Which Calgary Flames came out of the 5 day mandated break? The December Flames, that’s who. That’s a non-playoff hockey team in case you’re wondering. That team is slow, constantly out battled, has a top line that takes the night off, and can’t generate any sense of identity. It’s a debacle on ice. You mind as well strap skates to Harvey the Hound because it won’t make a difference.
The Flames had chance in spurts tonight, but couldn’t bury anything behind former Flames’ netminder, Chad Johnson. But the problems don’t end there.
The 4th line is a continued mess. There’s nothing happening there (which I measure in goals). Any kind of help would be great, but we can’t tinker too much because of injuries. 3 RWs to be exact. Versteeg, Jagr, Frolik. It’s starting to show too. Although the team went on a 7 game win-streak without them, they’re back to their old ways.
It doesn’t help Brouwer is on the second line, and bringing with him his stone hands. It doesn’t help that Ferland has lost his game and Monahan is, well we all know, boring. It doesn’t help that Brodie is making mistakes, that the third line hasn’t put up a point in ages, and on we go.
Consistency is what will get the Flames into the post-season. It’s something they don’t have at this point. In the hotly contested Pacific division, they can’t afford to take a single night off, but at this rate, they’ll be done by March.
I wouldn’t blame the Flames at this point in time. If all the interference calls were made against the home team, what happened to the interference on Troy Brouwer? If Chad Johnson deserved credit for his performance last night, he never excelled as a Flame in the past. Coincidence?
Indeed, Kris Versteeg, Jaromir Jagr and Michael Frolik are being missed but Micheal Ferland losing his touch is something noteworthy…way too unlikely. Troy Brouwer in OT? That was something I would never have guessed, which surmises the fact….that the Flames were just way to generous.