Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Flames Game Night
Avs @ Flames, 8PM MT, TSN.It's always tempting fate to put up the Hardy Astrom -- doubly so when the Flames goalie has an .807SV% -- but I can't help myself. Here's my favourite Astrom anecdote, recycled from a GDT a few years ago:
Giving the red light a workout was never a concern while Hardy Astrom was in goal for Don Cherry's Colorado Rockies in 1979-80. "First practice in Colorado, we were working on breakout drills. I shoot the puck at Hardy from the far blue line, and it goes right through his legs. 'Fluke,' I figure, so I shoot another one. Right through his legs again. 'Next drill,' I said. Actually, Hardy was a nice guy, he just had a weakness with pucks."
Early season indications are that you might want to take the Over in this one, alright; Kipper and Budaj have shown little so far, and the Avs have been bombarding the other net with shots.
So naturally this will end up being a low-scoring squeaker. Flames 2 (Phaneuf, Langkow) Rockies 1 (Mike McEwen). Go Flames.
# posted by Matt @ 4:31 pm 
Comments:
"Giving the red light a workout was never a concern while Andrew Raycroft was in goal for Tony Granato's Colorado Avalanche in 2008-09. "First practice in Colorado, we were working on breakout drills. I shoot the puck at Raycroft from the far blue line, and it goes right through his legs. 'Fluke,' I figure, so I shoot another one. Right through his legs again. 'Next drill,' I said. Actually, Raycroft was a nice guy, he just had a weakness with pucks."
Amazingly the anecdote works with todays squad as well
That last line is a killer. It reminds me of what a guest coach told me when we were learning a new offense in my rookie year.
"I really like you. You're a nice kid. You're just inept at the game of basketball."
YES! The truth is out there. Sutter himself says Dion isn't good on the defensive side of hockey. Nice of him to mention Regehr carrying the mail.
After that new TSN intro I'm just confused, I can only understand hockey if it is presented to me in video game format.
Anyone else think TSN is going to use up the hockey theme within... oh I don't know...one or two games?
These teams don't seem to care about playing defense.
Colorado may win less than 20 games this year with this goaltending.
This game features all the intensity and competence of the late preseason.
The one positive I see is that maybe Lombardi *was* still recovering from the flu last week; he looks much much better and stronger tonight.
I keep waiting for the game to start. When are they going to shoo those little between period kids off the ice and bring on the NHL guys?
Yeah, Lombardi looks far more competent tonight.
That last Avs goal was a comedy of errors, from Gio stepping up in the neutral zone, down to Phaneuf standing and watching Liles shoot it in the net. It's like every Flames error evokes a cascade of further errors.
I may have to find a way to get rid of Budaj in Mirtle's pool too...yeesh.
Nope, nothing Kipper could do there.
Flames players are just mesmerized by the puck. They over-commit all over the ice, like Atom kids.
Does anyone else feel irrational hatred towards these ridiculous NHL09 ads?
The one with the cute girl is fine because I love good looking girls but the one with the tool that says he feels like he's on the ice has to never be shown again. Obviously he's never been on the ice in his entire life.
The one with the cute girl is fine because I love good looking girls but the one with the tool that says he feels like he's on the ice has to never be shown again. Obviously he's never been on the ice in his entire life.
I feel embarrassed for that guy.
The girl one bugs me because of the asinine things they have her saying.
...what the hell was that Kiprusoff? I didn't even see it.
Does that count as poor positioning or just a lucky bounce?
That was a weird bounce. I mean you can always fault the G on a goal from there (from Guite for crying out loud) but that defied several laws.
Did either goalie really deserve a win today? Kiprusoff better take his forwards out for drinks, because they bailed him out bigtime tonight.
Colorado, as good as their offense is, is dead in the water with Budaj.
That was really ugly, and being there did not make it any prettier.
That said, the right team eked one out in the end. I do not know what will become of my Flames this year, especially if Kipper does not shake off his usual early season barnacles, but it sure looks like the Avalanche will be on the outside looking in.
