[PGT] Flames @ Coyotes. Flames lose 4-2

[kirant]

I can understand MacDonald playing tonight - it was a back-to-back, Ramo is probably still a little tired from last night. He is making .9, was a waiver wire pickup and the Flames are paying him for his locker room presence. I'm not really expecting miracles.

But I wouldn't mind Ramo taking over as the 1A in this 1A/1B relationship from now on. MacDonald's style (and lack thereof) really scares me at times.

If he really struggles like this for games on end, it might be worth looking at Berra for a little while.

[MisterJoji]

Berra's putting up solid numbers on the farm. Another game like that from Mac and I don't think we'll have to worry about losing him on waivers when Berra and Mac swap places.

[Calgary4LIfe]

All I have to say is - thank goodness Tippet is not the Flames' coach. Coyotes hockey is just so boring. I always dread those games.

Colborne is continually looking better out there. Great awareness for him to read the play and start skating hard for that breakaway.

Glencross just looks lost out there. I am not sure if it is apathy, or it is him just being a bit lost. He is a guy that really needs to simplify his game right now. He is a great north/south type of guy, but he is trying to be an east/west guy making high-risk and low-probability plays.

Hudler is just awesome. I always like a guy like Hudler on the team (Loob, Makarov, Nylander, Huselius). When a player like that is running hot, the whole line and PP runs hot. Plus, unlike Huselius, he goes into high-traffic areas and hasn't been a liability yet.

Monahan was a bit contained tonight, but he got his chances. Just couldn't quite capitalize.

This team really misses Giordano. Nice to have Jones back, but Giordano's loss is huge at the moment.

MacDonald - just too aggressive on those two goals. I don't think he was terrible, but he just wasn't up to snuff tonight. He was just a 'backup', rather than a guy fighting to start.

Breen had limited ice tonight. Will be interesting to see how he starts doing with a few more games under his belt (and mostly dependent on how long Giordano is out for I figure).

Baertschi sure looked like a 3-zone player out there tonight. Nice to see him battling hard.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by theg69

That terrible pass by Glencross to the point with the extra man sums out why he is the new whipping boy. That and his ######ed backhand passes that never makes it to his teammates. Who the hell does he think he is? Sidney Crosby?

"That terrible pass", looked to me more like he was throwing it away. And those back hand passes, funny how they seem to land right on the oppositions stick.

Maybe what others are saying is right he just needs to be benched so he can recover his mojo, but right now he is not helping the team with those bone headed plays.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

Berra's putting up solid numbers on the farm. Another game like that from Mac and I don't think we'll have to worry about losing him on waivers when Berra and Mac swap places.

I was just thinking the same thing. Feaster said the only reason Mac was with the club is because it was too close to call and Mac would have to clear waivers whereas Berra wouldn't. Feaster hasn't been shy about moving players around, so if Mac can't rebound from this game (pun intended), then he may be sent down.

Berra was always the option to be the 1B to Ramo's 1A for me anyway. This is just a matter of time.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

"That terrible pass", looked to me more like he was throwing it away. And those back hand passes, funny how they seem to land right on the oppositions stick.

Maybe what others are saying is right he just needs to be benched so he can recover his mojo, but right now he is not helping the team with those bone headed plays.

Are you saying Glencross is playing bad for Ekblad?

[JobHopper]

Tough loss on back to back games and not the outcome I'm sure the Flames wanted.

The Good:
Coach Hartley for handling the players he's given to work with.
Good veterans like Wideman,Hudler and Cammalleri.
Colborne,Stempniak and Galiardi with points.
Kris Russel good as well and Chris Butler with 18+ minutes and +1.
Lance Bouma good as well

The Bad:
Mikael Backland was okay tonight but he was -2.
Joey McDonald.
Not enough ice time for Sven Baertschi, he's the best Flame puck handler after Jiri Hudler. A bit of a size disadvantage but I hope they don't trade him.
Brian McGrattan should have been in the lineup tonight. Curtis Glencross should have sat.
GM Jay Feaster for not managing this lineup better. You have McGrattan and Jackman and they're both scratches. Bring Max Reinhart up and make some decisions on the fringe guys on the current roster.

The Ugly:
Curtis Glencross, come on man.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by JobHopper

Tough loss on back to back games and not the outcome I'm sure the Flames wanted.

The Good:
Coach Hartley for handling the players he's given to work with.
Good veterans like Wideman,Hudler and Cammalleri.
Colborne,Stempniak and Galiardi with points.
Kris Russel good as well and Chris Butler with 18+ minutes and +1.
Lance Bouma good as well

The Bad:
Mikael Backland was okay tonight but he was -2.
Joey McDonald.
Not enough ice time for Sven Baertschi, he's the best Flame puck handler after Jiri Hudler. A bit of a size disadvantage but I hope they don't trade him.
Brian McGrattan should have been in the lineup tonight. Curtis Glencross should have sat.
GM Jay Feaster for not managing this lineup better. You have McGrattan and Jackman and they're both scratches. Bring Max Reinhart up and make some decisions on the fringe guys on the current roster.

