Nov 27 Practice Notes. Valimaki now week to week. No decision on starter vs Dallas.

[Beninho]

Smith shouldn’t start at home when Rittich didn’t play last game. If you don’t need to start Smith at home, don’t do it.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I am pretty sure this has already happened. Smith is still going to get starts—probably half of them, but with how things have transpired through the first quarter it seems clear to me that the Flames no longer have a set "starting goalie." It's now a rotation.

I hear you, but i'm trying to wrap head around Smith in the starter net. He won i guess, but I still would go back to Dave. If Smith starts, and he flubs it, that really really really is it for him.

[direwolf]

If Peters is using a "win and you're in" system, then it obviously it makes sense that Smith would start against Dallas. But I agree, if he craps the bed, I think Rittich officially becomes the #1 going forward.

[transplant99]

I will trust Bill Peters to make his decision on what he is seeing in practice and on video in consultation with his staff to decide who starts. He might just have a bit more handle on the situation than many seem to giving him credit for.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

I hear you, but i'm trying to wrap head around Smith in the starter net. He won i guess, but I still would go back to Dave. If Smith starts, and he flubs it, that really really really is it for him.

No, it's already been "really, really, really" it for him. We're already well past 'last chance' territory with Smith. He should get the back-up starts... 2nd half of B2B and the occasional low quality oppo game to give Rittich some extra days rest.

That's it.

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

Smith has never played well in Calgary, I would like to see him start on the road only.

I wasn't sure if that was true so I checked it out... turns out you're absolutely right.

17-18:
Away - SV% .937
Home - SV% .901

18-19
Away - SV% .918
Home - SV% .843

Although to be fair Rittich also performs better on the road then at home.

[thymebalm]

Originally Posted by Parallex

No, it's already been "really, really, really" it for him. We're already well past 'last chance' territory with Smith. He should get the back-up starts... 2nd half of B2B and the occasional low quality oppo game to give Rittich some extra days rest.

That's it.



I wasn't sure if that was true so I checked it out... turns out you're absolutely right.

17-18:
Away - SV% .937
Home - SV% .901

18-19
Away - SV% .918
Home - SV% .843

Although to be fair Rittich also performs better on the road then at home.

Flames said that they wanted the Saddledome to be a tough place to play, I just think they meant for opposing teams.

They've been better in the last month at home it feels like?

[Fan in Exile]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I will trust Bill Peters to make his decision on what he is seeing in practice and on video in consultation with his staff to decide who starts. He might just have a bit more handle on the situation than many seem to giving him credit for.

Peters is generally doing a great job but he doesn't get deference for his choice of starter. Simply put, making poor choices on who starts has already cost the Flames a handful of points this season. Smith needs to put in a string of consistent performances - and actually show that he can perform up to Rittich's level - before he gets two games in a row again.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Although to be fair Rittich also performs better on the road then at home.

And to be extra fair, the entire team was a consistent tire fire at home last year. By far the worst year since the early Young Guns era.

[Bleeding Red]

The bonus here is that both DAL & LA play in EDM the night before. A perfect time to take advantage of 2 likely tired teams.

Each goalie should play - I say show a little confidence in Smith vs DAL and let BSD try to shutout LA again.

[Split98]

Just from a schedule standpoint, we have 2 games coming up where we'd play a backup. Conveniently, we have a backup that should be capable of playing 2-games.

If we can rely on Smith against LA and Chicago, we have a bit of a stretch Rittich will need to carry the load.

Ideally,

11/28 - DAL - Rittich
11/30 - LA - Smith
12/02 - CHI - Smith
12/04 - CLB - Rittich
12/06 - MIN - Rittich
12/08 - NSH - Rittich
12/09 - EDM - Rittich
12/12 - PHI - Smith
12/15 - MIN - Rittich
12/16 - STL - Smith

60% of the starts going to Rittich, with Smith given 40% of the games, and carrying the end of a B2B. Seems pretty ideal, but depends on Rittich starting tomorrow.

