[GDT] Flames vs Stars, 7:00 MST. Sportsnet One, Fan 960

[Split98]

^

The Oil blanking them the night before and then coming to the Dome and laying the hurt on the Flames isn't going to sit well in the room either I wouldn't think.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Wills is saying on 960 that he thinks Smith will get the start. Hope he's wrong as I think the Stars are the type of sleepy opponent that you can beat with good effort and not giving up easy goals against. The worry about Smith in the Dome is the soft goals especially early in games which could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Stars.

Smith played pretty good against Arizona IMO. Give him the net tonight and if he craps the bed then we know Ritter should take over the starting role.

[activeStick]

Tonight's choice for starter, along with the next number of games, will be a good indicator of where Peters is at on Rittich replacing Smith as the number 1. No back to back until next Saturday and Sunday. Smith getting any start before either the December 8 or 9 game without a horrible showing by Rittich would be slightly disappointing.

[Har-Calgary]

If Smith gets the start then to me that's a sign that the organization has no faith in Rittich being the #1 guy. He's played great this whole season and Smith has been probably the worst starter in the entire league, yet they keep going back to him? How many lives does he have? Smith did play good against the yotes but there was no real pressure on him in that game since the flames were running away with it early.

I'd be pretty disappointed if Smith starts not only because Rittch absolutely deserves to keep starting but also because that basically means the organization is telling Rittch they don't believe in him.

[goflamesgo18]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

Smith played pretty good against Arizona IMO. Give him the net tonight and if he craps the bed then we know Ritter should take over the starting role.

Id say we already know Ritter is the starter. Smith has had far too many chances to prove himself.

[Sutter_in_law]

Originally Posted by Har-Calgary

If Smith gets the start then to me that's a sign that the organization has no faith in Rittich being the #1 guy. He's played great this whole season and Smith has been probably the worst starter in the entire league, yet they keep going back to him? How many lives does he have? Smith did play good against the yotes but there was no real pressure on him in that game since the flames were running away with it early.

I'd be pretty disappointed if Smith starts not only because Rittch absolutely deserves to keep starting but also because that basically means the organization is telling Rittch they don't believe in him.

Completely agree. Smith was fine against PHX but didn't need to be lights out.
I just worry what this will do long-term to Rittich if they keep going back to Smith even though Rittich has been far and away the better goalie.

BSD deserves the net tonight

[oldschoolcalgary]

Rittich should start

He won you 4 games in a row! And the only reason smith started was cause it was crappy Arizona...

What more does Rittich need to do?

[Shazam]

Wills needs to call PBP and shut the hell up the rest of the time.

[Beninho]

I just don’t see what Smith has done in his career for this team to think he’s worth starting over a 26 year old goalie with a much better record, GAA, and save percentage. It feels like this team wants Rittich to fail so they can throw Smith back in net as soon as possible. Bizzare to me

[Gaskal]

If I were Peters I'd be doing the starts for the next few games this way:

Rittich: Stars
Rittich: Kings
Smith: Blackhawks
Rittich: Blue Jackets
Rittich: Wild
Rittich: Predators
Smith: Oilers

Rittich gets leaned on a little bit again, but he's had a bit of rest with Smith in net against the Coyotes, and has shown he can start 4 times in a row and still have strong performances.

Smith gets spot duty, both on the road where he is better, and about a week's time between starts.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Hoping it’s just wills talking out his ass... it should be win and you stay in... rittich should get the start as AZ was just a gimme to get smith an easy win

[EVERLAST]

We need to start winning against all opponents. The let down based on expectations alone is the reason.

When we don't expect allot from other teams we play poorly. Playing to win is what this team needs to do every night. No passengers, no counter punchers just hard nosed no give and just take hockey.

That's how championship teams play.

were a very good team when we want to be. Hope to see Neal Crush either Seguin or Benn tonight.

Want to see players we need more from start showing it every game . Jankowski, Neal, Backlund, Czarnik and Bennett.

Hope to see Kylington show something we've been waiting to see......just be noticed in a positive light.

Go Flames Go

[Sutter_in_law]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

If I were Peters I'd be doing the starts for the next few games this way:

Rittich: Stars
Rittich: Kings
Smith: Blackhawks
Rittich: Blue Jackets
Rittich: Wild
Rittich: Predators
Smith: Oilers

Rittich gets leaned on a little bit again, but he's had a bit of rest with Smith in net against the Coyotes, and has shown he can start 4 times in a row and still have strong performances.

