Technically Chicago is a better team than SJ if you take a look at the current standings. If thats' the case you should expect the Flames to loose 11-1 instead of 9-1 like they did Monday.
Sutter did not change the lines one bit, that meant the same struggles. Iginla with two third line checkers (Glencross and Conroy), and Regehr with Phaneuf for the weakest 1-2 in the game.
It's been years since the Flames have been outscored by eight goals, I can't even find the stat. Here's the thing, I don't have enough adjectives or superlatives to describe how terrible the Calgary Flames played tonight, but what I do know, is that management and the coaching staff CANNOT pretend like this didn't happen. The credit crisis on October 2008 didn't happen overnight, it was an accumulation of bad habits. Tonight, an accumulation of bad play was capped in San Jose when the Calgary Flames were absolutely embarrassed.
No words will help point out what's missing from this team, but with this loss in the bag, if Daryl Sutter doesn't do something, even a little something, what you saw tonight will repeat itself over and over again before the season ends. The Flames will be handed more 9-1 losses by legitimate Cup contenders.
ATTENTION Calgary Flames: your fans are not only embarrassed by your horrific hockey, but we're disgusted by how little certain players care and why you can't put together a consistent hardworking effort game in and game out.
Anaheim may not be playing well this season but they have the Flames' number. All meetings this year have gone to Anaheim. Tonight, on a three game losing streak, Calgary started well, Oli Jokinen's 10th gave them the early lead.
A minute later the house of cards came crashing down with three unanswered goals from Anaheim. A PP goal to start, then a weak goal against McElhinney, finished by soft defense by Dion 'I got one hand on my stick' Phaneuf, and there you had it, 3-1.
Things are so bad that Calgary can't even score ONE. The Flames have been dominating opponents since the Vancouver game, outshooting, out hitting, but just coming up short because of lack of finishing touch. Tonight, the coach changed the lines completely and it just pushed the Flames back another two steps. Why shake up the lines? To get more scoring.... The real result? The first two periods were painful to watch as Calgary was outplayed in every aspect. So thanks coach Sutter, you just sent the team back a few games.
That a boy. Vancouver Canuck fans think this is an embarrassment. Dude's just having fun. Embarrassment is shining green laser at opposing netminders and bitching to the world on TV that you got called for diving when you are worse then French soccer players--that's embarrassing.
Since Vancouver Calgary has turned around the ship in terms of defensive play (almost 100%) and offense (over 30 shots for the fourth game in a row). The folks not turning it on is the first line, in particular Jarome Iginla. Iginla has picked an inopportune time to take his worst slump of year, not scoring a point in now five games. The difference tonight was really the top lines. Pittsburgh's scored, Calgary's didn't. Crosby scored, Jarome didn't.
It seems as though every game between divisional rivals from now on will be a fight for first place in the NW. Winner takes first, loser goes to 8th, quite the jump. Tonight Calgary was trying to win two games in a row against top divisional teams. Saturday they beat Vancouver in a torrid affair, and tonight they faced the Colorado Avalanche for the fourth time this season. The Avs have beaten the Flames three times so far so Calgary had something to prove coming in.
The players responsible for picking up the team Saturday were back at it in the first period tonight. Brandon Prust, McGrattan, and even Regehr, all dropped their gloves in respective tussles. We'll give Prust and McGrattan wins, and Regehr a draw. The Flames also jumped to life dominating the play for the first two periods less a 5 minute spell in the second.
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If there's one great thing about Vancouver and Calgary games is that they are always intense and exciting games. If there's one thing that ruins a game is impartial national CBC play by play. For the most part the re-match of the divisional rivals, both vying for top spot in the NW division, put on a great show.
For some though, unfortunately, the game was plagued with typical Vancouver trash. The worst being fans firing lasers in the face of Kiprusoff throughout the game (the fan should be charged and the team fined). Loud 'Calgary sucks' chants emanated throughout the classy arena < -- sarcasm, all but proving Vancouver is the toilet of NHL fan bases.
How about the actual game though?
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Kevin Weeks BLOWS as a CBC colour commentator. He's boring, he's monotonous, he's monotone, and he's in love with the Canucks. HE sucked to start the season and most of the country doesn't know what type of garbage colour commentary he gives cause they're asleep in the East. The guy is OVERTLY pro-VANCOUVER you'd think he was getting paid off. He should know MORE about the game since he actually played it, albeit as a career back up goalie. The man is a fool who has a hate on the entire Calgary Flames team and a love affair with marginal Alex Burrows. FIRE this ridiculous excuse for an announcer....mind you, it's the lame CBC running the show, so they put the two worst people together cause they can't afford anybody worthwhile. GARBAGE!
Please put your favorite idiotic Kevin Weeks posts below and we'll maintain a running tally until he's fired.
** Just a note before I get this one started, if I get the time I'm going to write a short article on the correlation between teams that play the trap and playoff success and attendance. I bet there's something to be said with boring hockey teams and performance overtime coupled with dwindling attendance. All that to say Columbus won't make the playoffs because they are a boring team.**
Not that the Calgary Flames cared much, but they were stifled by a defensive/trapping hockey team. Calgary is TWO points away from 8th place in the NW division, that's how tight it is. Yet, they are playing the most inconsistent hockey of the year. Without a doubt, January will make or break this team, and right now it looks like we won't even make the playoffs. I don't know what Sutter (either or) is talking about, how the team is on pace for 100 points, they are on pace for maybe 90 and that won't be enough to even MAKE the playoffs.