[Game Takes] Ducks 3 Flames 2

[Bingo]

Game Takes:
Ducks 3 Flames 2

- Flames throw kitchen sink at the Ducks but come up short
- Smith with two first period stinkers
- Gaudreau hurt?

[DeluxeMoustache]

That was quick. Very impressed with the quality of the write up which seemed to appear almost instantaneously after the game ended.

[Strange Brew]

Nice to see Rasmus with some strong fancy stats!

I am with you on Smith at this point. It’s a little concerning if Rittich can’t deliver.

[Erick Estrada]

Not defending Smith at all as even though he settled down he spotted the Ducks two goals which severely hinders your chances of winning in the NHL but that game winning goal was amateur hour by three Flames all trying to take out the shooter and nobody taking Getzlaf. Also Backlund wasn't far behind Smith when it comes to goats as he was horrible.

[Toonage]

^ It was bad, no doubt. But thats the kind of spot where you want your goalie to bail you out. Not only did he not (and hasn't for most of the year) make the big save but he put them behind the 8 ball to even start the game. Its got to be draining to have to climb that mountain every game.

[JohnnyB]

Getzlaf is damn good. I hate him, but I admire him, but I hate him.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Not defending Smith at all as even though he settled down he spotted the Ducks two goals which severely hinders your chances of winning in the NHL but that game winning goal was amateur hour by three Flames all trying to take out the shooter and nobody taking Getzlaf. Also Backlund wasn't far behind Smith when it comes to goats as he was horrible.

Sure.

After that goal the Flames deserved to be up 2-1, not 2-0. And then it's a completely different game where the team chasing gives up rush chances and we win 3-1 or 4-1

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Not defending Smith at all as even though he settled down he spotted the Ducks two goals which severely hinders your chances of winning in the NHL but that game winning goal was amateur hour by three Flames all trying to take out the shooter and nobody taking Getzlaf. Also Backlund wasn't far behind Smith when it comes to goats as he was horrible.

I saw it more as Giordano in trying to block a lane ended up pinwheeling himself into two other Calgary bodies knocking them all down and giving Getzlaf the net.

[Red Slinger]

This team is good. I am concerned that sub-par goaltending will ruin, what could be, a very successful season.

Smith may get his game back but he's not looking like it. Rittich has done fine but we don't know if he can be counted on for long stretches.

A move needs to be made to shore up the net before we lament too many games (and potentially a promising season) lost to leaky goalies.

[Bingo]

I must have missed a few things ... why is everyone down on Backlund last night? I see he was a -2 but didn't see him as the cause with two iffy Smith goals and a keystone cop third.

Missed an open net for sure, but what else?

[DoubleK]

Was really nice to see Patrick Eaves back playing hockey for the first time in over a year.

[gunnner]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I must have missed a few things ... why is everyone down on Backlund last night? I see he was a -2 but didn't see him as the cause with two iffy Smith goals and a keystone cop third.

Missed an open net for sure, but what else?

Was backlunds guy on the second goal i think the way the coverage was set up

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by gunnner

Was backlunds guy on the second goal i think the way the coverage was set up

Kind of the wrong side of the slot for the center be the main cover man. The puck came out of the other corner to the point so he should be support for a guy coming out of that corner or the high slot.

Overall that's a Smith greasy rebound mistake anyway, but I would think the right dman would have had the guy that close to the net.

[Erick Estrada]

He also missed a wide open net that even Burke said was unacceptable.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He also missed a wide open net that even Burke said was unacceptable.

I'm not liking a lot of the Burke analysis since he became a media guy with the weekly call-in. he said this morning that the 1st goal was bad, but on the 2nd one, Smith did his job and it was the D's fault for not covering the rebound...nothing about how that was a crap garbage rebound in the first place.

he also said that Rittich has already proven himself to not be starter material based on last season, totally ignoring how much improved he looks so far this fall. and on last week's Smith/Neal confrontation during the Chicago game, he said that Neal was in the wrong for not waiting until they were in the dressing room.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He also missed a wide open net that even Burke said was unacceptable.

That's just silly.

What mistakes are acceptable then? He missed the net. It happens.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I must have missed a few things ... why is everyone down on Backlund last night? I see he was a -2 but didn't see him as the cause with two iffy Smith goals and a keystone cop third.

Missed an open net for sure, but what else?

He took what I thought was a pretty bad offensive zone penalty that resulted in the winning goal (and the tying goal for that matter). It was a cheap minus, because he just got out of the box. But deserved.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

He took what I thought was a pretty bad offensive zone penalty that resulted in the winning goal (and the tying goal for that matter). It was a cheap minus, because he just got out of the box. But deserved.

Yeah I'm not a fan of the penalty, the Flames had a lot of momentum at that moment.

Stick in feet calls are tough though, such a fine line between being engaged on a backcheck and an accident.

But if shooting wide and an inadvertent trip are the reasons Backlund sucked last night I think I'll just chalk it up to two bad bounces. Thought I missed something more egregious.

[GioforPM]

I thought Backlund did a credible job against Getzlaf, who finally got through for the GWG. Burke was hard on Backlund on his miss, but I suspect Burke never liked him much. I see those misses every night in the NHL. The Ducks missed a few nets too.

In fact, I thought every skater had a decent night. There was the odd mistake - Brodie had a bad giveaway, Peluso got a bit stuck on the boards, the rookie D each made a couple mistakes, none of which cost anything. The team D was bad on the GWG, but damn, they had equal chances or better at the other end and just had bad luck or Miller made a good stop. But I saw no goat skaters.

Funny thought - have the Flames lost with Hathaway in yet?

[Toonage]

Yep. Pittsburgh (Montreal too but haven't gone back further to look).

On that topic I expect Hathaway back in for the Los Angeles game on Saturday.