"I really liked our first and third period. I didn't like the second. We stood around a lot and let them take the play to us. We spent too much time in our own end and you end up relying on one guy, your goalie, too much."--Brent Sutter
Bingo.
Fix it, please.
This quotation basically sums up my biggest issue with the Flames in recent years. They are seemingly incapable of turning in a solid, sixty-minute effort on a consistent basis. That being said, I missed the Flames' lone televised pre-season game last night (I know, I'm terrible, but I'm a working gal now) but from what I've gathered, the Flames could have summoned up a better effort against a Canucks squad missing nine regulars including their nemeses, the Sedins. Miikka Kiprusoff was Flames' best player by a wide margin(collective sigh of relief), making 35 of 36 saves before getting beaten by Mason Raymond on the lone shootout goal, which proved to be the winner for the Canucks.
David Moss was very effective after missing most of the pre-season with a lower body injury, and scored the Flames' only goal on a line with Jokinen and Iginla. Bourque also looked like he was finally beginning to shake off the rust, showing his speed on a breakaway chance in the first period. It sounds as though the line of Dawes, Langkow, and Bourque could prove to be a regular season mainstay, and Moss seemed to fit in nicely on the first line.
On the defensive side of things, Dion Phaneuf continued to improve, as he led the team in ice time en route to collecting an assist and a +1 rating, hopefully a sign of things to come in early October. Anton Stralman had what was perhaps his least impressive showing of the pre-season, finishing -1 in just over eleven minutes of ice time. In special teams news, the penalty kill still appears to be strong point while the impressive powerplay production the Flames enjoyed early in the pre-season was nowhere to be seem, which is slightly worrisome and will probably be one of the biggest areas of concern heading into the regular season.
The Flames finished the preseason 3-2-2; not bad, but not great. It is common knowledge that pre-season has little to no significance in the grand scheme of things, but I think most Flames fans wish they had seen a little more consistency from the supposed "big guns" in preparation for opening night. I suppose we will have to wait until then to find out whether Coach Sutter's message has sunk in or not.
In their second last pre-season game, a road victory at the expense of the Oilers, the Flames iced what looked like close to the finished product in terms of the final roster. The merits of the result, however comforting, have been hotly debated in various media outlets. Brent Sutter and the Fan 960 crew described the game as the Flames' most complete of the pre-season, elsewhere, however, the effort has been described as "shaky" and unconvincing. I only caught the third period, but here are a few things I picked up on:
The first period continues to prove troublesome for the Flames. Even after gaining the lead early in the opening frame, they surrendered two quick goals to allow the Oilers to take the lead before evening the score just before the half-way point. A poor performance in the first twenty minutes of Monday's game in Vancouver set the tone for an eventual shootout loss to the Canucks.
The Flames looked uncomfortable playing with the lead; they seem to have so much more confidence when they are playing catch-up or have clawed their way back into a game they had no business being in. When they have the lead, they still lack that "keep your foot on the gas" mentality and have a tendency to sit back and let the opposition take control of the play. I noticed this in the third period against the Oilers last night, when the Flames were up by two goals and looked to be in control, they appeared to forget how they got there. Strong forecheck, sound positioning, and simple, uncomplicated plays fell by the wayside and the Oilers took over.
The quality of scoring chances Edmonton had in the third period was also unnerving, as it seemed the Oilers were able to use their speed and long stretch passes to get behind the Flames' defence with ease. The fact that the Flames' likely top pairing, Bouwmeester and Regehr, both ended the evening a -2 does little to calm said nerves. To put this in perspective, Phaneuf and Giordano were both +1, with an assist each.
Anton Stralman continues to make an excellent case for an extended stay in Calgary. He has looked smart, calm, and collected in every game he's played in a Flames uniform, and seems to have the ability to make his defence partner better, as we saw last night with Adam Pardy. Pardy, who has had a relatively inconsistent pre-season, was +3 in only twelve minutes of ice time playing with Stralman.The seemingly improved special teams also took a bit of a hit in last night's game, as the Flames' powerplay finished a mediocre 1-9 and the penalty kill unit allowed one goal on three Oilers powerplay opportunities, on one of which Curtis Glencross scored short-handed.
The Flames were much more disciplined last night than they had been throughout their previous four pre-season games, and although they seemed to get hemmed in in their own zone with alarming frequency in the final frame, they showed a great deal more poise and patience under pressure, especially Kiprusoff. The line of Stuart, Prust, and Jaffray was impressive yet again, as Jaffray would score with an assist from Prust and all three were able to draw penalties and create chances using their speed. Last night's performance may have been the deciding factor for the trio, as they all survived the latest round of roster cuts which saw Mikael Backlund, Brett Sutter, and Matt Pelech assigned to Abbotsford. No surprises there, the Flames have no need to rush any of these youngsters in their development.
