[PGT] Flames 5 Devils 4 SO WIN

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Only thing I miss about Simmer is how he pronounced Edmitten

I get my Simmer fix as he's around downtown all the time. Haven't seen Lanny in awhile though.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by dino7c

remember his predictions

Presidents Trophy
Stanley Cup
Hart
Art Ross
Vezina

LOL

Originally Posted by Textcritic

You missed one.

Didn't he also have the Jack Adams? Or was that Staples?

Basically it was every possible major award. I'm surprised he didn't include some sort of prediction that the entire team would be retroactively inducted into the HHOF and a new shrine built in their honour.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Doug Barkely and i dont think there is even a discussion...even Mike Rogers would agree IMO.

Scotty Bowman and John Davidson should be in that conversation at least.

As for the game, the Flames gave up a few too many glorious chances for the Devils, but that team is pretty damn quick, and therefore difficult to contain. Smith had a bit of an inconsistent game making highlight reel saves and then a stinker (or two), but I still can't say he was bad. He kept the Flames in it when they were getting destroyed in possession and opportunity.

Gaudreau was really noticeable tonight. I thought Monahan had a fantastic game. Ferland was the most noticeable - he just seemed to gain confidence as the game progressed. Took a while for that top-line chemistry to develop, but it is looking pretty good right now.

The 3M line played their best game of the year so far. I have felt they just haven't been quite as good as they were last season, so hopefully this signals that they are back. All three had a fantastic game.

The Jankowski line looked dangerous all game. It is 3 snakebitten guys who just can't put the puck in the net, but they are playing well otherwise. Bad penalty by Bennett there, and though it was good of Gulutzan to throw him back out after that penalty, Bennett sure seemed like he was sat the rest of the way through. At any rate, that line has to start clicking for this team to really take off. You need 3 scoring lines, and preferably 3 scoring lines that can play in all zones.

I am really loving Gaudreau's game more and more. No more whining and looking at the ref for a call. He fights through stuff way more, and his defensive play is actually really good right now. Love the way he is backchecking and not giving up on pucks. That's what I thought made the Flames very difficult to play against that playoff year under Hartley. I hope that being such a puck-hound rubs-off on everyone else.

Monahan is so damn clutch. Cool as a cucumber. Tkachuk is getting there too. Loved both of their shootout goals - those must be so difficult to stop for a goalie. Tkachuk is so mature out there. He brings just the right amount of agitation at the right times now. He is the team's most universal swiss-army knife. He does it all. Even does the setting up behind the net so well.

If we had another 2 or 3 of them on the team, this team would at least be contending for a cup every year, or at the very least scaring the bejeezus out of opposing teams.

NSFW!

Hopefully they can keep this going. On a positive note for the much beleaguered Gulutzan, I thought he made good adjustments in trying to contain the Devils. Maybe he should have had this team more prepped for the start (starts are becoming a bit of a worrisome trend for me), but he is definitely deserving of a lot of praise for making in-game adjustments - one of my complaints of him as a rookie coach. That's really confidence inspiring for me, actually.

This team has the horses to compete. They just need to figure-out their bottom lines. There is way too much talent in the bottom 6 for this team to be so awful offensively. Hopefully they will start going. Even if you feel that Brouwer sucks, sucky Brouwer should still be at least pot in 10 goals, Versteeg should be good for at least that, and Stajan is probably a 30-ish point player. That third line is all youth, speed, but yet still skillful, but they are just dying out there offensively. Defensively I think they are decent, and they have moments where they have sustained pressure (you almost feel like the dam is about to burst there), but they just have to keep at it. If these two lines start contributing at even a below average rate, this team will shoot up in the standings.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Didn't he also have the Jack Adams? Or was that Staples?

Basically it was every possible major award. I'm surprised he didn't include some sort of prediction that the entire team would be retroactively inducted into the HHOF and a new shrine built in their honour.

You’re right about the Jack Adams! The only major awards that Spector did not predict for the Oilers were the Norris and the Selke. But I was probably more surprised by the omissions of Klefbom and Nugent-Hopkins by him than I was by the hilarious over-the-top optimism.

