GT: Nov. 25: Heat visit the Houston Aeros - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Freeway · 11-25-2012, 12:51 AM

A three-game trek to the heart of Texas concludes tonight for the Baby Flames!

Your beloved ABBOTSFORD HEAT (12-2-1-2)
visit the hated HOUSTON AEROS (8-6-1-2)
live at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas

Time: 4:05pm MT
Radio: TeamRadio.ca
Television: AHL Live (subscription)

This is the first of four meetings between these two teams this year.
The Heat went 5-1-2 against the Aeros last season.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
PP: Abbotsford (16.9%, 15th), Houston (22.4%, 5th)
PK: Abbotsford (92.5%, 1st), Houston (81%, 21st)

LEADERS:
Goals: Roman Horak (10) and Jason Zucker (8)
Assists: Ben Street (11) and Brian Connelly (10)
Points: Sven Baertschi (16) and Justin Fontaine (15)
Plus/Minus: Chris Breen (+10) and David McIntyre (+7)
PIM: Zach McKelvie (43) and Drew Bagnall (43)
Shots: Ben Street (62) and David McIntyre (41)
Wins: Danny Taylor & Barry Brust (5) and Matt Hackett (5)
Minutes Played: Danny Taylor (485) and Matt Hackett (747)

Alberta_Beef · 11-25-2012, 02:15 AM

It really blows that the game starts the same time as the Grey Cup. It looks like I will have to watch the Heat with glances at my computer in between plays.

Go Heat and Go Stamps.

agulati · 11-25-2012, 10:37 AM

It will be interesting to see who gets the start tonight. I think it will be Taylor. I hope Sylvester draws in for this game.

REDVAN · 11-25-2012, 11:39 AM

I'll be at this game!!!

StrykerSteve · 11-25-2012, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freeway

A three-game trek to the heart of Texas concludes tonight for the Baby Flames!

Your beloved ABBOTSFORD HEAT (12-2-1-2)
visit the hated HOUSTON AEROS (8-6-1-2)
live at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas

Time: 4:05pm MT
Radio: TeamRadio.ca
Television: AHL Live (subscription)

This is the first of four meetings between these two teams this year.
The Heat went 5-1-2 against the Aeros last season.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
PP: Abbotsford (16.9%, 15th), Houston (22.4%, 5th)
PK: Abbotsford (92.5%, 1st), Houston (81%, 21st)

LEADERS:
Goals: Roman Horak (10) and Jason Zucker (8)
Assists: Ben Street (11) and Brian Connelly (10)
Points: Sven Baertschi (16) and Justin Fontaine (15)
Plus/Minus: Chris Breen (+10) and David McIntyre (+7)
PIM: Zach McKelvie (43) and Drew Bagnall (43)
Shots: Ben Street (62) and David McIntyre (41)
Wins: Danny Taylor & Barry Brust (5) and Matt Hackett (5)
Minutes Played: Danny Taylor (485) and Matt Hackett (747)

I love the spread out scoring this team has. Different leaders for every category with the exception of Street leading shots and assists.

He's been a fantastic pick up by Feaster, I remember saying Ben Who? when they signed him.

Pierre "Monster" McGuire · 11-25-2012, 12:33 PM

C'mon Heat, make it a sweep of the weekend!

MisterJoji · 11-25-2012, 01:49 PM

Just noticed Breen's +/-, is this a byproduct of being on a good team or has his defense improved? Admittedly, I don't get to watch a lot of Heat games, but we could always use a big, strong defensive Dman. Assuming Brodie is already pencilled in with the big club, do you think Breen would be the 1st injury call-up (provided there is a season)?

REDVAN · 11-25-2012, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I'll be at this game!!!

\

In case anyone elase will be there, I'll be the guy cheering for Abbotsford... I'll assume any other Abby fans are also Flames fans.

Pierre "Monster" McGuire · 11-25-2012, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

Just noticed Breen's +/-, is this a byproduct of being on a good team or has his defense improved? Admittedly, I don't get to watch a lot of Heat games, but we could always use a big, strong defensive Dman. Assuming Brodie is already pencilled in with the big club, do you think Breen would be the 1st injury call-up (provided there is a season)?

He's benefitting from several factors including playing with McCarthy (instead of Connelly or Wilson, who weren't all that defensively responsible).

But most of all, he's far more improved this season. Easily the most improved player on the team. The biggest difference I've noticed is his aggressiveness. He actually goes for big hits when it makes sense. He'll protect his goalie by doing more than just pushing the guy away - he'll actually punch 'em in the face if they hack at his goalie. He even sticks up for his players by fighting, which is something he never used to do in the previous two years.

