[PGT] Flames beat Winnipeg, 3-2!

[Bingo]

Game Takes: Flames 3 Jets 2

- most complete game of season
- Calgary has 90+% of high danger chances
- top nine rolling again
- Flames win two in a row

[djsFlames]

Backlund usually doesn't turn up the swagger to 11 until January in a normal year.

We're in for a treat if he's there this early on the defacto third line. Breadman looks to be hitting his stride as well.

Really pleased that the 1st and 3rd line pairings are working now separately from each other. Equally pleased Ward didn't go back to last years lines after those losses in Winnipeg and allowed Backs/Mangi to find their legs together.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by P-DAZZLE

You could name another player or two then.

I was happy watching Valimaki tonight. He looked more like he did in a lot of the Ilves highlights. High hopes.

Backlund, Dube, Hanifin, Tanev, Tkachuk, Mangiapane.

I'd say it was Valimaki's best personal game I've seen so far. He was good. So was the rest of the team. Tis good.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Backlund was the best player down the stretch last year.

Sometimes when watching him live, you would occasionally see moves like Gaudreau when he was feeling it. I saw that twice tonight. Add to that a great play getting the puck to the net, on which Mang capitalized, some stellar and clutch back checks, and the general intensity he is bringing, I think we may be there.

Backs is back.

[handgroen]

mangiapane and dube do not look like guys finding their footing

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Originally Posted by FlamesAreOne

Jets fans going nuts saying the refs won us the game. Lollll.

[SOMBRI2]

I got the last Markstrom blasty at Northhill Fanattic. Flames won. #25 is the man (with respect to Nieuwendyk)

[Jiggy_12]

Uhhh, Backlund’s back. Alright

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Backlund was the best player down the stretch last year.

Sometimes when watching him live, you would occasionally see moves like Gaudreau when he was feeling it. I saw that twice tonight. Add to that a great play getting the puck to the net, on which Mang capitalized, some stellar and clutch back checks, and the general intensity he is bringing, I think we may be there.

Backs is back.

Knowing how he plays Vancouver, the Canucks should be ####ing themselves right now.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I thought Backlund was the best player on the ice tonight. Just continuous good plays all night, and with speed.


I don't think there was a single passenger tonight. I can't point at a single player as having had a bad game tonight. That's great to see.


Bennett is looking more comfortable out there and showing flashes. I like the speed he brings to that line on top of his physicality. I think he is working out. Just keep him on that line and see where it goes.


Nesterov rarely gets a mention. I noticed Ball and Hrudey talking about him today and how he looks like such a pro out there - he does! He really seems like the perfect partner for Valimaki - he is smart, he is solid offensively and defensively, and he allows Valimaki to take more chances out there. Now this isn't a direct player comparison, but when I was watching them tonight, I thought: "Nesterov is to Valimaki what Hamrlik was to Phaneuf". I think he has been a really complimentary partner to Valimaki. I really had my doubts about Nesterov at first, and felt that perhaps this was another unnecessary roadblock to Kylington, but nope.. Nesterov is a legitimately good D without any warts to his game that I can see. He is a complete defencemen out there, and as the games go by, he is looking better and better.


Great to see a strong game from start to finish. If they play this way, they will quickly climb up the rankings in no time.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Uhhh, Backlund’s back. Alright

Backlund's secret is the sexy saxophone.

[SOMBRI2]

I think if you get Bennett 10 more games, with strong, productive mentorship, he could figure that out. I saw some flashes of calmness and better decision making tonight. He seems he is trying very hard, whether it is to jack up his trade value or to prove that he belongs.

[P-DAZZLE]

Originally Posted by Coach

Backlund, Dube, Hanifin, Tanev, Tkachuk, Mangiapane.

I'd say it was Valimaki's best personal game I've seen so far. He was good. So was the rest of the team. Tis good.

Dube and Mangiapane were great hounding the puck. Froese and Leivo with some superb work deep in the offensive zone in the third. Fun game!

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Good game.
Ryan Leslie is treading close to Principe-like, dont like that. The occasional is fine but not all the time.

Nobody has ever been or will ever be close to Principe-like, other than Gene himself.

Let’s not let Principe off the hook by comparing him to professionals.

[---Hatrick---]

Man was that refreshing to watch a complete game for a change

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Uhhh, Backlund’s back. Alright

[btimbit]

Johnny was on today's episode of Spittin Chiclets, has anyone listened to it yet?

[FlamesAreOne]

@DarrenWHaynes

Ward, on keeping tonight's lines intact. "We're starting to find a little bit of chemistry with the guys that we have," he said. "We're starting to get some real nice production and some balance."

"We're not going to blend anything up too, too, badly over the next little while!"

[---Hatrick---]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Johnny was on today's episode of Spittin Chiclets, has anyone listened to it yet?

Yup. I believe there is some key notes in the Game day thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

Where's that guy who was all Backlund sucks this year? What's he screaming about now - that he loves him?!?