I honestly dislike and have always disliked watching mike smith play goal.
I do not think he is talented enough to win a series let alone a cup.
I’ve said since July that this team could be special but our goaltending will be our downfall.
Hopefully I eat crow on this but smith is dog#### and always will be. He’s a ####ing league average goalie all career and now we think he and rittich are the answer... #### that. Smith threw his teammates under the bus in November when he blamed team D for the goals against. He’s a sack of #### goalie whose last good playoffs was 7!!! Years ago
Holy
Regardless of how someone is playing this is a terrrible way to talk about someone
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Smith is playing better lately and the timing is perfect. But that goal tonight still bothers me even though the rest of his game was great. Luckily we were already up 1-0 when that happened, because if that type of thing happens and it gives the other team a lead, then it's a completely different game trying to come back from a deficit.
He really needs to stop taking those risks and just stop pucks. At his age though, he is probably a creature of habit.
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Last edited by FlamesAddiction; 02-23-2019 at 11:13 AM.
Just a third of the three pronged excuse he brought up, can’t forget the puck dying and running in to Brodie.
Let’s hope he can do the same against good teams whose best players are dressed :-)
He did pretty well against the division leading Islanders, where Trotts credited him postgame for shutting down the teams forecheck. Rittich has tried to incorporate some of that play style from Smith but it’s clear Smith is still much better playing the puck.
He did pretty well against the division leading Islanders, where Trotts credited him postgame for shutting down the teams forecheck. Rittich has tried to incorporate some of that play style from Smith but it’s clear Smith is still much better playing the puck.
Eric Francis made a good point Smith, the ratio of him touching the puck and something bad happening is probably 1 in 200 or 300. I think you take that since at the end of the day it is probably similar to any skater.
To be fair Smith's stick broke on the play... otherwise it's likely a shutout
It did? I thought he broke it when he slammed it on the ice, or after that when he slammed the crossbar.
In addition, message to all defensemen.... stay out of the net! Brodie getting in his way infuriates me. If you want to block a shot, get out and block a shot. But get out of the crease so the goalie can recover. Because more often than not, if they aren’t impeded, they get back in time.
Last edited by Scroopy Noopers; 02-23-2019 at 08:56 AM.
There is no question that Smith has been playing better recently than he was earlier in the season. Indisputable, no matter how you feel about him. However, even with that, I was always uncomfortable with three things:
how far back in the net he plays
his constricted ability to slide post to post
and the lunging style
What has been really encouraging to me in the last couple games, and especially last night, is that even these things seem to be improving.
His positioning has looked much better. Earlier, even when he was playing well, I cringed on every opponent's shot because I never liked his positioning. There were far too many tip-ins because he was just too far back in his net and not in a good position to cut off angles and reduce the available space for tips, passing plays, etc. He looks much better positionally now.
Impossible to comment on the ability to move post to post, but with the better positional play, it has seemed to be less noticeable lately. Without any knowledge of his situation on this, all I can say is I hope that continues.
Finally, he seems to be doing that horrible lunging thing less lately. I hate that technique and think it should be burned with fire. Again, I assume it is because of better positioning, but we seem to be seeing less of it in the last couple games.
Some people hate that he goes out to handle the puck. As a defenseman, I never liked goalies handling the puck, it was too unpredictable, but Smith is so good at it, he clearly helps the D. And I'll take the words of multiple coaches over fans when it comes to assessing how valuable that is.
So if he can continue to play better positionally, I think that is a huge plus for the team.
As for Rittich, despite Smith's improved play, I am surprised they haven't given him any work in quite a while. He needs to be managed, just as Smith does. The fact that they haven't played him at all hints to the possibility that he has a bit of a nagging injury and they are taking advantage of Smith's resurgence to give Rittich a bit of a break. I hope that is what's happening.
Bottom line: the Flames need good goaltending, and Smith has been good lately. And getting better with each outing. I want to see Rittich get a couple games now, to see if we can get his A game back as well.
As for who starts in the playoffs, let's play the final 20 games to see how it shakes out.
Last edited by Enoch Root; 02-23-2019 at 09:02 AM.
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There is no question that Smith has been playing better recently than he was earlier in the season. Indisputable, no matter how you feel about him. However, even with that, I was always uncomfortable with three things:
how far back in the net he plays
his constricted ability to slide post to post
and the lunging style
.
Nailed it.
I don’t understand how he ends up laying on his stomach after making a glove save. Did it twice last night. I’m in my living room mimicing the motions and it makes no sense to me.
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Only thing at issue is irrational hatred is ruining game threads in what is shaping up to be the best Flames regular season in 30 years. Critical analysis is good; attacking is no good.
It really is OK to enjoy nice things.
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I can only agree with Enoch, although I haven’t been able to spot the “lunge”.
For me it’s, again, been the movement - both up and down, and side to side - related to his right leg. I think he has been struggling with his injury and as a result been playing too deep and/or opening that five hole.
Or it’s just mental. I think I read somewhere that he found some old skates in the garage (reddit?) and he’s been better since.
__________________ Always be yourself. Unless you can be Batman, then always be Batman.
At least we don't have to read all the "he's done, he can't play anymore" posts. Those would grind my gears. I didn't know if he was "done" or not but I sure as hell felt like we needed Smith playing well. I wasn't going to disparage the guy or actively cheer against him because he was struggling. Smith is a pro and I always felt/hoped that he could get back on track given the right circumstances. Sigalet has done just an amazing job with the goalies.
Lastly, the posters who say that he threw the team under the bus with some of his post-game comments earlier in the year...let it go. He's described as a team guy and I highly doubt the team took it as a slight. Smith is a vet and he called it like he saw it. Besides, lately in interviews with Smith, what I see is a pretty humble guy who is happy to be rounding back into form and helping his team.
I can only agree with Enoch, although I haven’t been able to spot the “lunge”.
For me it’s, again, been the movement - both up and down, and side to side - related to his right leg. I think he has been struggling with his injury and as a result been playing too deep and/or opening that five hole.
Or it’s just mental. I think I read somewhere that he found some old skates in the garage (reddit?) and he’s been better since.
To use a highlight as an example:
It’s like he try’s to challenge with his upper body but refuses to take his heels off the goal line. In my opinion it’s pretty unique to Smith. He uses it all the time. I’m not a fan, it’s weird and off balance.
It did? I thought he broke it when he slammed it on the ice, or after that when he slammed the crossbar.
In addition, message to all defensemen.... stay out of the net! Brodie getting in his way infuriates me. If you want to block a shot, get out and block a shot. But get out of the crease so the goalie can recover. Because more often than not, if they aren’t impeded, they get back in time.
It broke when he played the puck, he was holding it together...he mentioned it post game and they showed a different angle which shows it.
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