Practice notes March 3 - Lindholm maint. Hamonic skating on his own.

[sa226]

Its funny, in my limited viewing when most goalies have a stinker, you can see it in their body language. They would rather be anywhere else. They keep letting in the beach balls and seem to have given up. Smith would over compensate and start doing weird things like he'd lost his god damn mind.

Rittich usually still looks engaged, challenging, fighting. Then you watch the replays and he's either lost his net, or over committed or made a boneheaded read. I think he still needs to learn to channel and control his emotions.

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[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I was correcting an obvious exaggeration, and my post had nothing to do with Rittich's home-ice record.

Like I said above, I would prefer that Talbot start tomorrow, but Rittich still need to play a bunch of these home-ice games this month. It's not a decision worth freaking out about.

I would have started Talbot in this game even if he lost against the Panthers.

I'll personally pay Rittichs' dad and brother to watch the next game at the dome if they start Talbot tomorrow.

[dissentowner]

I am with textcritic, would rather Talbot start but we absolutely have to get Rittich going and confident at home.

[shadowlord]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

When Hamonic returns...what happens?

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Andersson
Forbort - Hamonic
Kylington - Gustafsson
Stone, Yelesin

...or does Forbort come out and Gustafsson stays in? Heavy on the D. So much D.

Knowing this coach, I expect to see:

Gio -Brodie
Hanafin - Hamonic
X - Andersson

Where X is one of Gustasson/Forbort.

Ward always goes back to what he's done in the past, even if it's not working.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I am with textcritic, would rather Talbot start but we absolutely have to get Rittich going and confident at home.

I agree with this in principle. But the team isn’t even going. So you have a struggling Rittich who is pulling his hair out, and blowing through a forest full of goalie sticks, playing behind a hit or miss roster. You aren’t doing Rittich any favours here in my opinion.

Side note: Hamonic skating on his own sounds a lot better than skating with Hanifin.

[GioforPM]

Hamonic coming back is not a concern for quite a while.

[Moneyhands23]

Loving the fact the Quinton Hugh's and Tyler Myers appear to be injured. Not at practice today and Nucks "fans" are getting ready to jump off the wagon!

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

I would have started Talbot in this game even if he lost against the Panthers...

I guess I would wonder why.

I think people tend to form exaggerated opinions about both goalies on the basis of just their last appearance without considering the bigger picture. Yes, Rittich has been terrible at home, and he also did not look great in losing his last game in Tampa. Yes, Talbot is coming off of a shutout and he has overall better numbers than Rittich.

But Rittich also did get 5/8 points in four games on the road trip, and played really solidly in two of those. On the other hand, outside of his shutouts on the road v. Anaheim and Florida Talbot has been pretty average since the end of December.

Simply put: I don't think it matters much who plays tomorrow night. Both goalies need to be better at the Saddledome than they have been for a while now. More importantly, the whole team needs to be ALOT better on home ice.

It'll be fine.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

Loving the fact the Quinton Hugh's and Tyler Myers appear to be injured. Not at practice today and Nucks "fans" are getting ready to jump off the wagon!

I never love an injury (not saying you are). But Canuck fans are bad for assuming the fetal position as a result of any set back.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

I agree with this in principle. But the team isn’t even going. So you have a struggling Rittich who is pulling his hair out, and blowing through a forest full of goalie sticks, playing behind a hit or miss roster. You aren’t doing Rittich any favours here in my opinion.

But is it in any way a better decision to start Talbot? I am not sure why it would be since both goalies have really struggled on home ice of late.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

But is it in any way a better decision to start Talbot? I am not sure why it would be since both goalies have really struggled on home ice of late.

Who knows.

I disagree with the decision, and am frustrated with a string of decisions/indecision’s Ward has made lately.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

But is it in any way a better decision to start Talbot? I am not sure why it would be since both goalies have really struggled on home ice of late.

Goaltending is as much about confidence as it is about the team in front of them.

Going to a guy who just had a shutout 3 days prior would make sense in that he should really be feeling good about his game and either that carries on or you then go back to the guy who hasnt been as good.

Rittich has been nothing short of craptacular, particularly at home, of late.

Silliness to go away from the hot hand at this time of year in a playoff race as tight as this one is.

Its been almost 3 freaking months since BSD has won a game on home ice and much to the chagrin of some, its not entirely on the guys in front of him...my guess is he will be clutching the stick a little tighter if he goes tomorrow than Talbot would have been.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Who knows.

I disagree with the decision, and am frustrated with a string of decisions/indecision’s Ward has made lately.

Me too. But this one feels like a pretty inconsequential one, and not worth getting worked up about.

[tvp2003]

Sooo…… here is what the rest of the season looks like (spaces to show days between games):

4 - CBJ
.
6 - ARI
.
8 - VGK
.
.
.
12 - NYI
.
14 - WPG
.
16 - @ NYR
17 - @ NYI
.
19 - @ NJD
.
21 - TB
.
23 - SJ
.
25 - ANA
.
27 - @ VAN
.
.
.
31 - WPG
.
2 - VGK
.
4 - EDM

I could see Ward starting Rittich on Wednesday (as it's not a divisional game), to try and get him going at home. Then go back to Talbot on Friday, and then decide who plays Sunday based on what happens in the first two games. After that you've got a few days off to re-evaluate.

[dissentowner]

Video on Flames.com, Ward says starter has not been decided yet.

[Johnny Makarov]

Ok fine. Start Rittich but Ward better pull his ass if he gives up 2 in the first 5 mins.

[Erick Estrada]

The stats don't lie. Talbot's .919 SV% is starting caliber. Regardless of his last loss or two at the dome he's provided better goaltending on average when he plays. I don't have favorite players. I don't care if either of these goaltenders are back next season but I do care about the progress of the Flames and making the playoffs. I don't think it's the end of the world if Rittich starts tomorrow but if he rewards the coaching staff with another stinker at home I think it's time to bench him and roll with Talbot exclusively until he has a stinker. This team can't afford to hitch itself to a goaltender that's mired in a really bad slump.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Me too. But this one feels like a pretty inconsequential one, and not worth getting worked up about.

If I can’t vent about the Flames then I’m going to tell my boss about what I’m really thinking today, and that ends up worse for me.

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by shadowlord

Knowing this coach, I expect to see:

Gio -Brodie
Hanafin - Hamonic
X - Andersson

Where X is one of Gustasson/Forbort.

Ward always goes back to what he's done in the past, even if it's not working.

I'd go

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Andersson
Gustafsson - Hamonic

[dissentowner]

I would stick with what we have. I know that won't happen but from what I have seen so far Forbort>Hamonic.