That was great to watch! Some thoughts:
-Brodie is a warrior... looks like he is no longer a well-kept secret. Teams know that they have to try and slow him down and Benn is one of the only guys that I have seen catch him like that. Great job battling through by TJ!
-Ramo has played great in the past two games. I think we all know that the Flames aren't a good enough team to overcome bad goaltending, but they are showing that they have enough talent to win these games when their goalie makes some big saves for them.
-Ferland had his best game of the season. He looked like a good NHL hockey player tonight. Got some big hits, carried the puck well, got a few shots, and looked like he was getting the Stars attention. I really hope he can consistently bring that sort of game. Doesn't need to be a scorer, but he makes a difference in a good way when he plays like this.
-Hamilton was really good tonight, I thought. He was taking passes and picking the puck up off the boards so much better. I'd been surprised at how poor his stick skills were and tonight he looked really strong with that puck. Good quick shot on the goal too and he played well on the powerplay.
-Powerplay: first time it has looked good in so long. That PP with 8/9 shots was great and you can only hope that they have turned a corner.
-Jooris: I liked what he brought a lot tonight. He's done it before where his incredibly high effort level combined with his skating allows him to help the team. Like Ferland, if he can bring it consistently then he can play in the league.
-Granlund/Hudler: I thought both guys had similar games where they weren't highly effective but they did a lot of little things well. Thought Granlund made some smart plays on the backcheck and PK, while Hudler controlled the puck well and won some battles on the PP.
-Russell... that cross-ice pass on the Hamilton goal was a superb play. He's playing so much better that I'm returning to being a fan. Not sure what happened to him to start the year but glad it seems to be over.
-Raymond: glad to see him score another one. He made a few good plays defensively tonight as well.
Well, St. Louis is up next and that is going to be one hell of a challenge. Go Flames Go!
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