[PGT] Wild 4, Flames 2

[Bunk]

One goalie is:

20-5-5 2.56 GAA .913 Sv%

the other is:

19-12-2 2.92 GAA .895 Sv% (5th from the bottom of all goaltenders)

I don't even know how this is a conversation.

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Does anyone honestly think Smith can handle game one of the playoffs at home?

Hes going to look like Elliott or Hiller.

[Toonage]

Oh and to anyone that buys into the whole "Flames have the easiest schedule" BS. Don't. Still have to win em.

[Cortez]

Smith? More like Whiff

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Wrong. He posted seasons of .930, .910, .915, .916, .914, and .916 between 2012 and 2018.



You have no idea of any of this. Have you ever met Mike Smith? Sorry to assume, but I don't think you have.

Criticizing Mike Smith's play is one thing, but my god, I've never seen a player so personally hated on this board as Smith. People legitimately seem to hate his guts. I don't understand it.

There are literally dozens of videos of him online trashing teammates play rather than admitting he goofed it. The talk about his ego has been there for years. You dont need to have met Mike smith to know that hes a prick, you just need to have followed the league for the last decade.

Couldn't win the net in Dallas or Tampa, was the worst team canada goalie in the last decade, #1 goalie for a garbage franchise in the desert for years... and now we have him when hes older and even slower. Hes A goalie that already relied on size over skill and now the new pad sizes are leaving him exposed. A timbit player could score on his 5-hole.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by jonkaupp

Lmao good god. Rittich was smoke and mirrors but smith is skill? Lololol. And Rittich January ‘struggles’ (still won almost all his starts) we’re not even in the realm of Smiths struggles ALL season. And despite his short stretch of good play, he is still statistically one of, if not the, worst goalie in the league. Smith defenders are something else

Far from a smith fan nor do I think he should be given the long leash that he has. I just stated that when on his top form, he’s a better goalie and that’s why he’s getting more chances to establish that form. He was regaining some of that form lately but tonight was obviously a huge step back. Smith hasn’t had that top form in long enough stretches to be a number one this season.

I truly believe people forget just how good he was to start last season. He was so freaking good behind a trash team. That’s the form they are trying to get him to re establish but it’s obviously not working.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Mike Vernon cost this team more games than Mike Smith.

You must be Roman Turek.

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Smith absolutely should not start on Monday. It has to be Rittich, 100%. He'd played just as well as Smith recently entering tonight. Now, the equilibrium has shifted in favour of #33. Hope Peters gives him a decent leash against Toronto and Vegas.

I'd only be comfortable going back to Smith on Thursday against Arizona.

vs Toronto - Rittich
@ Vegas - Rittich
@ Arizona - Smith (B2B game 2)
vs Vegas - Rittich
vs New Jersey - Rittich
vs NY Rangers - Rittich
@ Winnipeg - Rittich (B2B game 2)
vs Columbus - Rittich
vs Ottawa - Smith
@ Vancouver - Rittich
vs Los Angeles - Smith
vs Dallas - Rittich
vs Anaheim - Rittich
@ San Jose - Rittich
@ Los Angeles - Smith (B2B game 2)
@ Anaheim - Smith
vs Edmonton - Rittich

12 starts for Rittich, 5 for Smith.

Yeah sure. Give Rittich these hard teams again and let Smith start against AHL rosters so he can fool you with wins and "win" the net back before the playoffs.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by Dion

Read what Brent Krahn has to say before you dismiss my point.



https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey...perts-weigh-in

Great, find an interview where Smith actually comes close to admitting his mistakes cost the Flames.
He always has great tips for how the team could do better, but for his level of give aways he should own it once in a while.

[ComixZone]

Mike Smith is a rubbish goaltender.

Super duper.

Best team in 30 years and an entirely predictable goaltending problem is the very visible Achilles heel.

He has to get his !?#% back on track, because all this team needs is league average goaltending which he has not been able to provide on any sort of consistent basis.

[dino7c]

When Smith can't find a job in the fall some of you guys can apply to be his agent...call teams and tell them about his winning record

[direwolf]

Originally Posted by zamler

Not all that much time for this team get its mojo back especially the top line.

They just won 7 straight before tonight, and the 1st line has picked it up over the last couple of games, including the tying goal tonight in the 2nd period. The team's mojo is just fine and they're playing some terrific hockey right now.

Unfortunately, goaltending is still a bit of a question mark. I think at this point you have to ride Rittich down the stretch and into the playoffs. Smith has been good lately, but tonight he looked like his confidence was shattered again, especially on that 4th Minny goal. His five hole was so gaping, a beach ball would have gotten by him on that shot.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Bunk

One goalie is:

20-5-5 2.56 GAA .913 Sv%

the other is:

19-12-2 2.92 GAA .895 Sv% (5th from the bottom of all goaltenders)

I don't even know how this is a conversation.

Look at numbers since Jan.1 or a couple weeks before that.

Bingo posted something that was comparing the two over their last 5, 10, 15, and 20 games and Smith was better in all segments.

I suspect that is what the coaching staff is paying attention to as well...who has been better lately?

that said no doubt in my mind Rittich starts Monday because tonight was simply not good enough.

[Manhattanboy]

Bennett scores and it’s a different ball game.

Feel really bad for Smith right now. Just When I thought he had his mojo back.

[dino7c]

If Smith ever plays a game the team doesn't dominate the Flames are getting blown out...maybe that is what it will take

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by gamesaver

Yeah sure. Give Rittich these hard teams again and let Smith start against AHL rosters so he can fool you with wins and "win" the net back before the playoffs.

you make a decent point (a conjectural one, sure, but still relatively merited)

but man I never imagined I'd read the phrase "fool you with wins" on this forum

[Dion]

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by AC

Coaches always talk about a goalie's recent game vs the opponent as a deciding factor.

Smith beat MIN 2-0 at home, Rittich stood on his head in a 2-1 win in MIN a week later. After Rittich won in NJ I expected Rittich.

Problem now is Smith was great in TOR earlier this year, and his puck handling was actually a big reason Toronto generated nothing.

I would still prefer Rittich. I desperately want Rittich to take the #1 job again.

I could see starting Smith in the playoffs and having a couple bad games that could end up derailing the team. I seriously think they should lean on Rittich and have Smith step in when needed. It is kind of like the situation with the 3 headed monster where it became an unnecessary distraction.

[Breakfast]

I see this as a positive. We needed a game like this for Smith to remind us what calibre of goalie he really is. Now we can continue with the goalie that brought us to this point, who saved our season, and who unquestionably the better of the two, David Rittich.

[direwolf]

24 blocked shots by the Wild? Holy crap.