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Calgary4LIfe · 03-23-2017, 04:14 PM

I, for one, will defer to Gulutzan's judgement in how he is managing his goalies. Hartley did a perfect job managing his goalies in that playoff year. He rode Hiller hard when he had the hot hand, and quickly switched to Ramo when he was better - and he always switched if he rode either goalie too hard.

Gulutzan has been doing a good job himself I thought. I actually expected Johnson to get a few starts from now until the end of the season. This is one of the games I figured he would get actually. This one AND Colorado most likely. He is the best backup for the Flames in like 20 years (well, unless you consider the Hiller/Ramo tandem, but it was not so much a starter/backup situation in my opinion).

Looking at the rest of the Flames' schedule, there are a lot of road games and a lot of very good teams left. You can't keep riding Elliott. Tonight's game is probably the 2nd easiest game on the schedule. St. Louis is playing extremely well - allowing 7 or 8 goals in their last 7 or 8 road games (that's crazy, no?). Anaheim, San Jose, etc. - Johnson is going to probably have to play one or two of those teams yet, but if the Flames experience some bad luck (knock on wood) then Gulutzan might not have that option to relieve Elliott then.

Give Elliott some nights off - he has earned it and has been a workhorse lately. Sure, he hasn't played that many games this season, but he sure has played a lot of hockey lately. That's the point.

03-23-2017, 04:14 PM	#111
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	I, for one, will defer to Gulutzan's judgement in how he is managing his goalies. Hartley did a perfect job managing his goalies in that playoff year. He rode Hiller hard when he had the hot hand, and quickly switched to Ramo when he was better - and he always switched if he rode either goalie too hard. Gulutzan has been doing a good job himself I thought. I actually expected Johnson to get a few starts from now until the end of the season. This is one of the games I figured he would get actually. This one AND Colorado most likely. He is the best backup for the Flames in like 20 years (well, unless you consider the Hiller/Ramo tandem, but it was not so much a starter/backup situation in my opinion). Looking at the rest of the Flames' schedule, there are a lot of road games and a lot of very good teams left. You can't keep riding Elliott. Tonight's game is probably the 2nd easiest game on the schedule. St. Louis is playing extremely well - allowing 7 or 8 goals in their last 7 or 8 road games (that's crazy, no?). Anaheim, San Jose, etc. - Johnson is going to probably have to play one or two of those teams yet, but if the Flames experience some bad luck (knock on wood) then Gulutzan might not have that option to relieve Elliott then. Give Elliott some nights off - he has earned it and has been a workhorse lately. Sure, he hasn't played that many games this season, but he sure has played a lot of hockey lately. That's the point.