Go Flames.
Yes, he was. Budaj dropped a gift for Todd (my new favourite Flame) Bertuzzi at the top of the crease, circa period 1.
The only thing worse than seeing the Flames beat Colorado is watching the 'Nucks beat Colorado.
No, I lie. The the worst thing in the world is losing to the 'Nucks - period.
GOILERS! Good win by the Flames.
I find it hard to root against Bertuzzi with everyone piling the hate onto him in the past. Glad to see him doing well.
It's also very gratifying to see Penner doing well early on as well...but I don't know how much of it has to do with the Avs goaltending so far =).
I was lucky to get a last minute invite to the game last night (great seats too, Row 1 in section 213!) and it was quite an enjoyable affair.
Bertuzzi clearly still has some skills, and I think is going to end up being a good pickup at the price we paid. However he has some absolutely infuriating moments of laziness or lackadaisical (sp?) play. Anyway, for <~$2mil I think he'll be okay.
2 of the 4 goals you can't fault Kipper on at all. The 1st goal was a pretty brutal rebound, I thought, and he simply has to stop the 4th goal. He did, however, have a couple stretches last night where he looked pretty good. Maybe I'm delusional, but he does seem to be improving marginally each game. He just needs to shake the concentration lapses and not let in any softies.
The play by Giordano on the 2nd Col goal was TERRIBLE. You're shorthanded and you put yourself 40 feet out of position to try and make a big hit? Stupid stupid stupid.
Cammalleri looked really good last night. I think this 2nd line could be pretty good.
The PK looks pretty good (Giordano's flub notwithstanding). I really like the speed of Bourque, Glencross, Lombardi running around out there. You can see teams are going to find it hard to get setup properly.
Overall, I thought the Flames were definitely the better team, with the slightly less worse goalie for once. Against a team with a competent goalie, we probably lose that game, so Kipper still needs to get a lot better.
I find it hard to root against Bertuzzi with everyone piling the hate onto him in the past. Glad to see him doing well.
Best of luck to Todd Bertuzzi this hockey season.
Yes, he was. Budaj dropped a gift for Todd (my new favourite Flame) Bertuzzi at the top of the crease, circa period 1.
As you well know, I was talking about the human backboard at the other end.
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"Giving the red light a workout was never a concern while Andrew Raycroft was in goal for Tony Granato's Colorado Avalanche in 2008-09. "First practice in Colorado, we were working on breakout drills. I shoot the puck at Raycroft from the far blue line, and it goes right through his legs. 'Fluke,' I figure, so I shoot another one. Right through his legs again. 'Next drill,' I said. Actually, Raycroft was a nice guy, he just had a weakness with pucks."
Amazingly the anecdote works with todays squad as well
# posted by 
: October 14, 2008 6:11 pm
: October 14, 2008 6:11 pm That last line is a killer. It reminds me of what a guest coach told me when we were learning a new offense in my rookie year.
"I really like you. You're a nice kid. You're just inept at the game of basketball."
YES! The truth is out there. Sutter himself says Dion isn't good on the defensive side of hockey. Nice of him to mention Regehr carrying the mail.
After that new TSN intro I'm just confused, I can only understand hockey if it is presented to me in video game format.
Anyone else think TSN is going to use up the hockey theme within... oh I don't know...one or two games?
These teams don't seem to care about playing defense.
Colorado may win less than 20 games this year with this goaltending.
This game features all the intensity and competence of the late preseason.
The one positive I see is that maybe Lombardi *was* still recovering from the flu last week; he looks much much better and stronger tonight.
I keep waiting for the game to start. When are they going to shoo those little between period kids off the ice and bring on the NHL guys?
Yeah, Lombardi looks far more competent tonight.
That last Avs goal was a comedy of errors, from Gio stepping up in the neutral zone, down to Phaneuf standing and watching Liles shoot it in the net. It's like every Flames error evokes a cascade of further errors.