[indes]

I thought Bennett had a few good shifts tonight. I think GG should let the third line sort it out with more minutes, they have to eventually get lucky right??

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by flizzenflozz

That is absolutely ridiculous. Did you also enjoy Charlie Simmer? He was horrendous and my opinion of him had nothing to do with his gender or otherwise. I was glad when he and Kerr got replaced and I'll be happy when Hrudey returns.

Sure she and Simmer have a high pedigree for playing hockey but it doesn't automatically mean they have a color commentary skill set.

Cassie Campbell has only done a handful of games as a color commentator. Her first ever game was an emergency replacement on a broadcast with Bob Cole. She sounded nervous and unsure, but she got through it and got better.

She has gotten better every game this year, and she deserves the chance to find her way. Louie DeBrusk used to be a horrible analyst, now he's one of the best at Sportsnet.

On the subject of the game:

Johnny took a few games to get back in the water, but now that he understands he's not about to have his hands chopped off like an Iranian apple thief, he's playing with a new level of confidence. He's playing like World Cup Johnny, and that guy was as good or better than McDavid and Matthews at the tournament.

Stone had his best game of the season - over 24 minutes, six shots, and I'm in agreement with everyone who'd like to see Stone replace Versteeg. The #1PP doesn't have a bomb from the point, and GG seems to refuse to put Hamilton there. Versteeg does what Johnny and Brodie do on the PP, just worse than either. Let Stone fire one timers.

Brodie looks two years younger - he's going to have a huge year, he completely controlled the game every time he was on the ice.

The giveaway across two zones to Hall in the first period was the worst play I've ever seen Matthew Tkachuk make. That's a credit to that young man. And of course he wins the shootout with a deft top corner shelf job.

Lazar is not good enough. Bennett is having a season to make Paul Byron proud. Were I Mark Jankowski, I would be thinking about how cool it'll be to have your first NHL point come on the assist of Jaromir Jagr's first goal with a Canadian team.

Mike Frickin Smith.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by GGG

Campbell is our second best recent colour person. Being spoiled with Hrudy set the bar really high. Look at other local broadcasts like the dumpster fire. I'll take Campbell over them any day. She is very Meh overall which is what you hope for out of a local crew.

She will also get better with the timing. Right now Ball almost has to work her in and she doesn't get out of the way soon enough. But that should improve with time as they work more together.

This is like saying you enjoy roasted poop to regular poop. Both are awful and it doesn't make us feel better that Campbell, who is downright awful, may be better than the Oilers color guy.

[JFK]

Roasted poop..?

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Cassie has been struggling for sure.

The question is whether she's just having some newbie jitters and will eventually hit her stride or whether she'll always struggle and just isn't cut out for fast paced live pbp/color work.

I feel like she's got the knowledge but you can hear her struggle to find the right words to fill the air. It's like she has good things to say but can't come up with the words fast enough and ends up saying stuff that is wrong, off topic or nonsensical.

Sometimes I can almost hear her regret after saying stuff right after she's said it and realizes she should have said something else.

It's a tough job though so I'm willing to give her time. She's clearly a smart hockey person.

[TheFlamesVan]

At least we don't have Ferraro.

[LostCatalyst]

Having Rick Ball do the play-by-play has been somewhat of a blessing after the string of terrible we had for so many years. Millions (sounded like pompous royalty), Kerr(voice got way too high way too many times), Loubardias(just something there, can't put my finger on it).

Time to go make a thread about this, perhaps with a poll

[puckedoff]

It took Hrudey a while to settle into a groove doing colour commentary too, I think it is the type of role that simply needs to develop through practice. It takes a while to figure out how long of sentences etc. can fit in to the broadcast without ruining the flow, what level of detail is required etc.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I think some play by play and some color analysts just need time to hit their stride.

I couldn't stand Loubo when he first arrived. He had that grating voice. However, I really came to appreciate his insight and his mannerisms, and he was fantastic. I tried to give Kerr the same benefit of the doubt, but as time wore on I found him to be more and more annoying. Simmer was 'ok' at the start, until his analysis started becoming sooooo repetitive. "Again, this all comes from PLAYERX moving his feet". Moving his feet. Moving his feet...

