[GDT] Flames vs. Islanders, 7 pm, SNW

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Flames: 26-30-3, 55 points, 6th in Pacific, 12th in West, 26th in NHL.

Islanders: 32-19-7, 71 points, 3rd in Metropolitan, 6th in East, 11th in NHL.


The Flames come back home after a California road trip that yielded little in the way of positive results. Losers of 2 straight, the Flames are looking to showcase some talent before the trade deadline, as several players are rumored to be on the block, including, but not limited to, Jiri Hudler, Kris Russell, and David Jones. The veteran upcoming free agents are not likely to be retained by the rebuilding Flames, especially at the prices they are likely to collect. While Russell remains day to day, Hudler has done well to increase his trade value and overall contract value heading into free agency. After a very tough start, he's managed points in 2 straight games, and is averaging 0.85 points per game over his last 15 games or so. Couple that with the rumors that there are a LOT of suitors for Kris Russell. The Flames should get some decent rebuilding assets, even if it's just those two being moved before the trade deadline. Russell has remained out of the lineup for a couple of weeks now, even though he was never listed as anything more than day to day. That reeks of the management intentionally sitting him to avoid further injury since he has a proclivity for blocking shots.

More positives for the Flames of late include the strong play of all the recalled Stockton players. One could argue that outside of the top line, the strongest players for the Flames against the Kings last game were Ortio, Wotherspoon, and Nakladal. The trio made a case to continue playing games the rest of the way, regardless of who were to get healthy, or be traded or not (Hiller....oh please god let it be Hiller). Giordano even had some praise for Wotherspoon yesterday.

“I think he’s playing great," Giordano stated. "He’s best attribute is probably how calm and poised he is with the puck.

"He’s a smart player. He makes really good reads and really good decisions. I think he’s been really good since being (called) up."

http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=870408

I couldn't have said it any better than Giordano. Wotherspoon looks like he's finally making the turn from AHLer to NHLer, mostly with how he reads the play and makes decisions. This is hardly shocking since most defensemen take quite a few years after their draft year to make the jump to the NHL, and it speaks to the patience that is required when developing young defensemen. If Wotherspoon has a strong string of games down the stretch, I think you could pencil him into the starting lineup next year with Russell likely moving on and Smid more than likely not being healthy.

As for the Islanders, oh no big deal, they're just coming into the Saddledome looking for their 3rd straight road win and winners of 6 of their last 8 games. A big part of that is the play of the scorching hot John Tavares. After struggling to put up points for a good chunk of the season, Tavares has 20 points in his last 16 games. Try finding a player hotter than him over that stretch...it's not easy. That's with Okposo going rather cold of late too. After a hat trick against the Oilers (*snicker*), Okposo has not scored a goal in his last 7 games, although he does have a string of assists over that span, and has subsequently been moved off the Tavares line. The Islanders have a pretty balanced attack overall, scoring the 5th most GF/G with 2.83. They already have 6 double digit goal scorers, with another 2 players stuck on 9. It also helps that they have one of the better power plays at 19.9%.

However, they defend pretty well too allowing just 2.45 GA/G. Although, since they give up over 30 shots against per game, a lot of that success is due to the goaltenders and penalty kill. While Halak has a solid .918 SV% over his 32 games, the real hero has been backup (or 1B depending on how you see it) Thomas Greiss. Greiss has managed to sport a .930 Sv% over 24 starts, which is superb for that amount of playing time. But beyond that, the Islanders own the absolute best penalty kill percentage at an astounding 87.2%. Even though the Flames power play is no longer last and has done well of late, it will be tough sledding against the Isles tonight.

Roster Notes: Russell is still listed as day to day, and no word on whether he'll play tonight or not. My guess is he won't play another game for the Flames before he gets traded. No word on a starter for the Flames, but I would guess that Ortio earned another start after his performance against L.A. As for the Islanders, they will be without Grabovski, De Haan, and Boulton for tonight as they are all listed as day to day.