The Ugly:
Curtis Glencross, come on man.

What makes you think they would trade him?

[JobHopper]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

What makes you think they would trade him?

They don't want to play him and Burke doesn't like him apparently.

[dieHARDflameZ]

Originally Posted by JobHopper

They don't want to play him and Burke doesn't like him apparently.

Since Burke made the comment about him being a 1 zone player, I think Baertschi has made some great strides towards becoming better in all three zones. The kid has been working hard, the points should eventually follow.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by JobHopper

They don't want to play him and Burke doesn't like him apparently.

12:52 tonight, one of his lowest in awhile. 2:51 on the PP. Guys that they don't want to play don't get PP time.

BTW, I have a hunch that Burke's comments were "honest" in the sense that he knew what Baertschi needed to hear in order to get him going. It worked. He's playing quite well in most aspects of the game. Seemed calculated to me.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

Since Burke made the comment about him being a 1 zone player, I think Baertschi has made some great strides towards becoming better in all three zones. The kid has been working hard, the points should eventually follow.

Jesus, the myth of Burke's comments making Baertschi better in all 3 zones is pretty funny.

He wasn't called mini Hossa for no reason. He has always been good defensively. Always. I really wish people would stop crediting Burke for that.

[Fire]

I would have thought Hartley would have roll the lines a bit more evenly tonight since it was a back-to-back game.

Tippett should be ban from the NHL. Imagine if all teams played like that. The NHL would cease to exist in 10 years.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

Jesus, the myth of Burke's comments making Baertschi better in all 3 zones is pretty funny.

He wasn't called mini Hossa for no reason. He has always been good defensively. Always. I really wish people would stop crediting Burke for that.

No but he was coasting on good faith for awhile. Burke gave him a kick in the ass to be the player he should be, nothing more.

[dieHARDflameZ]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

Jesus, the myth of Burke's comments making Baertschi better in all 3 zones is pretty funny.

He wasn't called mini Hossa for no reason. He has always been good defensively. Always. I really wish people would stop crediting Burke for that.

I'm not crediting Burke completely, as I'm sure there's other influences at hand, but he is working harder all over the ice.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

No but he was coasting on good faith for awhile. Burke gave him a kick in the ass to be the player he should be, nothing more.

By a while you mean the couple pre season games? Or the final 7 games of last season where he had at least a point in every one and was playing out of this world?

The kid is talented enough and has always played with effort. So sick of hearing Burke motivated him to play better defensively when Baertschi has always been good defensively. It is a myth. Look at his praises early on when he joined the Flames. It was always about how well he played without the puck too which is why they compared him to Hossa.

[puckluck2]

I think I am going to be a goalie in my second life because I always have been a goalie apologist. I didn't think Macdonald had that bad of a game.

[Matty81]

Ya Sven on ice has never really looked like he was dogging it to me. He's not overly physical, but he's never going to be, and you don't need 18 tough guys to win the cup.

Burke's comments were one of two things... a desperation move to rattle his cage because Baertschi was giving the coaches attitude or not taking instruction or idiotic and a total blast of hot air on an impulse.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

By a while you mean the couple pre season games? Or the final 7 games of last season where he had at least a point in every one and was playing out of this world?

The kid is talented enough and has always played with effort. So sick of hearing Burke motivated him to play better defensively when Baertschi has always been good defensively. It is a myth. Look at his praises early on when he joined the Flames. It was always about how well he played without the puck too which is why they compared him to Hossa.

To answer your first question, I felt like even last season he wasn't doing as much as he should all over the ice, even when he was scoring his points. His effort and performance in the development camp, rookie tournament, and pre-season were all substandard for any player, let alone one of Baertschi's calibre. It is no coincidence that he started playing better all over the ice immediately after Burke's comments. He knew what he was saying and he knew how to push Sven's buttons. The guy isn't stupid, even if he does say too much sometimes.

I'm not saying it's the sole reason as Sven has quite the internal drive, but obviously Burke knew his comments would be taken to heart and Sven would give his all going forward because of what he said.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I think I am going to be a goalie in my second life because I always have been a goalie apologist. I didn't think Macdonald had that bad of a game.

I think he was okay, but that first goal... dayum. Even if you lose sight of the puck you can't be a mile away from your net like that. The first thought should be "get back to the net" not "I'm sure if I stay here the puck will come to me eventually".