more gutless this series, they've also had greater opportunities to be gutless. I'm sure that if the Flames rack up a 6-2 lead late in the third in this one we'll be watching the elbows fly.
You just have to love how much Pierre McGuire is pandering to the American hockey audience. The whole time he acts like he can't believe what is seeing, like he's never seen a team goon it up at the end of a game before. How long has this guy been in hockey? 30, 40 years? And he can't understand what's going on? Give me a break. I would take Pierre's self-righteous indignation more seriously if it wasn't so bloody disingenuous.
I forget how to use the fancy HTML tags...
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2845678
The wheel of justice has arrived.
5 games for Noodles
$25K for Playfair "Spits"
$100K for the Flames organization
Tyler...I never said Yzerman pisses rainbows of love and harmony, although I like that line and I may use it. My point is that he knew how to take a loss in stride and with class. God knows he had enough experience the last three four years to demonstrate that.
I saw your point at my place and I see it here, but I stand by what I said: Iginla's actions were not captain-like. And he's a punk.
# posted by : April 22, 2007 1:29 pm
: April 22, 2007 1:29 pm Matt, if Lebda doesn't play it'll be because he f'd his own knee on the play, not from the punch.
And mc79 is right, listening to Pierre, you would have thought genocide was taking place.
The Detroit fans have officially lost it.
Lord Bob: You're exactly right. Calgary isn't a team of saints, but neither is Detroit, so lets not pretend it's so.
You just have to love how much Pierre McGuire is pandering to the American hockey audience. The whole time he acts like he can't believe what is seeing, like he's never seen a team goon it up at the end of a game before. How long has this guy been in hockey? 30, 40 years? And he can't understand what's going on? Give me a break. I would take Pierre's self-righteous indignation more seriously if it wasn't so bloody disingenuous.
McLea, that was EXACTLY my take on it. Had he never seen a blow out finish before?
boys will be boys
why are you guys hating on the flames so badly for a few pushes and shoves at the end of a game? its not like the coilers are any better behaved
this is hockey! they dont play by marquess of queensbury rules, for stevens sake!
# posted by : April 22, 2007 1:46 pm
: April 22, 2007 1:46 pm Good post Matt.
I didn't really pay attention to what the announcers were saying in the 3rd period but I did watch NBC for the first 40 and they do a much better job than Wittman though I always hit CBC for the intermissions. I mentioned this to Ty yesterday but why doesn't the CBC pick out the best announcing teams from the squads that didn't make the playoffs and just offer them some gigs with the CBC for the first round at least?
Remenda has toned down his act from the days when he was doing colour for the Sharks but he still hardly provides anything worth listening to. One thing I've noticed is that Harry Neale is good when he doesn't have a Leaves agenda. The whole announcing thing is killing me though. Hughson should not be allowed near Canucks playoffs games and the same goes for Millen with the Senators. I'm intending to post about this one of these days but there's a downside to being able watch virtually every game, there's just no objectivity anymore and that's alright on the local tip but when these guys do national games, it's like they forget themselves and it just kills me.
As for the Flames/Wings, there's no question that Det is a lot more likely to win a game in Cgy then the other way around and there's no question that The Sheepherder's absence certainly has something to do with that. Then again the Flames are a horrible road team with him as well so maybe that's a bugaboo that just won't be vanquished.
I thought Cgy had a fine first period with Hasek showing the young buck at the other end that he knows a thing or two about keeping teams in games. Then it was back to Kippa Mikrusoff on the SO goal with him trying for the pokecheck and Cleary reminding everyone that he used to know what to do around the net.
I lost 5 of my poolies on Thurs night so I no longer am conflicted about what I'd like to happen in this series. I'm getting excited just thinking about how Roger Millions will feel either tonight or Tues night and I hope that when I flip over from watching Then Sopranos, the fun has already begun.
One last note on Yzerman. Fuck him. Really. I have much respect for what he did in '02 both in the NHL and in Utah and there's no question he was an outstanding player. But he murdered the Oil and I always hated him for that and the guy never shut his mouth when it came to whining to the officials. It seems like everyone loves him and Sakic like they loved Beliveau and I never met another person who hated yzerman until I spoke to Ty about it. I can't express how happy I was when the Oilers finished his career last April.
What did Yzerman do to "murder" the Oil? What did he do other than play hockey well and fairly?
# posted by : April 22, 2007 2:38 pm
: April 22, 2007 2:38 pm NBC broadcasts are tough to watch because they have the American TV habit of following a storyline instead of the play. As in, "Chelios gathers it behind his own net. Chris, who we will be featuring in our second intermission, is the second oldest player ever to play an NHL playoff game. The oldest, of course, was Gordie Howe, who played as a 52 year old Hartford Whaler on this day in 1981. That was also the year Mount St. Helens erupted, just like the Wings erupted for four goals in the second stanza here tonight..." instead of "Chelios behind his own net. Skates out of his own zone. Head mans it to a streaking Zetterberg. Drop pass to Lang. Shot on net. Gloved by Kiprusoff."
I think Yzerman was only more successful against the old Norris Leaves then he was against the Oilers. He just killed us.
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