Didn't see any of the game but this little stretch of good games means we get some meaningful hockey for a while. Season is still tenuous but there is some hope now.
Great summery! Only thing I disagree with is the boarding. Backes is impossible to move from the front of the net or steal the puck from in a board battle. All of a sudden the beast that is Wideman suddenly levels him? Nope... Backes sold that one.
oh I agree for sure, Backes made a meal out of it (like quite a few Bruins did or at least tried to do yesterday). But still it was a boneheaded play by Wideman, especially at that point of the game. To me it was both boarding by Wideman and embellishment by Backes.
Brodie is just so nonchalant about stripping elite players of the puck mere moments before a scoring chance. Would love to see a compilation video with a "yoink" sound every time he does it.
love this idea. also, a compilation video of Johnny Gaudreau dodging thugs taking runs at him set to Benny Hill music
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JobHopper
The thing is, my posts, thoughts and insights may be my opinions but they're also quite factual.
Didn't see any of the game but this little stretch of good games means we get some meaningful hockey for a while. Season is still tenuous but there is some hope now.
Mm, not quite yet. If the teams around us caught up to us in games we'd probably be about 4-5 points back of a playoff spot.
If they can pass .500 in the next week on the back of a Chad Johnson who's definitely feeling it right now then there's some palpable hope though.
oh I agree for sure, Backes made a meal out of it (like quite a few Bruins did or at least tried to do yesterday). But still it was a boneheaded play by Wideman, especially at that point of the game. To me it was both boarding by Wideman and embellishment by Backes.
Backes can go suck it. Saw a couple complaints browsing last night about Giordano punching him in the face when the refs weren't looking.
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Until the Flames make the Western Finals again, this signature shall remain frozen.
Yeah Shink probably needs to be put on a scoring line if he's going to play up here.
He's going to need to show some compete if he wants to be put on a scoring line. He has looked average to awful in every single game so far. His compete level is embarrassing and we shouldn't reward that with a bigger role on the team. He deserves to be in the AHL not bumped up into the top 6.
You don't think they've at least made the games meaningful now? 4 or 5 points back at this stage is not totally out of it.
I just think that you can't get too excited about being under .500 close to December. A couple points out or not. Teams that make it will be well over .500 in a couple months. Just think it's safer to save real excitement until they have more wins than losses. They're yet to be able to say that this season. I don't think the team should be getting too high on themselves until that point either. In fact you could argue the past two wins were a little more on Johnson than the team would probably like. Lots of things to iron out yet, so need to keep chipping away. Two quick bad games back to back sets them back to teetering on a lost season. So have to dig in and find a way to get points sunday and monday.
Yes, games are definitely still meaningful, and there is still hope for the season. Still a ways to go, but you don't have to make it all up in the first week. Just keep playing better than .500 hockey and they'll keep inching their way back towards a playoff spot.
I just think that you can't get too excited about being under .500 close to December. A couple points out or not. Teams that make it will be well over .500 in a couple months. Just think it's safer to save real excitement until they have more wins than losses. They're yet to be able to say that this season. I don't think the team should be getting too high on themselves until that point either. In fact you could argue the past two wins were a little more on Johnson than the team would probably like. Lots of things to iron out yet, so need to keep chipping away. Two quick bad games back to back sets them back to teetering on a lost season. So have to dig in and find a way to get points sunday and monday.
I agree with this, as much as they seem to be finding consistency in some ways I won't be fully convinced until the offense starts looking confident and in high gear as well. I still feel like half of the equation is missing, and as you stated Johnson has been a big reason for these wins. Still -- winning is good, so however it happens, lets hope it continues.
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A few weeks after crashing head-first into the boards (denting his helmet and being unable to move for a little while) following a hit from behind by Bob Errey, the Calgary Flames player explains:
"I was like Christ, lying on my back, with my arms outstretched, crucified"
-- Frank Musil - Early January 1994
Yeah I want them to just keep plugging away. I want Tkachuk to be our last high profile 1st round pick for a long while and want the team to continue improving standings-wise even if they miss the playoffs this year. I know a lot of people don't like being that middling team that just misses the post-season yet also doesn't have a good pick to show for it, but that doesn't concern me as much with a group like this that has a lot of future potential. That song and dance was harder to take when we were simply a veteran-laden team treading water like in the Brent days.
