As to PGT:s being shorter after wins, this board is generally at each others throats when the team is doing badly and bickering makes for long threads. Seriously it's like a pack of hungry dogs sometimes, everybody barking at everybody. Besides, the "negative nancys" do have some manners. Save the bad stuff after losses, let people enjoy the wins. I don't see anything wrong with that.
I do think "calling out" people who see this team in a negative light is getting really old, was needlessly provocative to begin with and is only good for creating more infighting.
It's been a good long while since the Flames got something else than pretty bad results. It's just natural that a lot of fans, especially some diehard fans like many on this board, have built up a lot of frustration that will inevitably be vented somewhere, and shared misery is one reason for these boards to exist.
Of course they are also for shared celebration and thoughtful discussion, but how much of each is present on this board is dependent on how the Flames are doing. This season we have so far been at the very bottom of the standings or a couple of points above it. Hence a lot of negativity. There is a lot of reason for that negativity, just like there are reasons for positivity.
I get it that reading all the negativity also gets old, but if you want fellow fans to act less miserable, here's a hint: getting into arguments or starting arguments with them is
not helping. Practice ignoring them, use the ignore option or maybe show some sympathy even. You can't cheer people up by shouting at them.
Okay, just needed to get that out. Sorry. /rant
As to the game:
I thought Irving was okay. Tough game for goalies. He does seem to get really nervous at times, which is when his rebound control especially goes all to hell. Not at all an uncommon thing to see in young goalies. He was never projected to be a superstar goalie, so it's unfair to expect him to be Kipper reborn. But I think a lot of what looked wrong is something that should get better with practice and experience.
Speaking generally, all's well that ends well. It wasn't a pretty game but we were the better team and won. You could tell that the players weren't that happy with it some times (and I can imagine that the coaches aged an extra year), but I'm guessing they'll be laughing about it afterwards and in the long run they'll feel good about those personal stats.
Well, most of them. Sarich-Butler is just a bad pairing. I totally agree with what someone already said here, Smith has clearly been the best of our three options for 5-6D and should get the regular spot over those two.
I've never been in on the Butler-hating, but I have to admit I'm starting to lose patience with him. He's just not improving the way I think he should with all the chances he has been given. Highest ATOI out of him, Smith and Sarich, and lowest +/- on the team with Comeau. What is it that the coaches keep seeing in this guy?
Cervenka seems to be getting better game by game, which is not surprising but it doesn't make it any less exciting to watch. It will interesting to see how good he will get once he gets to full speed and gets fully used to NHL hockey.
Tanguay with the Czechs was beautiful to behold. Iginla played like he's supposed to play all the time. Hudler is just likable, on top of being good. Even when he's not doing something offensively, he never seems to have a bad shift. Seems like Mr. Consistency so far.
Cammalleri also reminded me what makes him so likable; he looks like he wants to win everything all the time and score or make a scoring pass from every opportunity. Just frickin competitive. It's a quality we've often been lacking. Obviously I'll take the hatty too
Jagr is infuriating when on the opposing team. Still great even though he's clearly lost a step.
