[Game Takes] Flames 4 Sharks 1

[Bingo]

http://www.calgarypuck.com/2013/03/k...s-best-sharks/

[badger89]

Wow, that was fast!

[Lanny'sDaMan]

I would disagree with your goat, and give the horns to Mr Bean himself, Giordano. The lone Sharks goal is squarely on him and that weak sauce play against the boards.

[Roof-Daddy]

Just noticed that the Sharks have scored the second fewest goals per game in the league so far this year.

How is that even possible with Thornton, Marleau, Clowe, Pavelski, Couture, Havlat, Boyle, etc?

Wow.

[SOMBRI2]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Just noticed that the Sharks have scored the second fewest goals per game in the league so far this year.

How is that even possible with Thornton, Marleau, Clowe, Pavelski, Couture, Havlat, Boyle, etc?

Wow.

As much as Big Joe is one of the elite C in the league, I feel he does slow down the plays a bit often. Sharks play extremely well with speed and forechecking. But not when Joe decides to spin / slow down the plays.

I don't even notice Havlat...he has dropped out of the radar quite a bit.

[flames_fan_down_under]

I must say it was such a breath of fresh air to have Kipper back in net for Calgary. He was amazing tonight and always seems to make it look so much easier than the other guys.

GO FLAMES!

[KootenayFlamesFan]

You were asking about Backlund's return Bingo..........I think Sven gets sent down. If he can't play a shift in the 3rd I'd rather have him down in the 'A' putting up points and gaining confidence.

[dying4acup]

Originally Posted by Bingo

1. Miikka Kiprusoff: Elite goaltending. You kind of forget what that’s like. You definitely take it for granted at times. Kiprusoff wasn’t great to start the season, and Joey MacDonald has been great, but that was some pretty special goaltending.

That line says it all.

I actually don't think this team has played badly over the last month. I just think people forget how much one save at the right time increases one teams confidence and reduces another teams.

Easily, an early goal by the sharks changes the outcome of this game. Not to mention that if another goalie is in net, teams have no fear that the flames can protect a 1 goal lead.

I respect what Macdonald/Irving/Brust did, playing .500+ hockey, but lets be honest, none of them have been better than #3 on an NHL team for a season, let alone #2 or #1.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Lanny'sDaMan

I would disagree with your goat, and give the horns to Mr Bean himself, Giordano. The lone Sharks goal is squarely on him and that weak sauce play against the boards.

Yeah it wasn't a good play. IIRC Giordano has been criticized before that as his playing time goes up his play suffers. He very rarely rushes the puck now and doesn't even skate the puck out much. Maybe he's pacing himself or he lacks the energy plus he's playing against better competition. On the other hand Bouwmeester is playing great with him as his partner, so the trade off isn't bad.

[kenk-la]

Originally Posted by SOMBRI2

As much as Big Joe is one of the elite C in the league, I feel he does slow down the plays a bit often. Sharks play extremely well with speed and forechecking. But not when Joe decides to spin / slow down the plays.

I don't even notice Havlat...he has dropped out of the radar quite a bit.

Havlat is injured and wasn't dressed tonight. I've watched a fair amount of Sharks games both this season and in years past and I think you hit the nail on the head in terms of the style best suited for them: puck possession, speed, and a hard forecheck.

I'll give you my take on their offensive woes this season: Joe Thornton has played fairly well this season, Sharks fans shouldn't be overly upset with his effort game in and game out. Could he improve? Absolutely, but his play on the defensive side of the puck has been impressive. Marleau has always been a streaky scorer and he's just not scoring right now. Havlat has been injury plagued while with the Sharks (and everyone else too).. Pavelski and Couture have played well, but not spectacularly. Ryan Clowe has been horrible all season long, whether it be stupid momentum sapping penalties or just not making the smart/simple play. The secondary scoring from the depth players and the defence has been non-existent for the Sharks, this is a major problem for them. Some positives are that they're still in the playoff picture due to their impressive start, their defensive play, their much improved penalty kill, and their two MVPs thus far: Antti Niemi and Brad Stuart.

The Flames played an incredibly solid game from the net on out, Kiprusoff has a calming affect on the team for sure. I hope they can continue this, but they've taken us down this road before. Only time will tell.

[Frank MetaMusil]

I'm truly sorry D'arcy.

Please don't ban me.....



Writeup was good. Goat should have been Clowe. Tried to start fights a few times and Hartley was quick to match lines and prevent an uneven scrap.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Just noticed that the Sharks have scored the second fewest goals per game in the league so far this year.

How is that even possible with Thornton, Marleau, Clowe, Pavelski, Couture, Havlat, Boyle, etc?

Wow.

The Sharks are a puzzling team that should be asking the questions we were 3 years ago.

