[GDT] Flames vs Blues, 7:30 MST. Sportsnet 360, Fan 960

[Puppet Guy]

Feels like a long time between games, doesn't it? Sunday brought the Flames back to the win column, and they look to make it two when they host the Blues tonight.

a little pre-game news (courtesy of www.calgarysun.com)

Without forward Jaden Schwartz (sidelined with a right ankle injury), the Blues have been struggling to find someone who can score. Shut out for the fourth time this season, Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets saw the Blues blanked for a second time in their past four games. During that four-game stretch, they have one five-on-five goal and turned over the puck often. “It’s hard to create offence when you’re playing in your own zone,” Blues head coach Mike Yeo told Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. “We’re giving up 40-plus shots a night right now, and that means the other team has the puck too much, so we have to be sharper.”

Blues LW Alex Steen has gone 15 straight games without a goal … D Alex Pietrangelo and C Kyle Brodziak returned from injuries on Sunday against the Jets … The Blues have a 7-2 record against Canadian teams this season, having lost 7-4 to the Flames on Nov. 13 … Wednesday’s game is the third and final match-up between the teams … The Blues are amid a stretch that sees them play 10 games in 17 days leading into Christmas … The St. Louis squad is 16-2-1 in games it scores first.

Lineups, subject to change and mixing (www.dailyfaceoff.com)

FLAMES

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Bennett - Jankowski - Hathaway
Brouwer - Stajan - Jagr

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone

Smith (unconfirmed)

BLUES

Sobotka - Schenn - Tarasenko
Steen - Stastny - Thompson
Paajarvi - Berglund - Barabashev
Upshall - Brodziak - Jaskin

Pietrangelo - Gunnarsson
Edmundson - Parayko
Dunn - Bortuzzo

Allen (unconfirmed)

Nothing like a rout of a rival to bring the good vibes back. Our Hero and his pals feel like dancin' tonight against the Blues. And they can't be stopped - they're on a mission from God:

Spoiler!

Go Flames

[YYC in LAX]

[GioforPM]

The PP changes are the most interesting thing to watch tonight IMO. The Flames are pretty good 5-5. The PP has killed them.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The PP changes are the most interesting thing to watch tonight IMO. The Flames are pretty good 5-5. The PP has killed them.

Agreed. It looked better in Vancouver, so hopefully is turning a corner.

[David Struch]

Remember that time Brent Sutter sent out five defencemen on the power play... it was Bouwmeester, Giordano, Sarich, Mikkelson and Babchuk.

[Gaskal]

I'm actually leaning towards Rittich for the start. Wouldn't complain if it is Smith, but I'd like Rittich to actually get a start at home.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Remember that time Brent Sutter sent out five defencemen on the power play... it was Bouwmeester, Giordano, Sarich, Mikkelson and Babchuk.

I'm sure that was to send a message. But Jaybo could skate the puck, Gio has a great wrister and makes good plays, and IIRC Babchuk had a bomb.
Put Mikkelson and Sarich in front of the net. And they couldn't do worse than the Flames last few games (aside from the Ferland goal last time out).

ETA: GG could do better with the present D corps.

[JohnnyTitan]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

Blues LW Alex Steen has gone 15 straight games without a goal

Oh no! Look for Steen to light the lamp against us tonight!

Go Flames. I feel a solid 3-1 win coming on! (Steen with the Blues goal, of course)

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

I'm actually leaning towards Rittich for the start. Wouldn't complain if it is Smith, but I'd like Rittich to actually get a start at home.

We’re fighting over 2 legit goalies getting the start...

It’s been a looong time. Personally, I start Rittich. If he loses, we lose. But if he wins it against a team like the Blues, it would be wise to ride a hot goalie, kind of what we did last season.

[OmegaV4]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

We’re fighting over 2 legit goalies getting the start...

It’s been a looong time. Personally, I start Rittich. If he loses, we lose. But if he wins it against a team like the Blues, it would be wise to ride a hot goalie, kind of what we did last season.

I agree with this. I get that Smith is the number 1, but I'd like to see Rittich get a few back to backs. See how he handles that situation in the NHL.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

We’re fighting over 2 legit goalies getting the start...

It’s been a looong time. Personally, I start Rittich. If he loses, we lose. But if he wins it against a team like the Blues, it would be wise to ride a hot goalie, kind of what we did last season.

I don't like this idea. Heading into the season I think everyone agreed that an ideal situation would see a a 2:1 or 3:1 split in games between two goalies, with Smith getting most of the starts. If the coaching staff decided now to start riding the hot-hand, I would worry about both Smith and Rittich sitting for too many games between starts. The coaching staff has a playing schedule and they will almost certainly stick to it: since Rittich has been recalled from Stockton the workload has been distributed 9:3, which is very close to how most of us predicted the season would go.

The Flames have 48 games remaining. I think it is reasonable to expect Rittich to start at least another 10, but probably not more than 15. I am sure he will get at least one or two home games in that stretch.

[Toonage]

Remember that great shoot out win against the Blues right before Xmas a few years back? When Gio tied it late? I got a good feeling about tonight.

[dash_pinched]

First off, big two points. Also, can we please keep Paul Stastny off the score sheet, that guy is a Flames killer.

Go Flames Go!

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Remember that great OT win against the Blues right before Xmas a few years back? When Gio tied it? I got a good feeling about tonight.

Yes. Wasn't it with 20 seconds left in OT too?

I bought a 3 game pack that year and went to three games in three weeks. Oilers, Pens and Blues. They beat the Blues to end a 4 game losing streak, but then shutout their next two games, in fact they were shutout in 5 of their next 7 games. With the exception of tonight, I hope history doesn't repeat itself!

[Zoller]

Blues are going to come out swinging after being shut out in Winnipeg.

Smith is going to need to stand on his head for this one

[dino7c]

Let's not go overboard with Rittich...he has played well but had incredibly easy matchups. He made 16 saves Sunday.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Remember that time Brent Sutter sent out five defencemen on the power play... it was Bouwmeester, Giordano, Sarich, Mikkelson and Babchuk.

I pride myself on my memory of Flames players over the years, but I had no recollection of Brendan Mikkelson as a Flames.

Had to look it up and was shocked he played 19 games as a Flames and me having no memory of him.

I'm getting old.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Zoller

Blues are going to come out swinging after being shut out in Winnipeg.

Smith is going to need to stand on his head for this one

The Flames have handily outshot their opposition in ten straight games, registering an average of 37 shots on goal per game while allowing 27 in that stretch. Smith needs to be good, but if he is good there should be no problem for the Flames.

[Travis Munroe]

Rittich also stopped a boatload of shots against Colorado. Perhaps he would face 2x the shots if he played the puck which often leads to a soft breakout and turnover back into the zone.
IMO, it is a no doubter to go back to Rittich against an elite opponent. 1) he hasn't lost, 2) the team has looked great in front of him 3) lets find out if Smiths playing of the puck really is hurting the breakout because in 3 games so far, it would appear that way.

Don't get me wrong, Smith has been beyond good for us but something just seems off with the team despite his awesome play and I think we should be digging into why that is and just how much the puck playing hurts the breakout.

[dino7c]

Rittich played against 3 terrible teams...tends to help the break out.