Conversely, after impressing fans with his dominant performance earlier in the pre-season, Olli Jokinen has all but disappeared, accumulating just one point in his past two games. Nigel Dawes was also held pointless in last night's outing, after delivering a point-per-game performance in his previous four matches. Daymond Langkow had an uncharacteristically bad game, ending the night a -1 with only one shot on goal and while Rene Bourque seemed a little more willing to go into high-traffic areas, he still appeared more tentative than usual. The Flames have really been missing David Moss' presence around the net, and I really hope he returns to full health in time for the season opener.
Craig Conroy is sitting out after sustaining a groin injury in pre-season play, but that can't keep him away from an opportunity to chat with the media during intermission. Conroy gushed to the Fan 960 about the pre-season performances of Curtis Glencross and Theoren Fleury, and summed up the Keenan era in one classic quote: "We didn’t have a set system last year, we just went out and did what we wanted, and this year we know what we’re doing."
Lastly, I didn't think anything could be worse than Rod Phillips' commentary during last night's game, until I was subjected to watching greasy, mullet-headed Oilers fans suck face on the Kiss Cam. Vomit.
Up Next: The Canuckleheads invade the 'Dome for the Flames' final pre-season tuneup. With a roster spot still on the line for players on both clubs, expect this one to be a knuckle-chucker and possibly a barn-burner.
This pre-season business is getting awfully tiring. I feel as if by Saturday evening, I will be crouched in a dark corner somewhere repeating the phrase "it's only pre-season," over and over.
After a solid outing Sunday night at home against the Panthers, the Flames looked like a team playing their third game in as many nights yesterday evening in Vancouver, especially on the defensive side of things. Despite overcoming an early 3-0 deficit and even taking the lead midway through the third period, the Flames couldn't hold off their division rivals and fell 5-4 in a shootout at the hands of a certain Swede, being outshot almost 2-1 in the process.
Given my feelings of contempt for the Canucks, a result such as this during the regular season would probably send me spiraling into a fit of rage and despair, but I have decided to approach this loss with a level-headed, pre-season mentality and give this team the benefit of the doubt.
The thing that irks me most about this particular pre-season is that the bad habits this team has developed don't seem to be in any rush to dissipate. While I have noticed an improvement in special teams, I have yet to see a solid first period, a consistent defensive effort, or a convincing display of goaltending. In the words of Curtis McElhinney, "you look at the game tonight and there’s plenty of evidence that there’s plenty of work to be done."
As much as I have tried to keep my expectations for this squad at a reasonable level, I can't help but feel somewhat discouraged. With further cuts to the roster announced yesterday, we should see a familiar lineup consisting of veterans and prospects still getting a final look by team management in the two remaining pre-season tune-ups. You have to think that Mikael Backlund will be assigned to Abbotsford in the next couple days along with a number of other prospects like Sutter and Kronwall as the final roster begins to materialize.
The question marks surrounding Rene Bourque's status were not alleviated after his first appearance of the pre-season last night. While he is supposedly healthy and in game shape, he showed signs of rust and wasn't his usual tenacious self, finishing the game a -1 with a single shot on goal in eighteen minutes of ice time. The precarious situation surrounding the Flames' top-six was exacerbated following David Moss' absence from yesterday's game due to a "minor injury."
Daily requirement of optimism:
- After an iffy start to last night's game, Jay Bouwmeester finished +2 with a goal and an assist, his best outing as a Flame so far.
- Glencross and Jokinen continue to impress, especially on the man advantage
- Brandon Prust finished the evening a +2 with two assists
- Curtis McElhinney rebounded from an unfavourable start to make 30 saves on 34 shots
- Another solid outing for Calgary's PK unit, which nullified all five of the Canucks' powerplays
Unrelated:
- Congratulations are in order to Anton Stralman, who did not travel with the team to Vancouver due to the birth of his child
- Mike Komisarek is playing tonight vs. Pittsburgh. Not all that well, but nonetheless... *swoon*
- Phil Kessel has this permanent scowl on his face that, combined with the facial hair, kind of makes him look like a grumpy caveman.
Up Next: The Flames will travel north on Highway 2 to face the Oilers tomorrow night in Edmonton for their final road game of the pre-season.