Flames
Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Colborne-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland-Bennett-Jooris
Bouma-Stajan-Jones

Giordano-Brodie
Engelland-Hamilton
Wotherspoon-Nakladal

Ortio?

Islanders
Bailey-Tavares-Strome
Kulemin-Nielsen-Okposo
Lee-Nelson-Clutterbuck
Martin-Cizikas-Bernier

Leddy-Boychuk
Hamonic-Strait
Hickey-Zidlicky

Halak





Go Flames Go!!!!!!

[Poe969]

6-2 Flames. Ortio shines tonight, full team effort.

[flamesfan1297]

Cali Panthers Fan, I would just like to say thank you for making the GDTs. You put in so much time and effort to making them and do a very good job. It is much appreciated. I think it is a shame when someone else makes them, and puts in such little effort, only because they want to make the thread. This applies too GTs and PGTs as well.

So thank you for you time and effort. It has not gone unnoticed.

[FBI]

Originally Posted by flamesfan1297

Cali Panthers Fan, I would just like to say thank you for making the GDTs. You put in so much time and effort to making them and do a very good job. It is much appreciated. I think it is a shame when someone else makes them, and puts in such little effort, only because they want to make the thread.

So thank you for you time and effort. It has not gone unnoticed.

Yup no offense to HD, but Cali's game threads are my favorite.

[Table 5]

Taking my Long Islander wife to see this one. She says she's a Flames fan now, but we'll probably both secretly cheering for a close Islanders win (with a Jiri Hudler hat trick).

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Well just to stick up for HD a little here, he's pretty busy these days and has been doing the game threads as a favor to me since I've had zero time on weekdays, until recently, to even think about writing anything. He's been doing the best he can with little time, and has done a great job with them in the past. I, for one, really enjoy HD's threads when he actually has the time to do them properly.

[TheScorpion]

Yeah. Cali Panthers Fan, these GDTs are fantastic - you always do a bang-up job.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

would also like to point out that a post thanking the OP should not have more thanks than the original post.

We all know Cali is in it for the Thanks after-all.


Excited to watch this game even if it's meaningless. Should be a fast paced game with lots of chances for both teams. Hopefully Ortio is up for the challenge.

[GioforPM]

I'm old enough to remember a Flames-Isles game right near the deadline where the Flames started game day with Konroyd and Kromm on their team and ended up playing against them (but didn't get Tonelli in the lineup until the next game).

I'd like a trade like that (but not the game result - IIRC Bossy got 4 goals (one from Kromm) and they won 8-4. The hat trick goal was also Bossy's 50th goal of the season).

[Puppet Guy]

The Macho Puppet wants you all to feel the (Flames) Madness:

Spoiler!

GO FLAMES!

[polak]

I too think we should take about OP over the team cause the team is depressing and OP is not

[sureLoss]

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Morning skate just getting underway. Russell out there for the second straight gamey day. #Flames

Looks like Ortio earned 2nd straight start

Ryan Leslie @ryanleslie73
Ortio in. Russell game time decision. #islanders #flames

[sureLoss]

Roger Millions @RogMillions
#Flames Ortio in. Russell skating this am. Game time decision but I expect #4 in vs Islanders

[Hatter]

I think the good guys win this one. Bennett will have a strong game.

[JJ1532]

Russell held out of the defensive pairings yet again. If he doesn't draw in tonight, he's gone, Treliving has clearly told Hartley to hold him out of the lineup because he has a trade in the works. Who to is obviously a mystery, but he has something going. Be interesting to see when the trigger gets pulled on that one.

[Huntingwhale]

Going to the game tonight. Hoping for a exciting win.

[Flames_F.T.W]

If Russell plays and gets hurt, I will lose my @#%$. I'm absolutely terrified he or Hudler might get injured in the next 2 games and wreck any chance of a trade

[GranteedEV]

If Russell's in, I really hope that doesn't mean Nakladalk or Wotherspoon are out.

[Toonage]

Keep him out this close to the deadline. No need to risk anything.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

The Macho Puppet wants you all to feel the (Flames) Madness:

Spoiler!

GO FLAMES!