His biggest obstacle in getting to the NHL, at this point, is his back-to-front transition skating. His transition is a pretty slow and I think it'd be exploited in the NHL by even a player with average speed.

3 Justin 3 · 11-25-2012, 02:43 PM

The AHL has the dumbest scheduling in all of sports. They'll play back-to-back games then get a week off and then play back-to-back games again.

If that wasn't bad enough they now have a triple game set which I have never seen before.

Who thought this was a good idea?

Anyway, go Heat!

Pierre "Monster" McGuire · 11-25-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

The AHL has the dumbest scheduling in all of sports. They'll play back-to-back games then get a week off and then play back-to-back games again.

If that wasn't bad enough they now have a triple game set which I have never seen before.

Who thought this was a good idea?

Anyway, go Heat!

Look at this way: Anyone on the Heat that graduates to the NHL will be more than prepared for the back-to-back NHL grinds.

Alberta_Beef · 11-25-2012, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

The AHL has the dumbest scheduling in all of sports. They'll play back-to-back games then get a week off and then play back-to-back games again.

If that wasn't bad enough they now have a triple game set which I have never seen before.

Who thought this was a good idea?

Anyway, go Heat!

the CHL does this quite often as well. The reason for this in lower leagues is that they are leagues that depend more on gate revenue since they don't have the TV money or merchandise sales and teams draw better on weekends.

You also have to consider Abbotsford's schedule has more back to backs than other teams because there is no teams near them at all, in fact the nearest team to Abbotsford is actually Oklahoma City, which is about 3400km away.

thymebalm · 11-25-2012, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

the CHL does this quite often as well. The reason for this in lower leagues is that they are leagues that depend more on gate revenue since they don't have the TV money or merchandise sales and teams draw better on weekends.

You also have to consider Abbotsford's schedule has more back to backs than other teams because there is no teams near them at all, in fact the nearest team to Abbotsford is actually Oklahoma City, which is about 3400km away.

Does anyone know why Saskatchewan doesn't have an AHL team? It just seems like the Heat would have way more fans and less travel in that province than in BC..

moon · 11-25-2012, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thymebalm

Does anyone know why Saskatchewan doesn't have an AHL team? It just seems like the Heat would have way more fans and less travel in that province than in BC..

Because they already have WHL teams in any market that would make sense for the AHL to go to.

Alberta_Beef · 11-25-2012, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thymebalm

Does anyone know why Saskatchewan doesn't have an AHL team? It just seems like the Heat would have way more fans and less travel in that province than in BC..

same reason there is no AHL teams in western Canada other than Abbotsford. Canadian markets are more likely to support the CHL as it is engrained deeper into our heritage.

Look at the difference in support between what the Oil Kings get in Edmonton and what the Roadrunners got when they were there. Another example is Chiliwack and Abbotsford, when both were in the Fraser valley the Heat only average 500 more fans per game despite Abbotsford being at least 50,000 people larger.

thymebalm · 11-25-2012, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

Because they already have WHL teams in any market that would make sense for the AHL to go to.

Right... but say a city like Portland, they've got a WHL team and AHL team.

There are places where both leagues co-exist. Is there any other reason? Is the AHL afraid of the WHL? Is there some kind of anti-competition law/rule in effect?

Alberta_Beef · 11-25-2012, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thymebalm

Right... but say a city like Portland, they've got a WHL team and AHL team.

There are places where both leagues co-exist. Is there any other reason? Is the AHL afraid of the WHL? Is there some kind of anti-competition law/rule in effect?

they are different Portland's. The Pirates play in Portland Maine.

The only AHL team that shares a market with a CHL team is Toronto.

BACKCHECK!!! · 11-25-2012, 03:21 PM

Hey, who wants to go see the Peoria Rivermen play against Wilkes-Barre on a Wednesday night?

Ooh ooh!! I do!! The Library is just too busy for me, I LITERALLY want to be to the only person in a 5000 person facility that doesn't work there.

Ashasx · 11-25-2012, 03:22 PM

Saskatchewan has enough trouble supporting their own WHL teams. They can't support an AHL team right now.

thymebalm · 11-25-2012, 03:35 PM

I don't know... I don't think Abbotsford is a bad choice based on its proximity to the major club and the fact that's its in Canada where people enjoy hockey. It's just very strange. The media here basically flat out refuses to treat the team as one of its own. Attendance is up, but I don't know how Ryan Walter is going to convince the lower mainland to embrace what is ostensibly -their- hockey club.