The transition was never going to be a seamless "top 5-6 picks to serious playoff threat" anyway. Hopefully we're in the transition phase.
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Yeah I want them to just keep plugging away. I want Tkachuk to be our last high profile 1st round pick for a long while and want the team to continue improving standings-wise even if they miss the playoffs this year. I know a lot of people don't like being that middling team that just misses the post-season yet also doesn't have a good pick to show for it, but that doesn't concern me as much with a group like this that has a lot of future potential. That song and dance was harder to take when we were simply a veteran-laden team treading water like in the Brent days.
Agreed. There is a big difference between a young team that barely misses the playoffs and a team full of 30+ers desperately trying to be the team they were 5 years ago.
Our future stars need to start coming from deeper in our system, and improvement needs to be shown. If that means missing the playoffs by a few points I'm fine with that. Much more fine than diving for a top pick.
I just think that you can't get too excited about being under .500 close to December. A couple points out or not. Teams that make it will be well over .500 in a couple months. Just think it's safer to save real excitement until they have more wins than losses. They're yet to be able to say that this season. I don't think the team should be getting too high on themselves until that point either. In fact you could argue the past two wins were a little more on Johnson than the team would probably like...
Of course the team needs to maintain a balanced perspective of things, but I think it is a mistake to try to mandate how fans should respond. Some of us are simply happy when the team wins, especially after stringing a few games together here in which they have played very well. (I would say that Johnson was terrific in the last two, but that also should not detract from some really solid defensive play by the entire team.) Besides, with the level of overbearing, excessive negativity that has dominated this forum in the past several weeks, fan enthusiasm and excitement comes as a welcome change and a necessary corrective to a tonne of over reactions.
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Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
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Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
I have no problem being excited after a win. In the end I hope the flames either suddenly change their game or luck their way to the playoffs. Either way though, the "this team is really starting to find their way and is getting better" narrative simply isn't what I'm watching. They're getting outchanced and outplayed by mediocre teams with a good game against a quality opponent sprinkled in.
I get excited about wins, but there's nothing wrong with disagreeing that this team is turning some sort of corner
I have no problem being excited after a win. In the end I hope the flames either suddenly change their game or luck their way to the playoffs. Either way though, the "this team is really starting to find their way and is getting better" narrative simply isn't what I'm watching. They're getting outchanced and outplayed by mediocre teams with a good game against a quality opponent sprinkled in.
I get excited about wins, but there's nothing wrong with disagreeing that this team is turning some sort of corner
I don't agree that the Flames are being regularly outplayed. Yes, this occurred in CBJ, against a team that is currently playing some of the best hockey in the League. But the Flames responded where it matters most with a great third period. There were moments last night where the Flames were on their heels, but overall I thought it was a solid road game. They definitely look massively improved from a few weeks ago, and I am seeing plenty of small but encouraging signs moving forward.
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Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
Quote:
Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
I have no problem being excited after a win. In the end I hope the flames either suddenly change their game or luck their way to the playoffs. Either way though, the "this team is really starting to find their way and is getting better" narrative simply isn't what I'm watching. They're getting outchanced and outplayed by mediocre teams with a good game against a quality opponent sprinkled in.
I get excited about wins, but there's nothing wrong with disagreeing that this team is turning some sort of corner
I'm sort of in this ball park. However, I think that Johnson winning the odd game and keeping them in it consistently will help the team to get its collective legs under it and work on the special teams without dropping out of the race entirely. Cause I think with some individuals like Brodie and (perhaps) Bennett coming around, the sum of the parts could be overall improved as well. Fingers crossed Monahan finds his way sooner than later. Eventually we'll need a game where our 'top' line leads the way.
Still lots of warts, but there's time to correct them if they can continue to squeak out 2-1, 3-2 games and stay relevant.
