Saturday, November 25, 2006

 

Flames Game Night

It is presently forty-two degrees Celsius (75F) warmer right now in Los Angeles than it is in Calgary, so I suppose this is as good a time as any for a SoCal road trip. The Flames play the Kings at 830MT, and it's radio only.

The word around the campfire earlier in the week was that Jamie McLennan will probably get his 2nd start of the season tonight, as (A) the Flames play a late-afternoon game against the Ducks tomorrow, and (B) Kings Suck.

This reminded me that back in the Smythe Division days, Rick Wamsley used to joke that the only starts he could count on were against the Kings and the Russians (those mid-season exhibition tours). So I looked it up to see just how much he did play: his three full seasons in Calgary, his GP were 35/36/29. By contrast, the last Flames PPV vs. Boston had a web-poll question: How many games do you predict McLennan will start this season? I forget which middle choice won, but I recall clearly that "5 or fewer" got more votes than "15 or more".

Anyway, as noted, the Kings are not good at all. If the Flames can manage to avoid excessive time in the penalty box, they should win going away. They're due for a scoring explosion; I'm feeling a March-in-St.-Louis vibe, or put another way, Calgary wins 7-2 (3PP, 3EV, 1SH goal; Phaneuf x2, Hamrlik, Huselius, Tanguay, Iginla, and Friesen). Go Flames.

Comments:

The boldest part of the prediction is the Friesen goal.
 


If Calgary ever scores 7, Iginla's getting 6 of them.
 


Has Calgary scored 5 goals in a game yet this year? I made that prediction at the beginning of the year, but admit I havn't been following the Flames much.
 


Sure they have. The Flames scored 6 against Phoenix once this year. I think that's it, though.
 


They beat Phoenix 6-1 Oct. 24, but that's the only time they've scored 5 and I'm sure everyone understands your prediction applied only to games with NHL opponents.
 


Oh yeah, and if McLennan is, as you say, in net tonight, I'm sensing that the outcome will bear closer resemblance to Calgary's Nov. 3 5-4 shootout loss to Columbus.
 


Calgary has the 5th worst powerplay and you're calling for 3 PP goals? Very bold prediction even against such a crappy team.
 


I can think of a lot worse things than a reputation for blowing out only awful opponents, and infrequently at that. "Stempniaked", despite its initial usage, has not entered the lexicon because the worst team in the league kept beating the Flames, you know. (And, "getting shut out by Jason Bacashihua has really damaged our playoff hopes" wasn't spoken by anyone in the Flames organization either.

I stick by my prediction: no Thousand-Yard Stare tonight, folks.bl
 


I can think of a lot worse things than a reputation for blowing out only awful opponents,

A reputation for choking in the first round of the playoffs?
 


I'm actually watching this game...every time I hear American announcers, I think how lucky we are with the clowns that we bitch about incessantly.
 


A reputation for choking in the first round of the playoffs?

Like the Oil did in their previous 4 trips to the playoffs before this past year?
 


Like the Oil did in their previous 4 trips to the playoffs before this past year?

Yes, Perrin, you're absolutely right. When the Oil were hitting the playoffs as 7th and 8th seeds and losing in the first round, it was the exact same thing as Calgary's continuing streak (it's at 6) of losing series in which they have home ice advantage.
 


Wow, really stretching there, aren't you. Next you'll start listing during full moons in Feb.

Weak
 


Do you guys "weak" differently in Calgary? I suggested that Calgary has a reputation for choking in the first round of the playoffs and then point out that the last six times they've had home ice advantage in the playoffs, they've lost. Hell if you want, throw in the fact that they've blown 3-2 leads in their last two series.

But yeah, exact same thing as losing when you're a 7 or 8 seed.
 


The Flames appear to have been "Kopitarred."

You've been "Anze-hold"

Have a great night!
 


Aw yeah. Aw yeah! Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout! Thanks L.A.! \m/

I'm just sorry that I ever doubted your ability to put the Flames away in regulation time. My bad!
 


"Stempniaked", despite its initial usage, has not entered the lexicon because the worst team in the league kept beating the Flames, you know. (And, "getting shut out by Jason Bacashihua has really damaged our playoff hopes" wasn't spoken by anyone in the Flames organization either.

Reading that, and then seeing the final score, just made my night. In fact, it may be the highlight of the hockey year thus far. Man, Garon and his .898 SV% must have been killer between the pipes.

Don't worry, Matt. I'll update the standings for you.
 


Tra lala la.
 


What an EXCELLENT night on the out of town scoreboard!!!

Leaves and Habs lose early on so that makes an eastern Oilers fan like myself feel all fluttery inside;) The Wild lose as well so that's good news for the divisional chase and then the Flames and Dys lose late.

The only thing we needed tonight was an Oilers win.
 


Minny, Calgary, and Hongcouver all lost. That's pretty much just as good as 2 points for the Oilers anyways.
 


Kopitarred and feathered, surely?
 


The Flames were a bad team on the road last year and they're a bad team on the road this year. It's hard to figure out why they can't get their act together away from the 'Dome.
 


I love this moment so much that I want to have sex with it and raise a family of little moments together.
 


Hongcouver eh? Really funny there, sir. What is this, grade six?
 

Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?