[PGT] That's a Game Guns Firing

[Goodlad]

Some quick thoughts before I go to bed

Cervenka: Skating has looked better the last couple games, so hopefully it was just a conditioning issue with the blood clots. The guy has a goal scorers knack for finding the open ice. He flubbed a couple tonight, but once his skating and his timing get there he's going to be a very good NHL player.

Iginla: He can say Warrener's comments didn't have any influence on his play, but that was night and day between his last few games and tonight. It reminded me of when Bourque was called out by Hrudey. Hopefully it lasts longer in this case.

Brodie: Still a few "rookie" mistakes, but I'm impressed with his progress every game. I was always optimistic of his potential, but with how much more solid his defensive game looks now, and how smart of a player he is I could really see him as a legitimate top pairing defenseman in the future.

Cammalleri: I laughed at the selfish play on the empty-netter. You usually love it when the guy does the unselfish play and passes it off to get the guaranteed goal, but I love that Cammy really, really wanted that hat trick/200th goal. That's the kind of fire we need from him if we're going to make the playoffs this year.

Giordano: I thought that might have been his best game this season. Finally taking the body on players trying to go wide. Getting back to his old shot-blocking self. Offensively the timing still seems a bit off, but hopefully that comes with time.

Irving: So this is what life without Kipper is like......He looked pretty shaky out there. Probably his worst game this season, including the Vancouver game. Had a couple goals he would have liked to have back and made a few easy saves look miraculous. Hopefully this is just growing pains and he can settle down a bit before Kipper gets back.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by sergei_makarov

I don't think he was ever on Iggy's Christmas card list. Warrener has called Iggy out at an extremely high rate ever since he got his sounding board with the FAN. I think him and Iginla never saw eye to eye and Warrener has chosen to use his position as media to say what he wants about him.

As Iginla showed though, he's in a different league with respect to class than Warrener and simply brushes it off each time Warrener throws darts.

Originally Posted by minnow

Out of thanks, Thanks.

Ditto, well said.

[sa226]

I keep waiting for a moment where I think "oh, that's why Detroit didn't keep Hudler"

I have yet to see it. Even in the more ugly games he has played well.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I guess 'Venks might be our only horse in the calder race.

Shame about Sven.
Unless of course he explodes for 60 points in 35 games. Which is never impossible with the magical boy that is Sven.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear the NHL considers Cervenka as a rookie. He isn't listed as a Rookie on the NHL.com site.



Not sure why, maybe because he turned 27 before the season started, whereas he would have been eligible for the Calder if the season had started on time, as he would have been 26 at that time.

[AC]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I guess 'Venks might be our only horse in the calder race.

Shame about Sven.
Unless of course he explodes for 60 points in 35 games. Which is never impossible with the magical boy wonder that is Sven.

Cervenka isn't counted as a rookie. Neither is Brunner in Detroit.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

Some quick thoughts before I go to bed

Cervenka: Skating has looked better the last couple games, so hopefully it was just a conditioning issue with the blood clots. The guy has a goal scorers knack for finding the open ice. He flubbed a couple tonight, but once his skating and his timing get there he's going to be a very good NHL player.

Iginla: He can say Warrener's comments didn't have any influence on his play, but that was night and day between his last few games and tonight. It reminded me of when Bourque was called out by Hrudey. Hopefully it lasts longer in this case.

Brodie: Still a few "rookie" mistakes, but I'm impressed with his progress every game. I was always optimistic of his potential, but with how much more solid his defensive game looks now, and how smart of a player he is I could really see him as a legitimate top pairing defenseman in the future.

Cammalleri: I laughed at the selfish play on the empty-netter. You usually love it when the guy does the unselfish play and passes it off to get the guaranteed goal, but I love that Cammy really, really wanted that hat trick/200th goal. That's the kind of fire we need from him if we're going to make the playoffs this year.

Giordano: I thought that might have been his best game this season. Finally taking the body on players trying to go wide. Getting back to his old shot-blocking self. Offensively the timing still seems a bit off, but hopefully that comes with time.

Irving: So this is what life without Kipper is like......He looked pretty shaky out there. Probably his worst game this season, including the Vancouver game. Had a couple goals he would have liked to have back and made a few easy saves look miraculous. Hopefully this is just growing pains and he can settle down a bit before Kipper gets back.

hey nik and minnow, you need to come play stats police here and call this guy out too, his memory is equally as flawed as mine.

[Galakanokis]

Thought the D was soft tonight and very poor on a few plays that resulted in goals. Willing to give Irving a pass tonight. He played well enough the other night to win and got the loss tonight it was the other way around, I'll take it. Not ready to write him off at 24, Schneider was shaky on his first extended call up at that age as well and everybody thinks he's better than Luongo (I personally don't). He needs work and that is what he is getting, just bad timing.

Jones needs some love! I really like what he brings to this team and it is nice to see him getting some ice time (I know injury).

It's a win that we needed at this point I don't care how the two points come as long as they come.

[sergei_makarov]

The Flames have looked bad in a few games this season but have looked good in the majority in my eyes. I think this team will be alright if they can find some consistency. Definitely fun to watch and a great system which really reminds us how much time this team wasted with the Sutters in control both at GM and as Head Coach.

