[Game Takes] Flames 4 Islanders 3

[Bingo]

http://www.calgarypuck.com/2014/03/g...4-islanders-3/

[Journey17]

Tyler Wotherspoon didn't look out of place and definitely was a vast improvement on Breen. Clearly Hartley likes him more as 11 minutes is a solid starting place for a game that was close throughout.

Loved Bouma's energy - don't think he gets enough credit for how his hits energize the team.

[sureLoss]

Mikael Granlund is going to be a player. He’s always around the puck, always in position, and could have scored three in this game. Ran his point streak to three games with a first period goal for Calgary. I think he’s staying.

That's nice, but what about Markus? :P

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

That's nice, but what about Markus? :P

It's funny because poor Markus been in his brother's shadow especially in Europe and now Simmer almost calls him Mikael when he scores his first goal and Hartley can't remember if it's Markus or Mikael in post game.

[JiriHrdina]

Love the Stern comparison for Bouma. One of my favourite Flames

[Bingo]

Funny ... on the name split.

Anyone remember 10 years ago where I kept messing up Nilsson and Naslund in Calgary Vancouver encounters?

[Da_Chief]

You're getting old.

[Bingo]

well past getting

Wouldn't change my age as a Flames fan though, was perfect.

10 years old when my dad announced during the summer as I played street hockey that the Atlanta Flames were moving to Calgary

perfect age to watch the Gretzky era at the saddledome

their last cup run was perfectly timed before coaching minor hockey consumed the rest of my life!

rebuild will happen as I coach said minor hockey

he can drive himself to games when I watch the team climb back to prominence!

[Sample00]

Originally Posted by Bingo

well past getting

Wouldn't change my age as a Flames fan though, was perfect.

10 years old when my dad announced during the summer as I played street hockey that the Atlanta Flames were moving to Calgary

perfect age to watch the Gretzky era at the saddledome

their last cup run was perfectly timed before coaching minor hockey consumed the rest of my life!

rebuild will happen as I coach said minor hockey

he can drive himself to games when I watch the team climb back to prominence!

i'm "slightly" older but followed the exact same pattern. it was just a few weeks ago when my kid got his license and can now drive himself to practices and games.

[MacFlame]

What's really exciting for me is that we are starting to see the emergence of a young core. It's still not totally clear, and we have yet to see all of the players that will be added to it, but it's emerging. Core players do not necessarily have to be the best players on the team, but rather, play key roles on the team.

Prior to 2003, the Flames had a handful of young players, but a core group really didn't emerge, IMO, until Darryl started coaching. Conroy, Iginla, yelle, kipper, regehr (I'd probably throw Ference in their too) all blossomed into really good players during this time period.

It isn't totally clear which players will be part of that core on the current Version of the Flames, but I can definitely see the start of something. Bouma and Monahan, seem like sure things and Colborne, I believe, is on the brink as well. For some reason, I have a gut feeling about Reinhart.

Time will tell. It's exciting.

[FlamesAddiction]

For the fan of a rebuilding team, this is the part of the season that is always the most exciting.

Although I was hoping for a surprise and wanted to see an effort towards that goal, like most people, the realist in me was resigned to the fact that the playoffs were long shot.

Now we're at the point where we get to see the kids play for jobs next year and where they can play for pride without the stakes being too high.