[PGT] Wild 4, Flames 2

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

you make a decent point (a conjectural one, sure, but still relatively merited)

but man I never imagined I'd read the phrase "fool you with wins" on this forum

Okey, maybe not the best choice of words. What I wanted to say is that Rittich lost the net after being lit up by the high end team, then Smith had his streak against teams that do not score a lot of goals. He was not tested that much. But purely from his stats in those games it looks like he has improved and I dare to question that.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by transplant99

??

They didnt score a PP goal did they?

Oops my bad I thought I read MINN went 2-2 on the power play.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Mommy was 2-2 on the pp? I don’t recall them scoring a PP goal.

I giggled.

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Look at numbers since Jan.1 or a couple weeks before that.

Bingo posted something that was comparing the two over their last 5, 10, 15, and 20 games and Smith was better in all segments.

I suspect that is what the coaching staff is paying attention to as well...who has been better lately?

that said no doubt in my mind Rittich starts Monday because tonight was simply not good enough.

No, that isnt at all what it said. It said that Rittiches play had fallen back from top 5 to being just above league average. Smith still remained a terrible goaltender, at least at that time. Some people just interpret things as whatever they want them to be i guess.

[TheRealPepman]

Looking back, it's a good thing this game happened. At least Peters knows now first-hand how the Flames respond to pressure (Iginla night, Saturday night, in front of an almost sold-out crowd, facing a hungry wildcard team with a hot goalie and hot deadline acquisition, 7 straight wins prior, all that) thus far. The answer was the Flames kind of conceded to pressure tonight and it has to be fixed. The Flames played like Gulutzan was coaching them.

By springtime, I expect the Flames to at least respond to it differently. Hopefully.

What a coach.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

If only it was a playoff game!

It might as well have been, because you are never, ever going to get another Iggy Night. Ever.

You only get one chance. Smith ####ed it up.

I don't think I've seen the crowd so unified in their fury of a home goalie since round 1 Elliott.

[3thirty]

How about that terrible Major on Hathaway, from my view at the game it didn't even look like a penalty...

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Mommy was 2-2 on the pp? I don’t recall them scoring a PP goal.

Ha sorry about that. They killed off our PPs.

[GeoRock]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

go back to him in the next game for sure but I'm slightly uneasy about the Flames' goaltending in general

You are too rational, Scorp! (/s). The lynch mob is out for Smith, numbers be damned. It's really unfortunate too, we are 2nd in the league, just won 7 straight and are finally getting depth scoring, yet you'd think the sky is falling.

I agree Smith laid an egg tonight, but for better or worse we need him going into the playoffs. I sincerely hope Rittich lights it up in March, but we aren't going deep without two goaltenders, so us die hard fans should get behind them and support their asses now and then rip on them all we want this summer.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Ha sorry about that. They killed off our PPs.

-One was split between a period intermission and one we scored on as it expired.

-Flames are 2-1 vs the Wild this season despite Smith serving up this loss (including a game where Smith shutout Dubnyk)

But you know what they say about the playoffs...

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by jonkaupp

No, that isnt at all what it said. It said that Rittiches play had fallen back from top 5 to being just above league average. Smith still remained a terrible goaltender, at least at that time. Some people just interpret things as whatever they want them to be i guess.

Literally word for word

Smith has better numbers in all of the last 5, 10, 15 and 20 appearances;

https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpo...5&postcount=42

[AC]

Originally Posted by 3thirty

How about that terrible Major on Hathaway, from my view at the game it didn't even look like a penalty...

https://streamable.com/gr1e1

Looks pretty awful, but I can't believe Hathaway had the time to even consider intentionally driving Kunin's head into the boards. To me, Hathaway is simply dodging the hit and the rest is the follow through that naturally happened as a result.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by TheRealPepman

Why don't you like Smith mentoring BSD?

