[PGT] Flames win in LA 1-0! Rittich SO!

[flamesfever]

I think the SO has earned Rittich the next game.

[Firebot]

The salt is huge on ATL tonight, especially from the salty Oilers fans. Cannot wait to see Gaskal's report

[Nelson]

Rittich and Hamonic were excellent.

I liked the Bennett - Ryan - Frolik line.


The Flames continue to not give up much.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by AC

Didn't they just play, and lose to, Florida?

Florida was the worst team in the league at the time.

Also facing Detroit last Saturday

[the2bears]

Hamonic getting lots of love from the LA broadcast team.

[direwolf]

2 points, baby!

Not the best game, but the Flames did what they needed to do to hang onto their lead. Pretty solid team effort all around.

Hell of a game by Rittich. This guy should legitimately be our #1 for at least the next several games, or until he loses. Let Smith ride the pine for a while and hopefully it'll motivate him to be better going forward.

1st line is trying to be way too cute over these last couple of games. They need to get back to what's made them one of the top lines in hockey this year, which is to shoot the damn puck! If they do that, I'm confident the goals will start coming in bunches again.

Hamonic is a beast.

Loved Bennett's effort as well tonight. Poor guy is snakebitten offensively. But he seems to bring it every single night, and I love that about him. He was a thorn in the Kings' side all night tonight.

Winning is fun!

[GirlySports]

Great hard fought win

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Not a pretty win but it's good to see they can play this type of game and win convincingly.

Flames controlled the play for 80% of the game. They could have won 3-1 or 4-1.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Statement game from Rittich. With all the angst about our goaltending, he responds with a SHUTOUT. Pressure? What pressure?

Unfortunate it was so close at the end but you take the two points every time.

Hrudey thinks you should reconsider Smith starting tomorrow...

Na, you always start the backup in the second of back to back games

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Firebot

The salt is huge on ATL tonight, especially from the salty Oilers fans. Cannot wait to see Gaskal's report

Can't wait to read all about calgarys easy schedule (which has been harder than theirs) and how another team laid down for Calgary (duh they're the worst team in the league)

[Redrum]

I have to say I was getting a little worried when they suddenly started calling things. Even though it started with our PP. Luckily a false alarm.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

Sigalet has Rittich playing at such a high level. Really impressed with his coaching.

[kermitology]

Rittich looked great, tracking really well. Kings didn’t have a great game, but they had a couple of great scoring chances and Rittich was easily matching them.

The top two lines weren’t very good tonight. Lindholm and Backlund were excellent on the PK, but the top line was more focused on making pretty plays than driving the net.

Backlund’s line was slow and ineffective.

Bottom two lines were great, Bennett was flying, Hathaway too. Czarnik looked pretty good and Jankowski was pretty good too. Ryan has no finish. He seemed like a passenger with Bennett.

I’d like to see a little shuffle:

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Neal
Tkachuk - Monahan - Czarnik (Dube when he’s back)
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik
Ryan - Jankowski - Hathaway

Nothing more to say about his game. Unreal. Brodie was solid too.

[yourbestfriend]

Character win. Yeah LA isn't great, but to be able to play against a pretty heavy team and essentially lock them down the entire game says something about the adaptability and resilience of our team. Not every game is going to be a barn burner where we rely on the top line to score all the goals.
Outside of Hammer, Hathaway and Bennett had good games. Jankowski looked better too.

[GioforPM]

First line was also hampered a bit by horrible ice.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

I think you gotta go back to Rittich. They did the same for Smith earlier this year IIRC, he played back to back when Rittich was slated to get the next start.

Go with the hot hand while you can.

Flames only played back to back once prior to this weekend and it was Toronto/buffalo and each goalie got a start.

Unless you’re thinking of when smith started in STL after he got the SO in NASH. That wasn’t back to back but a situation where Peters went against his initial plan.

[DomeFoam]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Na, you always start the backup in the second of back to back games

I’d rather have an empty net and an extra skater

[FlamesAreOne]

Originally Posted by Firebot

The salt is huge on ATL tonight, especially from the salty Oilers fans. Cannot wait to see Gaskal's report

I cheated a took a peak at the Oilers boards. You won't be disappointed by their salt.

[chubeyr1]

I must say this has to be Travis Hamonics best game I ever watched. Normally when I notice a dman its for all the wrong reasons. He was a stud this game!

Rittich? Can’t complain about a shutout. Made all the saves he should’ve. He should be starting tomorrow!

Hathaway had a great game too. I know the guy is a plug, at least that is what most people think. He was involved physically all game long, not to mention setting the screen on the harmonic goal.

Backlund must be playing hurt!

Ryan so far has not impressed me at all.

Happy for the win. The win was deserved.

Start Rittich next game and give Smith 4 days off to find his game. I like Smith but if he continues to play the way he has we miss the playoffs. Play the hot goalie!

[Jeff Lebowski]