It took a few games, but the Flames finally seem to have found a winning formula. After a shaky start, the Flames veterans picked up right where they left off in their last outing against the Islanders, and it was evident that chemistry was beginning to develop. Here's the scoop:
First Period
Miikka Kiprusoff did not get off to the solid start he was hoping for, as the Panthers would score on their first shot of the game just five minutes into the first period. The Flames were unable to establish any real momentum for the remainder of the frame, as undisciplined play led to three consecutive trips to the penalty box. Luckily the penalty killers came up big for the home team, and they would head to the dressing room down 1-0 with a slight 10-7 edge in the shot column.
Second Period
Cue the comeback. The Flames would finally end up on the receiving end of a powerplay early in the middle frame and they would capitalize, with Glencross taking credit for the tying tally. Just over three minutes later, Iginla scored his first goal of the pre-season to give the Flames their first lead of the game. With five minutes remaining in the period, Daymond Langkow scored on a two-on-one with Theoren Fleury to put the Flames up by two.
Third Period
Leeland Irving saw his first action of the pre-season tonight, replacing Kiprusoff to start the third. The Panthers would take advantage of the goalie swap, scoring just 0:48 seconds in on a tip-in by Stephen Weiss. That was as close as the game would get, however, as Jokinen would restore the two-goal cushion with a powerplay goal at 7:28 and Fleury would score his first of the pre-season just 25 seconds later off a Panthers turnover.
The Flames sat back a little after taking a comfortable three-goal lead and the Panthers spent a great deal of time in the Flames' zone, firing fourteen shots at Calgary's keeper. Irving, however, would shut the door and preserve the 5-2 victory for the home side.
The Flames showed a lot more consistency in what was by far their best performance of the pre-season tonight. The penalty killing unit was probably the most improved, although against a dismal Florida powerplay, killing off all five man-advantage opportunities. The Flames' penalty killers did a much better job of blocking shots and breaking up plays with their sticks.
Another aspect of Calgary's game that appeared to be very strong was their transition game. Defencemen Jay Bouwmeester, Mark Giordano, and Anton Stralman all demonstrated their capabilities as "puck-moving defencemen" with smooth skating and smart, quick passes out of their own zone. On a few occasions, the Panthers were still able to use their speed to take advantage of poor defensive positioning and create quality scoring chances, but overall the Flames' performance from the blue-line in was much improved.
Things I loved:
- Jay Bouwmeester: Far better performance in his second game as a Flame. Active in all areas of the ice, collecting an assist, firing five shots on goal, and clearing the zone on multiple occasions. Great on the powerplay and led the team in ice time.
- Mark Giordano: Led the team in hits in a significantly less-physical matchup. Blocked shots and used his stick very effectively
- Anton Stralman: +2 in almost eighteen minutes of ice time. Very, very solid outing for the Swede
- Daymond Langkow: In case you haven't realized by now, I LOVE Daymond Langkow. He is one of the most underrated players on this team, he is so smart with and without the puck and can still turn on the jets at age 32. Collected a goal and an assist tonight along with a +2.
- Curtis Glencross: The game's first star collected a goal and three assists, also very effective on the penalty kill. +2
- Olli Jokinen: Another display of dominance from the former Panther who finished the evening with a goal and two assists. Slowly beginning to convert even the most skeptical fans (me)
Things I liked a lot:
- Jarome Iginla: Much more consistent 60 minutes from the Captain. Contributed a goal and an assist, beginning to develop some serious chemistry with Jokinen
- Carsen Germyn: Very speedy, part of a very impressive fourth line alongside Jaffray and Cunning
- Jason Jaffray: Voted the game's "Hardest Working Flame," forced a few turnovers and created multiple scoring opportunities with his speed
- Adam Pardy: Much better showing for the sophomore blueliner, +2 on the evening. Led the charge to the penalty box with two minors, however
- Dion Phaneuf: Very consistent game, didn't commit any obvious errors or make any trips to the sin bin. Fired four shots on goal, very good on the powerplay. Second in ice-time with 21:21 TOI
- Theo Fleury: Very consistent game, showed a lot of improvement in his speed and skating and contributed at key times with an aesthetically pleasing goal and an assist.
Things I am still on the fence about:
- Mikael Backlund: I just can't decide on this kid. He has played well, but doesn't command my attention. I suppose it just isn't his style. Play improved after being moved onto the first line with Iginla and Jokinen. Noticeably better without the puck
- Miikka Kiprusoff: It looked as if it was going to be another long night for Kipper after he allowed a goal on the Panthers' first shot of the game. However, he seemed to regain his confidence as the game went on and stopped all eleven of the shots he faced. Made some key stops on the penalty kill to keep his team in the game
Up Next: The Flames travel to GM Place to take on the undefeated Canucks for their third game in as many nights. Expect to see Coach Sutter dress a veteran lineup once again, as Vancouver will no doubt do the same.
