[Game Takes] Leafs 4 Flames 2

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Bootsy

Are you kidding me? You'd be a horrible teammate. What Ashton did, was about as dirty of a play as you can do in hockey , as a team you don't tolerate that kind of BS regardless of timing. It was the right thing to do. Good on SOB for breaking that punk's nose.

On a side note if Shanahan doesn't throw the book at Ashton , it'll just show what a laughable joke the league is. This was 10 times worse than Kaleta's hit on Johnson.

The Flames had their worst season ever last year by turning the other cheek and skating away from problems hoping the refs would protect them.

How is that different than diving??

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Flames89

Jackman was put in over Backlund due to the Leafs size/scrappyness. I can understand the decision. You don't want the Leafs running us with only McGrattan to protect us. We don't have much size otherwise (Colborne, while tall, is not an imposing presence). However, it's a tough message for Backlund, and I would prefer his skill and learning to play with more "truculence". Don't like getting pushed around? Then don't let yourself be pushed around.
Colborne was likely given the extra ice time due to his recent play and Hartley's belief in the extra motivation of playing against a team that gave up on you.

Colborne has a reputation that he is a big guy but plays soft. For the last two games he broke that mold. If he plays like he has for the last 2 games he will definitely move ahead of Backlund.

Backlund has made huge improvements in being strong on the puck. If he wants to be a top 2 center he has to be even stronger and knock a few guys off the puck just for fun.

[Poe969]

RE: Turning the other cheek.

Maybe I phrased that wrong, I agree that someone needed to beat the snot out of Ashton. I think the timing was terrible. If he would have waited 5 seconds, there was a good chance for probably either a 2 on 0 or a 2 on 1 but the play was blown dead. If he would have waited, let the score or not score and then beat him up he could have been a good team mate to everyone instead of a good team mate to just Smith.

You could see how pissed a couple guys were that the play was blown dead. Again, I am happy that someone beat up Ashton. I am pissed that the potential scoring chance was eliminated by our own team. That was being a dumb team mate to everyone.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Poe969

RE: Turning the other cheek.

Maybe I phrased that wrong, I agree that someone needed to beat the snot out of Ashton. I think the timing was terrible. If he would have waited 5 seconds, there was a good chance for probably either a 2 on 0 or a 2 on 1 but the play was blown dead. If he would have waited, let the score or not score and then beat him up he could have been a good team mate to everyone instead of a good team mate to just Smith.

You could see how pissed a couple guys were that the play was blown dead. Again, I am happy that someone beat up Ashton. I am pissed that the potential scoring chance was eliminated by our own team. That was being a dumb team mate to everyone.

No it wasn't.

His back was to the play and he never knew there was a 2 on1. And no, looking around to see if there is one is not how those situations play out.

Let it go. He did the right thing. There is no guarantee that the 2 on 1 would have resulted in a goal anyway.

Most importantly, his actions benefit the whole team going forward.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Poe969

SOB is a POS. I was so mad when they showed the flames on an odd man rush then it stopped because he dropped the gloves. I know they scored on the pp but I think it would have meant more if they scored on the rush like that.

Jackman is terrible and as long as he's on the ice, we have a good chance of losing.

For a number of years we've had to watch opposing players run Kipper, with no retaliation. Now we get a player who sticks up for his teammate, and fans start criticizing it? The 2 on 1, by the two most exciting players we have, is not anywhere near as important as the long term benefits of what SOB did. He showed that you can't run our players or take liberties with the Flames.

It is not to be forgotten that this is a rebuilding year. That potential goal on the 2 on 1 is nowhere near as important as ensuring this team has each other's back. The Flames will be a better team because of that, have increased chemistry, and hopefully the younger stars will know they are protected in the future.

[Poe969]

Again, I'm not saying SOB or someone shouldn't have taught him a lesson but take a look at it this way; you say the team is better off by what happened last night, thats fine, I disagree. I think if SOB doesn't touch him, the Flames score on the 2 on 1, get a PP and score on that too and have a better chance at winning the game. SOB or McGrattan beat the tar out of Ashton after that and we dont' get a penalty. Flames win the game, team is actually happy and it beneifits everyone.

Comparing Smith being run to Kipper being run are two different things.

Either way it's done. I didn't like how he did it, others did.

[FlameZilla]

I was POed initially when I saw the 2-on-1 was called off because of S.O.B. rearranging Ashton's face. When I saw the replay on the hit I was glad he stuck up for his teammate. He seriously couldn't have backed off when it happened, plus I think there's a solid chance that 2-on-1 only materialised because of that fight anyway. I've hated a few things about O'Brien's play but I've come around recently to the fact that he's an adequate 6th defenceman & pretty useful tough guy.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Again, I'm not saying SOB or someone shouldn't have taught him a lesson but take a look at it this way; you say the team is better off by what happened last night, thats fine, I disagree. I think if SOB doesn't touch him, the Flames score on the 2 on 1, get a PP and score on that too and have a better chance at winning the game. SOB or McGrattan beat the tar out of Ashton after that and we dont' get a penalty. Flames win the game, team is actually happy and it beneifits everyone.

Comparing Smith being run to Kipper being run are two different things.

Either way it's done. I didn't like how he did it, others did.

Why would the Flames get a power play after scoring a goal?

If SOB went after Ashton later At a completely random time, there would be no boarding call to offset the instigator and the Leafs would have got a power play.

Ashton should have got 5 and a game for the boarding which would have given the Flames 3 mins of power play time after SOB's instigator expired. tSN touched on it and they agreed that the hockey gods issued some justice when the Flames scored.

SOB did the right thing, Ashton and the refs screwed up.