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Originally Posted by Strange Brew
I still think it’s odd not to play your starter against an excellent team when both goalies are equally rested. There are plenty of weeks where Flames play 3 games or more and you can work Smith in to give Rittich a break.
Maybe Rittich still healing from something. But I also feel this team wants to give Smith every opportunity possible to return to form as they know Rittich is not yet a sure thing.
IMO Treliving wants more than anything to be able to run with these two goalies for the playoffs. The organization is light on draft picks and prospects not in the NHL. Giving some of these up for a backup goalie rental would sting.
Of course watching Smith start playoff games would sting a whole lot too.
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IMO I think Peters decided Smith had to start one of these first two games after the break. After these two there's a stretch of a lot of games where there's a day or two off in between so Rittich will be seeing a lot of games. So it was either today or Sunday. I'm wondering if saving Rittich for his old club, one that gave the Flames all sorts of fits last time they played, played a role in his decision. Give Smith the start against an Ovi-less Caps team and hope for the best, then save his starter for his return to Carolina and try his best to win that one. Just my guess.