The Flames entered last night's game against the Islanders with a veteran-laden lineup, looking to redeem themselves after a stinker against the Oilers Tuesday night. One would think that would be an easy task against a young, tired New York squad sans Tavares, right? Wrong. What ensued was a battle-for-the-ages that could give a playoff game a run for its money. Here's the scoop:
First Period
The game started off innocent enough with Dawes netting the Flames' first goal on a sweet feed from Daymond Langkow. The Flames seemed to be carrying the play until a miscue by Jay Bouwmeester led to the tying goal. Olli Jokinen would try to ignite his club by dropping the mitts with the Isles' Mike Haley; he actually fared pretty well, but didn't provide the spark he was hoping for. The Flames would enter the intermission leading the Islanders in the shot department 11-4, but tied at one.
Second Period
All Hell would break loose about five minutes into the second period. With the Isles leading 3-1 after two quick tallies, this happened:
Kyle Okposo was cruising through the neutral zone with his head down when Phaneuf smoked the speedy forward with a trademark open-ice hit. Okposo would remain on the ice for a few minutes, immobilized, until he was finally strapped onto a stretcher and taken to hospital. Reports later indicated that he was diagnosed with a mild concussion and was cleared to join the Islanders for their flight to Saskatoon later that night.
Was the hit clean? Yes. Was such force necessary in an all but meaningless pre-season game? Probably not, but Okposo has been playing hockey long enough to know he has to keep his head up. When play resumed, the young Islanders seemed to lose their composure and got into some penalty trouble. The Flames would capitalize and even the score on two powerplay goals by Olli Jokinen. The Flames and Isles entered the second intermission tied at three, with the Islanders outshooting the Flames 13-8.
Third Period
With Fleury in the box, the Isles took the lead just over three minutes into the final frame. The Flames would tie it up a few minutes later on a powerplay goal of their own by David Moss. The boys in red would dominate the remainder of the period, outshooting the Isles 17-4. Isles goalie David Poulin, apparently possessed by the spirit of Patrick Roy, made a series of phenomenal saves to preserve the tie.
OT
The Flames enjoyed a rare powerplay in the extra frame with Brendan Witt off for roughing, but were unable to capitalize despite firing seven shots at New York's keeper, who continued to steal the show. A shot off the stick of Olli Jokinen would trickle across the line just after the buzzer signalled the end of the overtime period, and was immediately called off.
SO
The 'Dome erupted after minor-leaguer David Shantz secured the shootout victory with a save on the Isles' Matt Moulson, culminating in the pre-season's first ever "YEAHHH BABYYYY" from Peter Mahr. So epic.
Things I loved:
- Olli Jokinen: the big Finn completed a Gordie Howe hat-trick and dominated on the powerplay. Hopefully a sign of what we can expect from him come October
- Nigel Dawes: Redeemed himself after a mediocre performance earlier his week with a goal and two assists. Proved why he's competing for a spot in the top-six
- David Moss: Chipped in a with a goal and an assist, led the team with nine shots on goal
- Robyn Regehr: Steady performance, led all defencemen with five shots on goal and was +1
- Daymond Langkow: Steady, smart play and an assist from the gritty centre, +1
- The Powerplay: The PP was actually cycling the puck and getting traffic to the net, a welcome sight after a futile man-advantage unit faltered down the stretch and into the playoffs last season
Things that need some work:
- Jay Bouwmeester: A miscue in his own zone led the Isles' first goal, got better as the game wore on, especially on the powerplay
- Mark Giordano: Looked a little rusty in his first game back from off-season shoulder surgery, but like Bouwmeester, improved later in the game. Dropped the gloves twice and led all defencemen in penalty minutes.
- Jarome Iginla: Was invisible for most of the game, but demonstrated why he is one of the league's best power forwards in the third with his speed and strength on the puck.
- Dion Phaneuf: Bobbled the puck at the Isles' blueline during a Calgary powerplay leading to a short-handed breakaway, ended the game a +1 but still needs to work on his defensive positioning.
- Theo Fleury: Looked out of place in the first period but found his legs in the second, seemed to have some good chemistry with Langkow and Dawes. Scored the shootout winner in a perfect ending to his first game with the Flames in almost a decade
Things I'm on the fence about:
- Mikael Backlund: Spent a lot of time in the offensive zone and fired four shots on goal. Made some good plays with the puck, but wasn't especially noticeable without it.
- Keith Aulie: Didn't make any glaring errors in almost fifteen minutes of ice time, but didn't stand out in a good way either
- Jason Jaffray: Showed some jump but led the team with 17 PIMS.