Then give him 150k a year to be a mentor in a suit, because he definitely should not be in the nhl next year.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by GeoRock

You are too rational, Scorp. The lynch mob is out for Smith, numbers be damned. It's really unfortunate too, we are 2nd in the league, just won 7 straight and are finally getting depth scoring, yet you'd think the sky is falling. I agree Smith laid an egg tonight, but for better or worse we need him going into the playoffs. I sincerely hope Rittich lights it up in March, but we aren't going deep without two goaltenders, so us die hard fans should get behind them and support their asses now and then rip on them all we want this summer.

Oh I support criticizing Smith's play for sure, especially after those two horrendous plays tonight.

It's the relentless personal critique that gets me. It's super jerkish and IMO unwarranted. He seems like a decent guy and Treliving seems to like him.

And the revisionist history gets me too. Smith was a good goalie for years. Years! Very dependable and one of the few bright spots on some awful teams.

He's been generally poor this year. But he's been trending up lately, and to dismiss his presence outright is bad form. The results indicate that he's been somewhat better, and that fact cannot be ignored, nor can the facts which indicate that Rittich's play has slid.

The Flames had won 7 straight coming into this one, largely thanks to Smith. He had a bad game, so now it's back to Rittich. That's how a good tandem works, and that's how it needs to work in the playoffs. Simple as that.

And above all, I trust the coaching staff to make the right decision. They've been excellent, and I have a hard time taking the word of anyone on here over the word of Bill Peters. Maybe in a few years, but certainly not now.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by AC

https://streamable.com/gr1e1



Looks pretty awful, but I can't believe Hathaway had the time to even consider intentionally driving Kunin's head into the boards. To me, Hathaway is simply dodging the hit and the rest is the follow through that naturally happened as a result.

Yeah if Hathaway actually had the intention of bulldogging that dudes face into the dasher he’s:

1) the meanest mother #%^*er in the league
2) should be banned from the league forever
3) should sign a developmental deal with the WWE

It was all just the follow through from the speed of the Wild
player coming in.

[direwolf]

Originally Posted by TheRealPepman

Looking back, it's a good thing this game happened. At least Peters knows now first-hand how the Flames respond to pressure (Iginla night, Saturday night, in front of an almost sold-out crowd, facing a hungry wildcard team with a hot goalie and hot deadline acquisition, 7 straight wins prior, all that) thus far. The answer was Smith kind of conceded to pressure tonight and it has to be fixed. The Flames played like Gulutzan was coaching them.

FYP.

And I couldn't disagree more with the Gulutzan comment. Flames played a great game for the most part and completely dominated the 1st and 2nd periods in particular. Smith crapping the bed basically cost them what would have been a well deserved point (or 2).

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Can’t wait to hear Smith deflect the blame in post game interview.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1102100944320258050

Awful character, obviously.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by GeoRock

You are too rational, Scorp. The lynch mob is out for Smith, numbers be damned. It's really unfortunate too, we are 2nd in the league, just won 7 straight and are finally getting depth scoring, yet you'd think the sky is falling.

I agree Smith laid an egg tonight, but for better or worse we need him going into the playoffs. I sincerely hope Rittich lights it up in March, but we aren't going deep without two goaltenders, so us die hard fans should get behind them and support their asses now and then rip on them all we want this summer.

I think the fans have been pretty supportive of Smith lately, even during loses, but tonight he took an unnecessary risk in a tight game. Should have just kept it simple and picked his spots better.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Racki

Sam Bennett is the most unlucky player alive. He should have had one goal and one assist and been first star.

Was ‘lucky’ when he had the ’stache.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by AC

https://streamable.com/gr1e1

Looks pretty awful, but I can't believe Hathaway had the time to even consider intentionally driving Kunin's head into the boards. To me, Hathaway is simply dodging the hit and the rest is the follow through that naturally happened as a result.

Kunin probably shouldn't charge Hathaway again...he takes a few strides and is leaving his feet to make a hit