I may have to find a way to get rid of Budaj in Mirtle's pool too...yeesh.
Nope, nothing Kipper could do there.
Flames players are just mesmerized by the puck. They over-commit all over the ice, like Atom kids.
Does anyone else feel irrational hatred towards these ridiculous NHL09 ads?
The one with the cute girl is fine because I love good looking girls but the one with the tool that says he feels like he's on the ice has to never be shown again. Obviously he's never been on the ice in his entire life.
The one with the cute girl is fine because I love good looking girls but the one with the tool that says he feels like he's on the ice has to never be shown again. Obviously he's never been on the ice in his entire life.
I feel embarrassed for that guy.
The girl one bugs me because of the asinine things they have her saying.
...what the hell was that Kiprusoff? I didn't even see it.
Does that count as poor positioning or just a lucky bounce?
That was a weird bounce. I mean you can always fault the G on a goal from there (from Guite for crying out loud) but that defied several laws.
Did either goalie really deserve a win today? Kiprusoff better take his forwards out for drinks, because they bailed him out bigtime tonight.
Colorado, as good as their offense is, is dead in the water with Budaj.
That was really ugly, and being there did not make it any prettier.
That said, the right team eked one out in the end. I do not know what will become of my Flames this year, especially if Kipper does not shake off his usual early season barnacles, but it sure looks like the Avalanche will be on the outside looking in.
Go Flames.
# posted by : October 14, 2008 11:25 pm
: October 14, 2008 11:25 pm Yes, he was. Budaj dropped a gift for Todd (my new favourite Flame) Bertuzzi at the top of the crease, circa period 1.
# posted by : October 15, 2008 12:21 am
: October 15, 2008 12:21 am The only thing worse than seeing the Flames beat Colorado is watching the 'Nucks beat Colorado.
No, I lie. The the worst thing in the world is losing to the 'Nucks - period.
GOILERS! Good win by the Flames.
I find it hard to root against Bertuzzi with everyone piling the hate onto him in the past. Glad to see him doing well.
It's also very gratifying to see Penner doing well early on as well...but I don't know how much of it has to do with the Avs goaltending so far =).
I was lucky to get a last minute invite to the game last night (great seats too, Row 1 in section 213!) and it was quite an enjoyable affair.
Bertuzzi clearly still has some skills, and I think is going to end up being a good pickup at the price we paid. However he has some absolutely infuriating moments of laziness or lackadaisical (sp?) play. Anyway, for <~$2mil I think he'll be okay.
2 of the 4 goals you can't fault Kipper on at all. The 1st goal was a pretty brutal rebound, I thought, and he simply has to stop the 4th goal. He did, however, have a couple stretches last night where he looked pretty good. Maybe I'm delusional, but he does seem to be improving marginally each game. He just needs to shake the concentration lapses and not let in any softies.
The play by Giordano on the 2nd Col goal was TERRIBLE. You're shorthanded and you put yourself 40 feet out of position to try and make a big hit? Stupid stupid stupid.
Cammalleri looked really good last night. I think this 2nd line could be pretty good.
The PK looks pretty good (Giordano's flub notwithstanding). I really like the speed of Bourque, Glencross, Lombardi running around out there. You can see teams are going to find it hard to get setup properly.
Overall, I thought the Flames were definitely the better team, with the slightly less worse goalie for once. Against a team with a competent goalie, we probably lose that game, so Kipper still needs to get a lot better.
I find it hard to root against Bertuzzi with everyone piling the hate onto him in the past. Glad to see him doing well.
Best of luck to Todd Bertuzzi this hockey season.
# posted by : October 15, 2008 12:05 pm
: October 15, 2008 12:05 pm Yes, he was. Budaj dropped a gift for Todd (my new favourite Flame) Bertuzzi at the top of the crease, circa period 1.
As you well know, I was talking about the human backboard at the other end.
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