[GDT] Flames @ Coyotes, 7 pm, SNW

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Most of the images, like the games against the Coyotes, are quite boring.


Flames: 25-25-3, 53 points, 6th in Pacific, 12th in West, 25th in NHL.

Coyotes: 24-23-6, 54 points, 5th in Pacific, 11th in West, 24th in NHL.


I have no words for that game last night. I wouldn't even know where to start, so I won't even try. However, the Flames managed 2 points on the road under trying circumstances. Now all of a sudden they are back in the playoff race, albeit still pretty far back of a spot. Winning 4 of your last 5 will do that though. The Flames still have a shot if they continue to win. They're now just 1 point back of the Coyotes with equal games played. A win tonight will leapfrog them over the Coyotes and put them just 1 point back of Vancouver with equal games played. And just for fun, a win tonight with a Nashville loss would put them 3 points out of the playoffs with a game in hand on the Predators. Not bad when you consider that this team was dead in the water before the all-star break.

Here's the bad news though. Ramo is out for tonight and had to be helped off the ice last night. No word yet, but according to Hartley, "It doesn't look good." Chances are Ramo will be out for several weeks...maybe even the season. The Flames will have to rely on Jonas Hiller to get the job done; a goalie who hasn't managed to get his save % above .900 all year. Kudos to him though, he came in last night ice cold and stoned the Sharks to give the Flames the win. We need more of that Hiller and less of the bad Hiller if there's a real shot at the playoffs.

As for the Coyotes, it looks more and more like their hot start this year was an aberration. They've really come back down to earth over recent weeks with just 2 wins in their last 11 games. They've won both games against the Flames this year, both by a score of 2-1. That's surprising because they're actually one of the worst defensive teams all of a sudden with 163 GA, ranking them 3rd worst in GA/G. Like the Flames, they're not good on the penalty kill, and their goalies have been a bit of a mess this year. Louis Domingue has come in and split time with Mike Smith and Anders Lindback, posting the best numbers of all 3, yet he's struggled of late allowing 5 goals against in 3 straight games (before his last game against Vancouver). However, they do have a pretty decent power play ranked 16th, which is roughly where their GF numbers are. Of course Oliver Ekman-Larsson leads the team with 38 points, but Max Domi and Anthony Duclair have continued to provide some regular offense. The surprise has been Mikael Boedker, who has become one of their best offensive forwards this year along with Tobias Rieder. There's definitely a changing of the guard going on in Arizona as the Doan's, Vermette's, and Hanzal's are slowly giving way to the younger players, but they aren't ready for the playoffs just yet.

Roster Notes: Ramo is definitely out for tonight's game, but there's no further word on his status yet. Hiller will be the goalie tonight. No word yet on who would be recalled from Stockton. David Jones left the game after blocking a shot and is questionable for tonight's game. Mike Smith remains sidelined with an abdominal injury, but he started practicing again with the club this week. Boyd Gordon is week to week with an upper body injury, and Joe Vitale is out for the season with a concussion.


Flames
Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland-Granlund-Jooris
Bollig-Stajan-Colborne

Giordano-Brodie
Russell-Hamilton
Smid-Engelland

Hiller

Coyotes
Rieder-Vermette-Boedker
Domi-Hanzal-Duclair
Martinook-Richardson-Doan
Chipchura-Gaudet-Connauton

Ekman-Larsson-Murphy
Dahlbeck-Michalek
Grossman-Stone

Domingue




Go Flames Go!!!!!!

[Puppet Guy]

Coyotes shouldn't do peyote:

Spoiler!

GO FLAMES

[Fire in the disco]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

Coyotes shouldn't do peyote:

Spoiler!

GO FLAMES

That's my favourite one yet!! Thanks

What a weird game last night. Hopefully Hiller is feeling it and we can leave the desert with 2 more points! GFG

[Erick Estrada]

I had an inkling that they Flames may come out hard last night with the after the benching incident but this game IMO is going to be a bigger test as it's back to back against a team that has outplayed them this season head to head. That said the Coyotes kind of look of late like a team that has decided they need to get involved in the draft lottery.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

Coyotes shouldn't do peyote:

Spoiler!

GO FLAMES

Ok, this is my favorite so far. Well done.

[Vinny01]

If Hiller plays like he did last night the Flames have a good chance of winning.

[Monahan For Mayor]

Just me or does it seem like Granlund has been winning lore face offs lately ? Him and Ferland have looked good together also.

[Toonage]

Domingue looked unbeatable last time out, so hopefully he'll come back down to Earth against the Flames too.

Flames 3 Coyotes 2

[polak]

If they can pull this one off then maybe this will turn into the streak they so desperately need.

Hopefully Hiller can play like he did last night.

[cznTiburon]

Smid looked bad last night. My guess is he looks bad tonight and Nakladal continues to wonder what he did to Hartley while eating popcorn in the press box

[CroFlames]

Win in regulation tonight and you leap frog the Coyotes in the standings and you're only 3 points adrift from a Wild Card spot.

I haven't given up hope.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by cznTiburon

Smid looked bad last night. My guess is he looks bad tonight and Nakladal continues to wonder what he did to Hartley while eating popcorn in the press box

Ha. If Nakladal plays more than 1 minute tonight, I'll sell all my belongings, donate it to the poor, divorce my wife, and become a solitary monk in Calcutta the rest of my life.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by cznTiburon

Smid looked bad last night. My guess is he looks bad tonight and Nakladal continues to wonder what he did to Hartley while eating popcorn in the press box

I don't disagree that he was the main culprit on 2 goals where he could have easily handled the situation. However, the team won, and Hartley very rarely changes the lineup after a win. Nobody should expect any changes tonight.

[Erick Estrada]

Smid could put two pucks in the Flames net on purpose tonight and he would still suit up for the next game. Hartley has a weird thing with defensemen where he doesn't care what you do in practice as he's all about trust and he doesn't trust rookie defensemen in game situations.

[heep223]

GFG. Huge game. Have to miss it again, or at least part of it. First two games I've missed in a year.

It's nice having two legit scoring lines at the moment. Something the Flames haven't had in...well, I can't remember the last time.

[FBI]

Hmm all of us are destroyed from yesterday's game. Wonder how the flames are doing. Big mental test here tonight.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

I really can't believe Nakladal isn't getting more opportunities. Smid and Engelland have both been pretty terrible the last couple games. Hartley has way too much loyalty to his regular veterans.

Hopefully the Flames have enough gas in the tank after that dumb, stupid, silly, ridiculous, bloody game last night.

[Hockey-and_stuff]

It was an extremely emotional game last night. It will be hard for the Flames to get pumped up for this one.

If they can survive Arizona early until they get their legs under them then they have a chance to win.

[IgiTang]

Somethings in the works, it has to be.

Nakladal will get tons of playing time after the deadline and there are a few holes on this team.

I truly feel there is a plan, because the Nakladal handling makes such little sense.

It's all about showcasing the guys BT is interested in moving
There has to be a plan. Right?

[heep223]

I'll add that Flames PP is no longer dead last in the league. They are 5/15 with the man advantage since Wideman has been sitting out. Hamilton looks way better in his spot.