[PGT] Flames win 5 - 2 over the Caps

[Pontine]

What a great game, I love this team.

I wish I could've got one of the siren helmet things though, but I guess they only had a limited amount.

One thing that almost ruined the night, was some ###### tried to steal my friends helmet (which he paid for) by running into our group and trying to grab it. Of course he ran away like the coward he was. Seriously, who does that?

[Hockey_Ninja]

Good to see we won. Wish I could've watched the whole game.

[anwar]

WOW!

the Two 2012 offseason free agent signing are really paint off now.

I remember I was really Against the Wideman signing especially with that cap.

But MAN is it ever paying off.

I like how most of feasters moves at the beginning everyone is criticizing him (including me) but as time goes on they look like great moves.

[dammage79]

Just got home from the game. Here are some things I took away from tonight.

Hudler. Stirs the drink Calgary is trying to mix. The Flames would be far worse off without his presence and smarts on the ice. I thought Monahan saw the ice well in the viewings I've had. But Hudler is on another plane of existence in terms of reading the game.

Monahan played well tonight but was gawd awful in the faceoff circle. I may not have been paying attention to every faceoff but he was beat cleanly a bunch. Needs work. Will come with time.

With that being said, The Sven, Hudler, Monahan line is awesome. for two small wingers and a slightly above average center, they play very well together and create lots of good plays in both ends.

If Hartley were to use Randy Carlyle's tactics of finding great pairs and keeping them together, Cammy and Colborne should never be split up. those two played very well together tonight.

Ramo isn't pretty when it comes to the big saves but man he gets it done. That weird pad stack/kick save in the second or third was awesome but looked like a circus chimp on roller skates getting done.

Wideman, was great tonight, let up a bit and certainly could have murdered a couple Caps wingers tongiht with that hip check of his. Played smart all night.

My number on star tonight, Kris Russell. Was so freaking good everywhere on the ice. Made great pinches and reads in the offensive zone. Skated the puck out with confidence. Made some really saavy plays in the Flames' own end. By far and wide the best player on the ice tonight.

Butler was average but coughed the puck up a few times in his own end. But certainly was not the Liability he's been lately and forever.

Holtby is cursed by the Flames for some reason. Dudes not himself at all against them.
Neuvirth had some good saves tonight but could not keep the caps in it.

Awesome game.

[stazzy33]

That game was a beauty to be at! I couldn't believe they got 17 shots in the first period! I was worried for most of the second when they were trying to be too pretty and make the perfect pass like the Flames of old. In the third they started shooting again and driving hard to the net! It was such a good atmosphere, I just wish the west end of the scoreboard hadn't been broken!

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Holtby is cursed by the Flames for some reason. Dudes not himself at all against them.

Lots of family in the area, maybe pressured to do even better than usual?

[AC]

GIFs of the game:

[DropIt]

damn, that would have been nice if Baertschi could have found a way to put that in

[AC]

Originally Posted by AC

I just got around to making the only GIFable thing from the game in Dallas:

Found a good angle of Stempy's goal, so I did that one too:

[playmaker]

[DeluxeMoustache]

Ramo's weird pad save was a great read of the play and not just a save but an intentional kick. Don't discount it.

Nice all around game

Interesting that sitting Sven coincided with Hudler's point streak ending.

Glad to hear that Feaster acknowledged that sending Monahan to the minors would leave a huge hole in the roster because it is spot on.

[Itse]

Our first multi-goal win. Man that was a good game by the Flames, they gave Washington almost nothing and kept at them for most of 60 minutes. 5-2 is totally deserved.

Washingtons second goal was a bad rebound from Rämö, but with a SV% .931 it's pretty much "nobodys perfect" territory. Guy needs to work on rebound control and puck handling, but some credit is due again.

Baertchi was great all night and really makes that line work with his work effort. Monahan looked a little apprehensive for some reason. Hudler was the man we love, and Glencross was a little better tonight than he's been overall this season. Obviously has been carrying a huge weight on his shoulders, looking at his goal celebration. Let's hope it gets him going.

