[GDT] Flames vs Sabres. 7:00 PM MST, Sportsnet West, Fan 960

[Ozy_Flame]

I know it's the Sabres, but because this is a home game . . . I"m nervous.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I know it's the Sabres, but because this is a home game . . . I"m nervous.

And they just got shredded in the media. They may play tonight with a chip on their shoulder so lets hope the Flames come out fast and ensure they don't gets any early confidence. Can't afford to lose to teams like this.

[direwolf]

This is as close to a guaranteed win as it gets. However it's a home game and our PP is still garbage, so anything can happen.

Everything will depend on which Flames team shows up. If they play down to their opponent, it's gonna be a long night. But if they play like they're capable of, I don't see how they don't get 2 points. This game is theirs for the taking if they put in the effort.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by locsofblu

Hopefully they put together a wa y better effort. Pretty much a must win game against an nferior opponent. With all tge western teams winning lateley one bad game and we can slide to 11th place.

Not true.

Even if the Flames lose tonight, and the Kings and Ducks win their games tomorrow(which is worst case scenario), the Flames still wake up on Wednesday ahead of the Ducks(because of what will be two games in hand) and two points back of the Kings(who will sit in PAC DIV #3) with a game in hand of them.

But the overall point of getting two points tonight being paramount given the inferior opponent is spot on.

[sureLoss]

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
Looks like Hrivik in, Mangiapane out tonight is the only change. #Flames

[FBI]

Yup just saw that too. Hrivik-Stajan-Lazar.

Wrong person to pull IMO

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by FBI

Yup just saw that too. Hrivik-Stajan-Lazar.

Wrong person to pull IMO

Lazar has been improving, and out-performing Mangiapane. So unless you're yanking Stajan and sliding Hrivik or Lazar into the middle, I don't understand your point of view. Even then, Staj has been giving plenty of hustle and is 29 games away from hitting 1000 games played. He's going to play.

Stajan is a big locker room guy and is likely in his last NHL season. He'll hit his 1000 games played mark. Huge accomplishment for a good team guy.

[Flames1217]

After lurking this place since like 2010.... I've decided to make an account.

I agree wrong person is sitting here, our forth line should be Eatbread-Hrivik-Lazar. Stajan hustles and is okay in his own zone but offers nothing in the o-zone.

[Toonage]

I'd expect Mangiapane to be back for the Oiler game at the latest and maybe Hrivik gets a run at C then too with Stajan sitting one of LA/EDM. Speed will be a requirement considering McDavid is likely to be quadruple-shifted.

[savardandjokinen]

Mangiapane has looked flat as of late, I'd rather see him in over Stajan but that won't happen. Excited to see Hrivik, I think he was good enough in camp to make it, got injured, dominated the farm, and looked decent since he's bee up.

[Otto-matic]

Chad Johnson is starting for Buffalo.

Light him up boys!

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

Chad Johnson is starting for Buffalo.

Light him up boys!

High glove. High glove!!

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

After lurking this place since like 2010.... I've decided to make an account.

I agree wrong person is sitting here, our forth line should be Eatbread-Hrivik-Lazar. Stajan hustles and is okay in his own zone but offers nothing in the o-zone.

Welcome to CP.

This is unsurprising. We have seen in the past that NHL rookies can often benefit from a break here or there between games. Mangiapane has looked a bit overmatched in the last two or three, so this doesn't seem like a bad decision.

[DJones]

Originally Posted by Toonage

High glove. High glove!!

Agreed, guy is wall everywhere else but his glove is a weak spot.

[GioforPM]

Mangiapane suffered a drop in the last game and I actually thought Stajan was better. Not to mention he's a PKer, and a centre who can handle faceoffs pretty well. Hrivik is listed as a C but didn't even play there in preseason.

A game in the press box can't hurt Mangiapane. Hrivik deserves a game in as well.

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

After lurking this place since like 2010.... I've decided to make an account.

I agree wrong person is sitting here, our forth line should be Eatbread-Hrivik-Lazar. Stajan hustles and is okay in his own zone but offers nothing in the o-zone.

Poor Stajan.
Saturday afternoon was just painful to watch him skate.
You could see he's putting in effort but his strides don't take him very far nowdays.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

Poor Stajan.
Saturday afternoon was just painful to watch him skate.
You could see he's putting in effort but his strides don't take him very far nowdays.

Was this before or after he and Hendricks took out the net? That looked rough.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Was this before or after he and Hendricks took out the net? That looked rough.

Yeah, he cranked his back on the middle bar of the net. Looked painful.

[FBI]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Yeah, he cranked his back on the middle bar of the net. Looked painful.

Probably another good reason to give him some rest.
Mangiapane may have looked flat last game but Stajan has been flat for 2017/2018.

[Kovaz]

I'm on board with sitting Mangiapane. He's been a bit overmatched of late, and I think Hrivik is a better fit in a 4th line role. I'd rather send Mangiapane down now that he's seen the NHL game and let him dominate the AHL for the rest of the year. Plus I think Hrivik looked really good in the one game he played, so I'd like to give him an extended look. Having some size and speed on the 4th line will be a huge asset against the California teams in the playoffs.