- Craig Conroy: Solid on the PK as always, but didn't stand out much otherwise
Things that sucked:
- Miikka Kiprusoff: If Kipper really is in the best shape of his career, he didn't show it last night. Allowed three goals on fourteen shots and did little to quiet his critics. The Flames will need #34 to turn in a much more convincing performance when the puck drops for real in two week's time.
The Flames' pre-season record now stands at 1-1-0 with four games left to play. Overall, they seemed to have some trouble consistently adhering to coach Brent Sutter's more structured, defence-first system, but he will no doubt make sure they fine-tune that aspect of their game before September ends.
Up Next: The rematch. The Flames will take on the Isles in Saskatoon tomorrow in what should be another physical affair. No indication as to whether Phaneuf will suit up or not.
Televised pre-season hockey is a beautiful thing, my friends. I thoroughly enjoyed the Leafs/Bruins game tonight; it had speed, skill, fisticuffs...the only thing missing was an appearance from two of my favourite European-North American hockey hunks (who also happen to have a simmering dislike for one and other), Mike Komisarek and Milan Lucic:
*Swoon*
These two teams are going to be fun to watch this season, not to mention nice to look at.
The strange thing is, I sort of found myself rooting for the Leafs. Are Brian Burke's promises of "pugnacity" and "truculence" finally luring me in? My grandfather would be so proud.
CBC announced three new additions to their HNIC broadcasting team today: former Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau, former New Jersey Devils goaltender Kevin Weekes, and Glenn Healy, who returns to Hockey Night after a short stint with the NHLPA. I don't think anyone CBC employs could ever irritate me as much as Marc Crawford and his colour commentary. Except maybe PJ Stock.
In other news, I also watched the Oilers-Islanders game online (don't fret, I got the feed from the Isles' site) and it was a bit of a snoozer until the third period. NYI was leading 1-0 when all of a sudden, Dustin Penner decided to put down the cheeseburger and score a goal. After that, the whole game went to Hell in a hand basket. Sloppy play led to the go-ahead-goal by Sam Gagner, but the Islanders would tie it up five minutes later. It looked as if we were headed for OT until a couple of bone-headed New Yorkers failed to clear the puck after a harmless-looking play around the net, while Sheldon Souray lurked a few feet away waiting to pot the game-winner.
John Tavares looked alright in his pre-season debut, he had a few good chances but was credited with only one shot on goal, one blocked shot, and one giveaway and was -1 in 22:50 of ice time. He did dominate the faceoff circle, however, winning 10 of 16 draws.
I know I take pre-season far too seriously when I can't stand the fact that the Oilers are undefeated.
"Hey, it's the biggest game of the season--absolutely," Eric Nystrom told the Calgary Herald about tonight's pre-season tilt against the rival Oilers. That may be a bit of a stretch, but for Nystrom, one of the few "veterans" skating in tonight's lineup, it's an opportunity to show the new bench boss what he's made of. The Flames will be icing a prospect-laden lineup when the puck drops in about an hour's time at the 'Dome, while the Oilers will dress a number of regulars in the first official Battle of Alberta of the new season. Here are the rosters and tentative line combinations for each team:
The Flames' roster for tonight's game is interesting because it sets up the battles we'll likely be seeing throughout the pre-season for the bottom-six forward positions, seventh defenceman, and the one or two spots open in the top-six forward group. Out of the six defencemen in the lineup tonight, Pardy is the only one who has locked up a spot with the big club, while the most likely competitors for the opening at seventh defenceman are Kronwall and Stralman.
Dawes, Boyd, and Moss will all be competing for a chance to play on the top two lines, and players like Prust, Greentree, Jaffray, Lundmark, and even Nystrom will be vying for a spot on the third and fourth lines.
Given that the two goaltending jobs are already taken, the play of Keetley and Irving somewhat loses its significance, but a good showing with the Flames could earn one of them the starting job in Abbotsford. Competition in the Abbotsford crease heated up recently (pardon the pun) with the addition of David Shantz, whom the Flames signed to a minor-league contract.
Notable absences from tonight's game include: top prospect Mikael Backlund, comeback kid Theo Fleury, and summer acquisition Keith Seabrook. All will likely see some playing time, as the Flames still have six pre-season games on the schedule after tonight.
I know it's only pre-season, but what kind of BOA would this be without a little bloodshed? Expect a brawl or two between the likes of Zac Stortini, Brandon Prust, Eric Nystrom, and Oilers prospect Kip Brennan as they look to make impressions on their respective clubs.
