[thymebalm]

Lots of full scale panic after a single loss. I appreciate the enthusiasm, I really do.

But let's catch our breath here.

1) The game's outcome had nothing to do with refereeing. It's an easy scapegoat, but it was just one lousy call, and there are lousy calls every game. Something that's missed, an even-up call, a weak call, etc. Refs aren't perfect, but we've gotta cool it with the attitude that reffing lost us a game where six goals were let in. It doesn't look well on our fan base to go pointing fingers at something outside our own locker-room when the results don't match our expectations.

2) Expectations. They are high, and they should be. But they need to be tempered by certain realities. The Flames as a whole were not ready to start the season. It was a very disappointing camp- the WCOH and the Johnny Holdout and injuries to Backlund/Monahan combined with a shortened camp and a new coaches systems to get in place. The team struggled so bad in the preseason that only 3 forwards managed to score goals. That's more to do with learning the details of a system and playing with prospects and PTOs than it is the innate scoring ability of this club.

3) Progess. What we should really be measuring in the first 5 games in steady progress. Can the team buy in to the system? Can Elliott settle into his starting role? can GG get comfortable with his roster/matchups? Last game was not the team will we watch for 81 more games this year. I think that's pretty clear.

So yea, it sucks to lose. Especially that particular game against that particular team in that particular fashion... but I'm not ready to believe we've even seen the real 16/17 Flames.

This is a better team than last years team. Give them a couple of weeks to find themselves before you start lighting the torches.

I've got a funny feel things are going to start coming up Milhouse for this team, just have a little patience.