Irving looks a little shaky on scrambly plays, but looks to have solid positioning on more set plays. I think he'll get better if he continues to get a chance to play.

Watching Curtis Glencross is very frustrating despite his goal tonight. He reminds me of Bieksa in the sense that he can be a very good player if he plays within his limits, but becomes exponentially bad when he finds a little success because he starts to think he's better than he's capable of.

[EddyBeers]

This place is dead tonight. Couple questions as I had to work late and listened on the radio:

1) How was Bouwmeester, it sounded like he had a pretty good game on the radio;
2) Was the 2008 Cammy back tonight?
3) How was Cervanka, specifically how was his foot speed? Does he look like he might have another gear or is he just a smart slow offensively gifted player like a Jason Allison?

[Karl]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

I think we're past the "even with Stajan" comments, aren't we? He's become a solid contributor night in/night out. He takes the majority of the draws for the team, has had great success being played on multiple lines, and is playing hard every shift.

He also leads the team in plus/minus.

His 3.5M no longer looks like the boat anchor it once was, I'm really happy for the guy.

The best thing about Stajan's game tonight is that he truly looked good in this game despite the fact that he got zero points in this one and his linemates Cammy & Stempy got all the points for that line. He was forechecking so well and even driving to the net effectively without the puck (if not so much with it), which opened up more room for Cammy & Stempy to do their thing.

I think it's probably fair to say that until this year, you couldn't really say Stajan had a really good game if he didn't get any points because his compete level wasn't anywhere near as good as it's been so far right now.

[MrMastodonFarm]

4-2-2 since Hudler and Cheddar-venka have been in full time

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

+/-: Stajan/Brodie
PIMs: Tanguay

This is...weird.

[minnow]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

hey nik and minnow, you need to come play stats police here and call this guy out too, his memory is equally as flawed as mine.

I don't know any stats, it was just funny that everyone had their own!

[FlameFan21]

12:12 in Manitoba. I did it last year, the year before, and I'll do it again tonight.

I profess my unconditional love for the Calgary Flames.

Happy St. Valentine's Day, everyone.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

Some quick thoughts before I go to bed

Cervenka: Skating has looked better the last couple games, so hopefully it was just a conditioning issue with the blood clots. The guy has a goal scorers knack for finding the open ice. He flubbed a couple tonight, but once his skating and his timing get there he's going to be a very good NHL player.

Iginla: He can say Warrener's comments didn't have any influence on his play, but that was night and day between his last few games and tonight. It reminded me of when Bourque was called out by Hrudey. Hopefully it lasts longer in this case.

Brodie: Still a few "rookie" mistakes, but I'm impressed with his progress every game. I was always optimistic of his potential, but with how much more solid his defensive game looks now, and how smart of a player he is I could really see him as a legitimate top pairing defenseman in the future.

Cammalleri: I laughed at the selfish play on the empty-netter. You usually love it when the guy does the unselfish play and passes it off to get the guaranteed goal, but I love that Cammy really, really wanted that hat trick/200th goal. That's the kind of fire we need from him if we're going to make the playoffs this year.

Giordano: I thought that might have been his best game this season. Finally taking the body on players trying to go wide. Getting back to his old shot-blocking self. Offensively the timing still seems a bit off, but hopefully that comes with time.

Irving: So this is what life without Kipper is like......He looked pretty shaky out there. Probably his worst game this season, including the Vancouver game. Had a couple goals he would have liked to have back and made a few easy saves look miraculous. Hopefully this is just growing pains and he can settle down a bit before Kipper gets back.

i literally agree with everything you said.

i missed what warreners comments are, can someone give me cliff/coles notes?

[cznTiburon]

I was at the game and have to say the linesmen were AWFUL tonight... Everything else was fantastic!!!

[Zamboniman]

I'm a little late with this one, just got home from the game. And what a fun game it was!

[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

hey nik and minnow, you need to come play stats police here and call this guy out too, his memory is equally as flawed as mine.

Aww crap, what did I miss?

[Mr.Coffee]

Well anyway the fact of the matter is that if a guy gets called out on the radio, and then comes out and plays unreal, it's not a leap of faith to surmise that said player is trying to 'prove the pundits wrong'.

Pouty McGlencross could use a public verbal lashing too sometimes.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by EddyBeers

This place is dead tonight. Couple questions as I had to work late and listened on the radio:

1) How was Bouwmeester, it sounded like he had a pretty good game on the radio;
2) Was the 2008 Cammy back tonight?
3) How was Cervanka, specifically how was his foot speed? Does he look like he might have another gear or is he just a smart slow offensively gifted player like a Jason Allison?

Jbo was solid.
Cammy had 3 goals and an assist. I think that speaks for itself.
Cervenka played really well, had a ton of glorious scoring chances, finished with 1G, 1A, but continues to always be around the puck in the scoring areas. He looks really quick sometimes, and slow at others, I strongly believe it's due to his conditioning. He looks gassed at the end of every shift, and typically takes shorter shifts because of it, but he seems to make the most of the time he's out there.