Colborne was really good, comparativily speaking, keeps making progress. With a healthy Stajan our center situation looks alright, especially for a rebuilding team.

Smith-O'Brien with 6 minutes of icetime and -2. Ouch. Seriously we could use an upgrade on O'Brien, rebuild or not. Butler did fine with his 24+ TOI, so credit is certainly due. Still belongs in the third pairing when the team is healthy, but it's great that he can take those minutes right now.

Probably for the best that we're in the toughest division in hockey right now, easier to not lose track of the need to rebuild when we regurarly face the kind of teams you need to beat to have real success in the playoffs. The Caps for example don't look like one of those teams.

[FlameZilla]

Is that the first time this season either of our goalies posted a save percentage above .9? Monster game from Ramo. I bet Ovie was wishing he'd face Joey Mac last night!

If Hartley can't see what Sven brings to this team he is blind. I love that he returned to the lineup with such a strong performance.

Kris Russell was doing his best to fill Giordano's skates, and it was needed. Maybe it's just that he wears #4, but I think he brings as much game as Bouwmeester ever did. Joe Colborne has great chemistry with Cammy. When Colborne mixes it up in front of the net good things happen. Both of our recent '4th round picks' are solid NHL contributors. Nice work Feaster.

Visible relief on Glencross's face when he scored. It's obvious his recent play was bringing him down. I hope he wasn't reading CP...

[Sample00]

Originally Posted by terminator

Iggy iggy iggy oi oi oi

who???

[BigRed]

Originally Posted by Sample00

who???

So true. This team's game is better without Iginla than it's been with him for at least 6 or 7 years. Who could have guessed? They're quick, resilient, creative and hungry. Not physical enough IMHO but still pleasantly surprised.

Disappointed in Backlund's apparent demotion to 4th line C. I thought he'd played really well this year, playing smart and taking care if his own end while creating opportunities as well. Colbourne's upped his game but Backlund hasn't done a thing to merit a demotion.

[calgARI]

Hard not to love the team. Great seeing them beat that overrated, overconfident Washington team. I'm guessing they had this one circled after opening night. This game looked at times like a carbon copy of that one but the difference was that the Flames really stemmed the tide in the third. Calgary dominated first and third periods but they weren't even bad in the second.

Wideman and Russell were both outstanding.

Can't believe how good Colborne has looked the last couple of games. Lots of ability and upside there. Interesting logjam down the middle all of the sudden.

Jones approaching where he was prior to his injury. He and Galiardi important players for the team's hard working, physical identity.

Glencross played well and probably his best game of the season thus far.

D Zone is still largely a mess. Not much depth on the blueline. If Giordano is out for a while, Feaster should really go out and look for a capable blueliner. Smith is better than Breen at least but with O'Brien and Butler already getting regular minutes, this team needs another defenseman who doesn't suck and can play minutes.

Full marks to Baertschi who played really hard I thought and was pretty effective overall.

Hudler and Cammalleri looked like pretty dynamic offensive players tonight.

Yeah yeah yeah, they aren't going to make the playoffs and everything, but this team is the most likeable Flames team since 03-04.

[StrykerSteve]

[tvp2003]

Flames are still undefeated at home (3-0-1). Hope they can make the Dome a tough place to play again.

P.S. Damn those Bud helmets look sweet

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by anwar

WOW!

the Two 2012 offseason free agent signing are really paint off now.

I remember I was really Against the Wideman signing especially with that cap.

But MAN is it ever paying off.

I like how most of feasters moves at the beginning everyone is criticizing him (including me) but as time goes on they look like great moves.

I cursed the Wideman signing most of the time last year, just because of the money, but have completely changed my mind this year and love it. The guy is awesome.

[Poe969]

My wife jokingly asked if Monahan was in a slump because he only got an assist.

10 points in 11 games....I know he won't keep it up but seriously! This kid even has my wife excited about Flames hockey again...