[GDT] Flames vs Lightning, Sportsnet 360, Fan 960 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Puppet Guy · 02-01-2018, 09:58 AM

Well, Tuesday's game sucked more than a herd of Hoovers, but the losing has to end sometime. The Flames seek to end the misery tonight when the Lighting visit the 'Dome.

some table-setting (www.calgarysun.com)

Quote:

With a 34-13-3 record, the Lightning are perched atop the NHL’s overall standings, although their short list of setbacks does include a 5-1 thumping from the Flames in mid-January. The Bolts played host this past weekend to the 2018 NHL All-Star Game, and there was no shortage of local content, with goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and forwards Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos selected to Team Atlantic. Point was a replacement for teammate Victor Hedman, the stud blueliner who is now back in action after missing five games with a lower-body injury.

There’s one guy who has certainly been pulling his weight during the Flames five-game skid. Surging sophomore Matthew Tkachuk notched a sneaky wraparound goal Tuesday against the Golden Knights. The 20-year-old left-winger has now provided four of the Flames’ past eight lamp-lightings. Tkachuk totalled seven tallies in the month of January, tops on the team, and has become a regular on the first power-play unit, too.

Brayden Point wasn’t the biggest name at the all-star showcase, but this is a kid Calgary should be mighty proud of. The 21-year-old centre is a graduate of the Blackfoot minor-hockey system and the Buffaloes AAA program. He captained Team Canada at the world juniors in 2016 and is already a key piece for the Bolts. He’s posted 45 points so far as a sophomore and leads all Lightning forwards with a superb plus-20 rating.

unconfirmed lineups (www.dailyfaceoff.com)

FLAMES

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

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone

Smith

LIGHTNING

Kunitz - Stamkos - Kucherov
Gourde - Point - Johnson
Killorn - Peca - Bournival
Namestnikov - Paquette - Callahan

Hedman - Dotchin
Sergachev - Stralman
Coburn - Girardi

Vasilevskiy

...and he's beyond frustrated with the losing, so it's no more Mister Nice Puppet! Our Hero has put the band together - the Toybox Gang, Puppet World Order, whatever - and has ordered for total destruction. Smashing Lighting is the order of the day:

Spoiler!

Go Flames

Tron_fdc · 02-01-2018, 09:59 AM

Fan 960 reporting Backlund off the #1 PP, replaced by Troy "hes good at retrieving pucks" Brouwer.

SMH

Toonage · 02-01-2018, 10:01 AM

If they aren't going to play Mangiapane or Lomberg, then at the very least get Lazar off of his off wing. Move him to C or RW.

Be smarter.

Gaskal · 02-01-2018, 10:01 AM

Backlund hasn't exactly been inspiring on the PP either. He's being used as some sort of Versteeg replacement from the looks of it, but lacks the offensive and PP experience and has been fumbling pucks and blowing plays, particularly through entries in the neutral zone. And his one-timer is kind of a muffin (if it's even on target), unlike Versteeg's.

colbym72 · 02-01-2018, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Fan 960 reporting Backlund off the #1 PP, replaced by Troy "hes good at retrieving pucks" Brouwer.

SMH

It isnt the popular opinion, but I think it is important to have a right handed shot out there and its not like the PP is gonna produce less, so lets try out the Brouwerplay again

Cecil Terwilliger · 02-01-2018, 10:03 AM

No matter how much time goes by or how much their roster changes, I still hate Tampa Bay with the fire of a thousand suns.

I want nothing less than complete annihilation.

Momentarily quieting the recent hysteria on the board would just be a bonus.

rain_e · 02-01-2018, 10:04 AM

The only thing wrong with Brouwer is the salary. He's better then some other out there. Maybe its time to start ####ting on someone else now.

Gaskal · 02-01-2018, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

No matter how much time goes by or how much their roster changes, I still hate Tampa Bay with the fire of a thousand suns.

I want nothing less than complete annihilation.

Momentarily quieting the recent hysteria on the board would just be a bonus.

Being the one team in the league to somehow embarrass them at home must have made you cheerful for the next few days.

Definitely gotta help with confidence tonight.

taxbuster · 02-01-2018, 10:06 AM

Hoo boy. Can't wait for this one. Will likely need a large bottle of bourbon close by. Fortunately I have one....

Let's see, putting Brouwer on the PP is a "brilliant" idea by Coach Numbnuts #2 - didn't we already go through this before?

And maybe Coach Numbnuts #1 will remember that time outs can be called.....if need be.

No faith at all in this coaching crew - they have fumbled the team more often than I can count.

ComixZone · 02-01-2018, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colbym72

It isnt the popular opinion, but I think it is important to have a right handed shot out there and its not like the PP is gonna produce less, so lets try out the Brouwerplay again

Put Hamilton on the first freaking PP unit.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk
Hamilton - Giordano

Ferland - Jankowski - Backlund
Stone - Bennett

...why not do that? Why not try something new instead of just enjoying the utter and complete failure?

yourbestfriend · 02-01-2018, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colbym72

It isnt the popular opinion, but I think it is important to have a right handed shot out there and its not like the PP is gonna produce less, so lets try out the Brouwerplay again

Guy has hands of stone.
They'll stick him in front of the net and pray for a dirty goal.

colbym72 · 02-01-2018, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Put Hamilton on the first freaking PP unit.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk
Hamilton - Giordano

Ferland - Jankowski - Backlund
Stone - Bennett

...why not do that? Why not try something new instead of just enjoying the utter and complete failure?

I would try that too, but I have accepted that they want to go four forwards

JurassicTunga12 · 02-01-2018, 10:14 AM

At home vs a top team in the league who is looking for revenge from our last game against them - and with our PP. Can't see this one turning out too well.
I want to believe.

Tron_fdc · 02-01-2018, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colbym72

It isnt the popular opinion, but I think it is important to have a right handed shot out there and its not like the PP is gonna produce less, so lets try out the Brouwerplay again

If all we need is a RH shot with decent hands, put a dman there.

Hamilton, Stone, Hamonic are all better options at this point.

Hell, put Rittich in net during PP's and put Smith up there. Would it be any worse than what we have now????

gunnner · 02-01-2018, 10:38 AM

Im a big Ferland fan but i feel like Monahan needs to get going, so id try...

Gaudreau-Monahan- Tkachuck
Bennet-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland-Janko-Brouwer

The Boy Wonder · 02-01-2018, 10:38 AM

I mean why not try the brouwerplay again? It's not like it didn't suck for the first 25 games of the year, only kept afloat by versteeg. The refusal to adjust in a timely manner to things that all fans, media and opposing teams have noticed is gonna cost us again...

Stanley · 02-01-2018, 10:41 AM

So....what happened to Tkachuk on the 1st PP unit again?

Brick · 02-01-2018, 10:43 AM

Just win.

Northendzone · 02-01-2018, 10:48 AM

local boy brayden point returns home for one night......

Ozy_Flame · 02-01-2018, 10:58 AM

7-1 Flames. Hrivik comes out of the gates strong, and Shinkaruk and Klimchuk have 2 helps each. Foo, coming off his AHL Player of the Week award, will pot 2 goals to continue his strong play. San Jose is going to drop this to one of the AHL's best teams on Friday. Oh wait . . .