Smith gets spot duty, both on the road where he is better, and about a week's time between starts.

I wouldn't play Smith against the Oilers, it's a 4 point game and Smith has struggled with Edmonton since coming to the Flames. Rittich's performance against them a few weeks ago is reason enough to have him play that game

[TheIronMaiden]

I watched that Stars game last night. They played like absolute garbage, no pressure at all. They only clung to the game by messing up the neutral zone. All of their shots but two came from the perimeter. The only reason It wasn't a blow out in the first period was because the Oilers kept fanning on their shots or missing the net. If the Stars play like that again tonight the game won't be close and it wont matter who is in net because the Flames will go up 3 before the 1st is done.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Har-Calgary

If Smith gets the start then to me that's a sign that the organization has no faith in Rittich being the #1 guy. He's played great this whole season and Smith has been probably the worst starter in the entire league, yet they keep going back to him? How many lives does he have? Smith did play good against the yotes but there was no real pressure on him in that game since the flames were running away with it early.

I'd be pretty disappointed if Smith starts not only because Rittch absolutely deserves to keep starting but also because that basically means the organization is telling Rittch they don't believe in him.

Oh my god. People are so reactionary about this.

No. If Smith gets the start tonight it is NOT an indictment on Rittich's performance, nor his perceived future with the Flames. Calgary needs BOTH goalies going, and if the coaches decide to get Smith a game tonight, then ALL it means is that they think he is good to go. That is all. There is every reason to expect at this point that the struggling veteran and the second-year NHLer will almost certainly split games all season.

[Monahan For Mayor]

In my opinion. There is absolutely no reason to start Smith tonight.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

Hoping it’s just wills talking out his ass... it should be win and you stay in... rittich should get the start as AZ was just a gimme to get smith an easy win

I think that you are over estimating how good Dallas is, don't let their position in the standings fool you. they are missing their number 1 D in Klingberg, and their number 1 goalie in Bishop. In terms of offensive power they only score on average 2.72 goals a game where as AZ is at 2.43 which is respectively 26th and 30th in the NHL.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

If I were Peters I'd be doing the starts for the next few games this way:

Rittich: Stars
Rittich: Kings
Smith: Blackhawks
Rittich: Blue Jackets
Rittich: Wild
Rittich: Predators
Smith: Oilers

Rittich gets leaned on a little bit again, but he's had a bit of rest with Smith in net against the Coyotes, and has shown he can start 4 times in a row and still have strong performances.

Smith gets spot duty, both on the road where he is better, and about a week's time between starts.

I would worry quite a bit about Smith vs the Oilers. They're somehow even less worrisome with a new coach... but those are still games you have to win. Smith letting in softies against Kassian is exactly the kind of narrative they have to avoid as too much of the season's start was spent trying to get the wheels in motion.

IMO, I think this works in getting Smith a mojo-inducing 2-game stint, and we find out what kind of starter we have in Rittich seeing 4 games you want your A-goalie for.

11/28 - DAL - Rittich
11/30 - LA - Smith
12/02 - CHI - Smith
12/04 - CLB - Rittich
12/06 - MIN - Rittich
12/08 - NSH - Rittich
12/09 - EDM - Rittich
12/12 - PHI - Smith
12/15 - MIN - Rittich
12/16 - STL - Smith

Setup like this, we should know what we have in net before Christmas. Or, Smith ends up seeing the Oilers anyway... but hopefully it's off a good 2-game stint earlier in the month.

[Darkknight]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

Hoping it’s just wills talking out his ass... it should be win and you stay in... rittich should get the start as AZ was just a gimme to get smith an easy win

By that merit shouldn't Smith get the start? Smith won his last game and Rittich lost his. I think all the doom and gloom about the team trying to get Smith some confidence is overblown. If Rittich is as mentally fragile as some on here claim, he's not cut out to be a starting goalie, anyways. I think if Smith does start this game it's simply a matter of playing a goalie that the team needs to be playing at a high level and when Rittich was given the reins last year he faultered. No hurt in easing him in.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Wills needs to call PBP and shut the hell up the rest of the time.

LOL he stool in your cereal or something?

He has a daily segment on the show that's actually pretty informative.