[PGT] flames @ jets, this time with 50% less turkey miley

[timbit]

Backlund fully extends his arms right through the numbers of Enlund, 4 feet from the boards while both are skating at a pretty good clip.

Enlund goes head first into the boards. Could have turned out very bad.

Very dangerous and, IMO, a suspendable offense.

[Fischy13]

Enstrom was clearly going behind the net when Backlund started his shove, would have resulted in a boost and carried on behind the net. When enstrom decided to go the other way, that split second after was when Backlund shoves him. In my opinion, Enstrom is as much at fault for making that decision that close to the boards. He would have been fine if he kept going behind the net. No suspension. Watch his feet change and see when Backlund started to push.

[Mr.Coffee]

Yeah but that's why you shouldn't push people that are skating in high risk positions / areas. Anyone saying anything other than that was dangerous and should be reviewed for suspension is putting their Flames hat on before their honest hat.

[djsFlames]

It looked like a normal, followed through hit, that happened to be a distance from the boards that would cause him to hit them in a dangerous spot. But like the above poster said, if the player had just continued in the direction he was skating, his head wouldn't have hit the boards at all. Unfortunate incidental play. Sure I'd be angry as a jets fan but this wasn't backlund head hunting, it was him finishing a check and the player stupidly turning so that he would fly head first into the boards.

[TopChed]

As others have said, 'Enlund' did have a safe option available, all he had to do was skate behind the net like he seemed to be doing. I don't like that Backlund pushed him, but putting on the brakes with a player behind you in hot pursuit isn't the smartest play in hockey.

[OzSome]

It was an ugly game and Flames lost, but this ugly game must be a blessing in disguise. Coaching staff and management might think twice about having pretty much the same lineup for the regular season. They might say we need some young bloods in our team.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

It looked like a normal, followed through hit, that happened to be a distance from the boards that would cause him to hit them in a dangerous spot. But like the above poster said, if the player had just continued in the direction he was skating, his head wouldn't have hit the boards at all. Unfortunate incidental play. Sure I'd be angry as a jets fan but this wasn't backlund head hunting, it was him finishing a check and the player stupidly turning so that he would fly head first into the boards.

You cannot drive your arms through the numbers of an opposing player.

Especially from that proximity to the boards and at that speed.

Wreckless, IMO.

[Flames89]

Didn't see game, but that Backlund hit does not look suspension worthy. As he is giving a check, the player decides to reverse in a dangerous position. Worthy of a penalty for sure, no way is it suspension worthy.

[GoJetsGo]

The only reason that didn't end up worse was because the Jet turned his head at the last second. Had he not done that he would have went heavily into the boards head first with all the impact hitting his neck.

How anyone can say that wasn't a dangerous play is beyond me. Backlund (who I am a big fan of) pushed him - from behind - when he was in a very dangerous position relative to the boards, where he went in head first.

That was a dirty, reckless play.

[N-E-B]

Dirty? Yes. Reckless? Yes.

Suspension? No.

Just my opinion. I think since there was no injury on the play, Backlund has no history, and it's the preseason, I would be shocked to see a suspension.

[Chip Hilton]

Just saw the Backlund check for the first time and scratching my head that anybody could try to defend it. Definitely suspension worthy, as other posters have already opined.

[Fire]

Enstrom had some retribution coming after elbowing Stajan in the head a little earlier in the period with no penalty called. That could have been really serious as well. Not saying Backlund should have done it, but after he dealt the elbow to Stajan, Enstrom should have played with his head up for the rest of the game.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Chip Hilton

Just saw the Backlund check for the first time and scratching my head that anybody could try to defend it. Definitely suspension worthy, as other posters have already opined.

Reckless play and very dangerous.

However, no prior history and no injury makes a suspension unlikely. If there's an injury, there's a suspension here

[djsFlames]

If Enstrom was sitting for his dirty play on Stajan, maybe it wouldn't have happened at all?..

Whatever. I think the lesson to take away from this game though is uninspired vets and jumbled lines are a recipe for a ###tty game.

I honestly feel like we've always played better when there have been more regulars injured, or we're going into their final stretch and testing young players out because there's nothing to lose at that point. Our young players are how this team is going to get better, and it's a damned shame that we're clogging 12 spots up front right now with so-so vets on one way contracts (okay, minus Monny, Backlund and Bouma).

The process needs to move forward and changes need to start coming from within the organization. As far as I'm concerned we have 5 prospects - Gaudreau, Granlund, Ferland, Reinhart, Wotherspoon- that can make a positive impact on this team at the NHL level now, and it's likely that only ONE of them is going to get to play here. I don't want us to go to the Oiler's extreme here, but in a rebuild situation we have to start increasing the number of vacancies on the roster as the farm matures. I think the number of spots up for grabs has decreased from last year. When you see games like this it makes you really wonder if the guys upstairs really aim to follow through with their claims of meritocracy and "earned, never given". I'll chalk some of tonight up to rustiness, but I'm still quite wary of the whole situation.

Hope they prove me wrong with their roster moves tomorrow.

[cam_wmh]

If the same hit happened to one of our guys, I'd be asking for a suspension.

I feel a fine or 1 game is fair. He didn't need to shove him when he was as low as he was, and as dangerously close to the boards. Still need the accountability.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Enstrom changed direction with his feet as Backlund was beginning to push him, very clearly. I don't see Backlund having the intent.

You can argue carelessness but Enstrom's timing was unfortunate

On another note, I watched the WPG feed. This game the Flames were a bit messy in the second. Last game there were multiple references by the Flames broadcast crew to the sloppiness of the second. I hope this is not a reemergence of a theme from the Brent Sutter days with regards to seconds

[djsFlames]

On another note, Davey Jones silences the haters for a day.

Spoiler!

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by timbit

Backlund fully extends his arms right through the numbers of Enlund, 4 feet from the boards while both are skating at a pretty good clip.

Enlund goes head first into the boards. Could have turned out very bad.

Very dangerous and, IMO, a suspendable offense.

or Enlund made a quick turn and put himself in a dangerous situation and went ELBOW first into the boards


no suspension, look at Backlund's reaction it was he didn't go out there to get revenge for Stajan that is just stupid


2 elbows to the head from the other side #### happens its hockey

[Matty81]

Good restraint shown by the flames late in the game, really by Hartley.

The Jets were really acting tough late in the game against a team that really has 3 goons including the NHL heavyweight champ... Good way to end up with a few black eyes. The flames are going to lose a few this year but not going to lose many team fight cards.

Backlund did it in the wrong way but Enstrom had punishment coming to him for the late elbow to the head of Stajan. The Enstrom hit and the cheap shot by that loser Kane afterwards were almost as bad, the jets have no right to be outraged. Thought it was a bad hit for sure but guys like Clitsom getting tough with Backlund afterwards... Lucky he didn't end up with a broken nose or worse.

Flames added toughness for exactly that situation, stand up for the skill guys, but good restraint shown given it's preseason.

As of wednesday, put the hurt on anybody going after backlund, gaudreau etc, no matter what led up to it.

[doctajones428]

1) Hit was dirty. One game atleast.

2) Kane and Trouba are punk #######s

3) If people are this down after a preseason loss, there will need to be a forum wide suicide watch for when we lose on Wednesday