They seem like a prime Ottawa rebuild in terms of dealing guys like Marleau, Havlat, Murray, Boyle and coming back with a group of Pavelski, Couture, Thorton and Burns.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by moon

The Sharks are a puzzling team that should be asking the questions we were 3 years ago.

They seem like a prime Ottawa rebuild in terms of dealing guys like Marleau, Havlat, Murray, Boyle and coming back with a group of Pavelski, Couture, Thorton and Burns.

LOL, in the past 4 seasons they have finished QF, CF, CF, QF as a playoff team.

People want to bash Calgary for not being a playoff team for 3 seasons (8 playoff series), so I guess San Jose is just as bad?

Where is the benchmark between crap and decent?

[BACKCHECK!!!]

I'd like to see Sven get 10-15 mins most nights.

Don't mind seeing him get short-benched from time to time, especially against a huge team like the Sharks, on a night where things aren't going his way.

But Comeau got every chance in the world to produce, was given first line minutes, loads of time on both special teams, and aside from some decent PK shifts, he absolutely did not step up to the task. Hartley kept giving him chances, force-feeding him minutes, and now he's got a whopping ONE effing goal.

Baertschi gets pushed around a couple of times in the first period, while he generates two scoring chances, and he gets benched for the game. Which is pretty much how Hartley has dealt with Sven all season.

You might point out that Comeau has scored 24 goals in the NHL, but I'll point out that was a total and complete fluke, and Comeau never even broke 24 goals in the WHL. He had one fluke season, getting loads of minutes on the worst team in the NHL (who were then willing to give him away for nothing), and has given every indication that he is a bubble NHLer.

Baertschi has given every indication that he will be a legit top-6 NHLer. Compared to Comeau has a higher PPG in juniors, a higher PPG in the AHL, and almost as many PPG in the NHL despite injuries and getting the shaft for ice time.

I'd deal Comeau, or send him to AHL, before I'd send Baertschi back to the Heat.

[TurnedTheCorner]

I'm in the camp with those who suggest keeping Baertschi around. When the team's clicking and Backlund is healthy, I slot Backlund on line 3, bump down Stajan and shift Comeau back to the wing. You platoon Jackman, Comeau. McGrattan and Begin in and out of the lineup on the fourth depending on level of play, the schedule, and the opposition. This gives you the option of juggling Stajan and Backlund up in the roster if the lines aren't clicking on any given night.

To comment on the article, the lines seemed off in the write-up as Glencross seemed to be with Stajan and Stempniak most of the night, with Baertschi alongside Cammalleri and Tanguay when he played. BTW, Glencross-Stajan-Stempniak is a helluva third line.

[FBI]

So how many of you penciled in wins against the Canucks and sharks on bingos spreadsheet?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by FBI

So how many of you penciled in wins against the Canucks and sharks on bingos spreadsheet?

I believe I picked both games as losses although I didn't factor in Kipper returning for them. That's the Flames for you. Just when you count them out after a slow start to the season they rise up and get back into the thick of things. The issue has been that they run out of steam before the end of the season. We have seen this song and dance before from this team where they falter at the end but hopefully in this shortened season they can maintain the good play to the last game of the regular season.

I kind of hope they send Sven back down when Backlund gets back into the lineup. Playing him sparingly isn't going to help his developement like playing top line minutes in Abbotsford.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

But Comeau got every chance in the world to produce, was given first line minutes, loads of time on both special teams, and aside from some decent PK shifts, he absolutely did not step up to the task. Hartley kept giving him chances, force-feeding him minutes, and now he's got a whopping ONE effing goal.

I don't get the coach love for this guy. Although I'm not a fan I can admit he has been solid on the PK and is a solid 4th line player. What bugs me is that the guy finally does something positive offensively for the first time all season and he get's instantly bumped to the 2nd line where he instantly reduces the effectiveness of the line for the rest of the game. Honestly what's the point of playing non-creative guy Comeau with a creative guy like Tangs? They cancel each other out. I wish the coach would just let him play in the role he's good at rather than try to force him onto the scoring lines where is hasn't worked for two seasons now.

[Bingo]

Baertschi turned the puck over a few times, including on the powerplay and was over powered in the corner over and over again

he didn't look like an NHL player

that's why he got sat ...

Comeau isn't gifted, but he's quick and he's strong in the corners. He's a good 4th line player that gets elevated when he has jam. Scotty Bowman did that for years ... find 9 players up front that "had it" and build 3 lines out of it.

[Joborule]

I see the argument of seeing what Baertschi does with Backlund when he comes back, but Baertschi is such a feather out there right now. He isn't ready for the big man's game of the NHL yet. Will have to hit the gym and protein shakes hard this off season.