I thought Hrudey was just 'ok' when he first came on, but you could tell he was quite nervous and just not seasoned. I still hear Hrudey make a lot of mistakes (seems like his brain moves faster than his mouth sometimes, if that makes any sense). I still quite enjoy him. Campbell is 'ok' for me - I have noticed her improving already, and as long as there is improvement I am willing to just see how good she becomes. Sometimes you just have to give someone some rope to find their way.

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Cassie has been struggling for sure.

The question is whether she's just having some newbie jitters and will eventually hit her stride or whether she'll always struggle and just isn't cut out for fast paced live pbp/color work.

I feel like she's got the knowledge but you can hear her struggle to find the right words to fill the air. It's like she has good things to say but can't come up with the words fast enough and ends up saying stuff that is wrong, off topic or nonsensical.

Sometimes I can almost hear her regret after saying stuff right after she's said it and realizes she should have said something else.

It's a tough job though so I'm willing to give her time. She's clearly a smart hockey person.

On the swedish broadcast they don't cut to commercial and they also don't cut the broadcast, so we get to see and hear the commentators "off air" in between plays. There has been quite a few times Cassie has apologized to Rick after the play, like after the shootout last night she apologized for stepping on him during the shootout pbp, and it sounded like she felt that she got somewhat lost in what she intented to say during the play, so she's probably a bit nervous and unsure still. Also it's probably a bit intimidating to work with Rick Ball, he seems like a super-pro and always looks like he's really focused and in the zone even in between plays. I noticed Kelly Hrudey apologizing for stumbling over him during the pbp at times too, so it's not just Cassie. I like her style though, and I think she is doing a good job, even if I like Kelly more.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by crapshoot

On the swedish broadcast they don't cut to commercial and they also don't cut the broadcast, so we get to see and hear the commentators "off air" in between plays. There has been quite a few times Cassie has apologized to Rick after the play, like after the shootout last night she apologized for stepping on him during the shootout pbp, and it sounded like she felt that she got somewhat lost in what she intented to say during the play, so she's probably a bit nervous and unsure still. Also it's probably a bit intimidating to work with Rick Ball, he seems like a super-pro and always looks like he's really focused and in the zone even in between plays. I noticed Kelly Hrudey apologizing for stumbling over him during the pbp at times too, so it's not just Cassie. I like her style though, and I think she is doing a good job, even if I like Kelly more.

She's been in broadcasting for over 10 years now. How much more time does she need?

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

She's been in broadcasting for over 10 years now. How much more time does she need?

I didn't realize that she's been around so long though. Haven't heard he do pbp before, granted I only watch Flames games, so I have rarely been exposed to anyone but Hrudey and Ball for quite some time.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Southside

It seems I may have missed something here. I go to most games at home including all of this home stand so haven't watched on tv. Is Hrudy no longer our colour guy? What's the scoop?

They say he's the Flames colour guy and only misses for HNIC, but really he's more like a fill in as he only does Monday to Thursday games.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by crapshoot

I didn't realize that she's been around so long though. Haven't heard he do pbp before, granted I only watch Flames games, so I have rarely been exposed to anyone but Hrudey and Ball for quite some time.

Not colour commentating but she's been with CBC since she retired from hockey. Awkward interview after awkward interview.

[Fan in Exile]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Cassie has been struggling for sure.

The question is whether she's just having some newbie jitters and will eventually hit her stride or whether she'll always struggle and just isn't cut out for fast paced live pbp/color work.

I feel like she's got the knowledge but you can hear her struggle to find the right words to fill the air. It's like she has good things to say but can't come up with the words fast enough and ends up saying stuff that is wrong, off topic or nonsensical.

Sometimes I can almost hear her regret after saying stuff right after she's said it and realizes she should have said something else.

It's a tough job though so I'm willing to give her time. She's clearly a smart hockey person.

Beyond what she says, she has absolutely no rapport with the pbp guys she's with. There are a lot of awkward silences and she often just goes on too long and there's no way to respond or continue on with the theme she's started because it's going nowhere or has nothing to do with what's going on in the game.

[Huntingwhale]

Jesus, now were analysing the color commentators??

Some of you might benefit from putting the game on mute if it's that much of a big deal