[The Boy Wonder]

Ugh.

Smith made like 2-3 quality saves against Arizona... I wouldn't say he had a great game by any stretch, he was good enough but wasn't asked to do anything spectacular and he didn't.

I would prefer smith starts against LA as they are so scoring inept.

The issue is truly that I, and many other fans, will probably get boozed up tomorrow night and Boo smith if he lets one in early.

I wouldn't test it, and would see how Rittich does with them going back to him

[camm13]

Smith has yet to have a good back to back game, for that reason alone I'd start Rittich.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

Peters is generally doing a great job but he doesn't get deference for his choice of starter. Simply put, making poor choices on who starts has already cost the Flames a handful of points this season. Smith needs to put in a string of consistent performances - and actually show that he can perform up to Rittich's level - before he gets two games in a row again.

Actually....yeah he really does. Rolling with Smith earlier so he could try and play his way out of a funk was not anything unusual from the head coach.

Again, who knows how well things are going in practice etc....other than him and his staff.

All things being equal, Rittich has likely taken the starters role... at least for now. Fact is though that Smith has the history of being a bonafide starter long term that Rittich simply doesn't.

The team is going to need both these guys moving forward so its beneficial that both get playing time.

Peters has his pulse on this club like no HC here since Darryl...lets give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his choices until he proves he doesn't.

[442scotty]

Smith will be gone next year. The common sense thing to do would be to give Rittich more starts as a number one. let Smith be the backup where he will not have as much pressure.

[stone hands]

I frankly don't give a damn who looks good in practice

Smith hasnt been consistently good in a game since last January. I don't need a degree in astrophysics to know 1+1 = 2

[Toonage]

I suppose if we can take something good from the Arizona game, was Smith was stopping the pucks that prior to that game were going right through him. So while the game looked simple enough, its because he actually made the saves he was supposed to in addition to a few higher risk saves.

Still, I agree, we should see a string of those in spot duty before
A) giving him a start at home
B) giving him consecutive starts

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I suppose if we can take something good from the Arizona game, was Smith was stopping the pucks that prior to that game were going right through him. So while the game looked simple enough, its because he actually made the saves he was supposed to in addition to a few higher risk saves.

Still, I agree, we should see a string of those in spot duty before
A) giving him a start at home
B) giving him consecutive starts

In your mind what is the amount of starts you would like to see Rittich get this season? 50? 60?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by stone hands

I frankly don't give a damn who looks good in practice

Smith hasnt been consistently good in a game since last January. I don't need a degree in astrophysics to know 1+1 = 2

Yikes...hyperbole be damned!

I mean Smith has had some tire fires this year no question, but he has also been very good in some games as well...unless shutting out the Predators in Nashville was just a coincidence? Beating the Leafs in Toronto as well. The Bruins at the dome. All just flukes i guess?

Oh and practice matters a lot on every decent team in the league. As it should. Particularly with goaltending.

With skaters you can sit/limit them once a game gets going and they just dont have it on a given night, but with the G position its often to late to make a change that matters once it's clear your starter isn't at his best.

I am NOT advocating giving the starters role back to Smith BTW, i am merely saying let Peters do his job and believe he has a good grasp of who should get the start. He has earned that much from fans...no?

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

In your mind what is the amount of starts you would like to see Rittich get this season? 50? 60?

That number varies. The more he plays, the more games I want him to get.

From this point forward I'd look at a 70/30 split of the remaining games.

40/18 for Rittich

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I will trust Bill Peters to make his decision on what he is seeing in practice and on video in consultation with his staff to decide who starts. He might just have a bit more handle on the situation than many seem to giving him credit for.

Well the last time the Sigalet said Smith had an excellent week of practice he laid an egg in his next start. I'm not a fan of Smith getting the start at home. It's one thing if the Flames lay an egg and it's not his fault but if he lets in a soft goal or two in a competitive game this has to be the end of Smith starting in the Saddledome.