Some of you people really need to relax. First year of a rebuild. I repeat, FIRST YEAR OF A REBUILD! Was it a disappointing ending? Yes. Was it expected? No. The Flames were supposed to get shelled in this game. This was the defending Stanley Cup Champions, and the Flames played them pretty square. And it wasn't because the Hawks were sleep walking through the game. The Flames played a good game and made the Hawks earn the win.
The reactions of some are appalling. Sven should be benched! Berra isn't a NHL goaltender! This guy did this. That guy did that. Relax!!! The players you are whining about are rookies! I wish there was this much hand wringing when the vets make similar stupid mistakes, and with much greater frequency.
People need to recognize the situations and see they are learning opportunities. Baertschi probably learned a lot last night. Missing the open net was tough. The icing was tougher. That was a learning opportunity and he will show, over the next few games, that he learns from his mistakes or he doesn't. If he doesn't, he will not amount to the player we hope he will be. If he does its another step toward being a complete player and growing into that NHL player we envision.
On Berra, he's a rookie FFS! He hasn't played 10 games yet and people are already calling him a bust. Get your heads screwed on right. How many goaltenders prove themselves in 10 games? The guy is still learning and feeling his way through some games. He's suffered some unfortunate breaks to take some tough losses, but he is way ahead of where I thought he would be. Seriously, some of you people need to go and see some of the goofy things that have lead to some of the goals against the guy, at very in opportune times. I'm not surprised a young guy like this would panic a little after some of the goofy goals that have found their way in. He, like all the other young guys on the team, is still learning. So relax and enjoy the fact that Berra keeps us in games with his wildly aggressive play. As he learns to pick his spots better, and read the NHL game better, he will become an even better goaltender. And I think that guy, like many of our other young players, will be pretty damn good.
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