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Old 12-15-2017, 06:53 AM   #161
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Yeah he's in a slump but he's 35 years old and he's been playing too much. Would be nice to see Rittich get more starts especially at home where Smith appears to be struggling.
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Old 12-15-2017, 07:47 AM   #162
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Why is it Smith's fault we don't score goals??

We could barely get out of our zone clean last night which continues to be a big problem for this team. Turnovers and turnovers and we might as well be running a bakery.

Smith is fine and is getting no run support .....this team which is so bloody inconsistent playing defence needs to be more accountable.

Giordano on the radio yesterday before the game was patting the team on the back saying they cleaned things up and we're making fewer mistakes. Um, really??
We have a long way to go so I'd say stop high fiving each other and play a lot better.....your goalie would appreciate it.
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Old 12-15-2017, 07:53 AM   #163
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Who said it was Smith's fault we don't score goals? The margins between winning and losing are slim even when you play well as evidenced by the other night in Minnesota when they missed open nets. Smith can't be letting in soft goals with under 3 minutes remaining in tie games against division rivals. Nobody is saying that he needs to be benched or anything but he's on pace to play 70+ games which is far too much for any goaltender let alone one that's 35 years old.

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Old 12-15-2017, 07:58 AM   #164
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I think thats an entirely fair point and now that we've seen Rittich handle himself quite well I don't think its out of the question to give him a few more starts and give Smith a bit more rest. They can start with the game tomorrow. The team needs a shake up at home, and Smith has played well against Vancouver. Give Rittich the Preds game.
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Old 12-15-2017, 03:51 PM   #165
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Smith can only be successful if he's given some more time off with Rittich here.
Rittich is a damn good goalie and its such a waste watching him sit when he can definitely help.
Both of these guys will be the only reason we can even think about getting into the playoffs bit that said we still need this team to play better in front of them which they aren't.
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Old 12-15-2017, 05:35 PM   #166
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Smith is not struggling. He is playing well, just not as well as he did to begin the year.
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Old 01-16-2018, 08:59 AM   #167
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Bumpin' this thread, because Mike "Jesus'' Smith is awesome.

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Mike Smith is in the midst of a renaissance season in which the 35-year-old goalie is being feted regularly for carrying the Flames on his back.

On Monday he was named the NHL’s second star of the week for a 3-0 record that has helped the Flames enter their mid-season break on a seven-game winning streak.
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That would be an imposing, poised, reliable, durable and self-assured backstop who has given the Flames what they’ve been missing since Miikka Kiprusoff’s second-last season in 2012: a chance every night.
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“He needed to come to a hockey market and really feel the importance of hockey,” said Burke.

“No disrespect to Arizona – I played there, I love it and I live there — but for a guy like him who is that competitive there comes a time in your career you want to know when you step on the ice it matters. He senses that and he’s taken advantage of it.”
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“It was a no-brainer. He’s an athlete. He’s got four kids too. It matures you. He doesn’t step on the ice any more thinking about his next contract. He steps on and thinks about winning and making his family proud. That’s nice when you get to that point in our career.”
http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...c-eebef7cf586a

Mike Smith plays like a man possessed. He was a controversial acquisition this past summer. Most of us (myself included) figured we needed a goalie who didn't lose us games like had happened in the past, and Smith could hopefully be that guy. Instead, we get a goalie who is putting on a pretty elite performance all season long. I don't think anybody really thought he'd be this good.

I have no fears watching him get shelled for a bit, a breakaway, or any type of odd man rush. Goals that beat him are usually perfect shots. I can probably count the number of weak goals on 1 hand. It's been so long since I've felt this confident in a Flames' goalie.

Plain and simple, Mike Smith is the man!

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Old 01-16-2018, 10:13 AM   #168
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If you don't have a goalie, you don't have a chance.

The Flames have a goalie.
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Old 01-16-2018, 10:21 AM   #169
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I was lukewarm on the idea when I heard it, but got to credit Treliving for knocking this one out of the park. He was bang on and Smith has been a revelation.

His intensity and desire to battle on every play / shot is formidable. He's always got that crazy look in his eyes when the camera zooms in. Love it.

And while there's a dicy moment every now and then with the puck play, there's no doubt that overall it's a net-positive. Teams that aren't aware learn pretty quick it's not a good idea to just dump it in. The amount of times he quick-starts transition play with a good pass is awesome.

All in all (especially given the length of his contract when we acquired it) I can't think of an option that would have been better.

You can see how bad he wants it, and I think he's going to be monstrous for us as the games get more important in April and beyond!
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Old 01-16-2018, 11:18 AM   #170
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What's the old saying?...

"Goaltending is 70% of hockey. Unless you don't have a good goalie, and then it's 100%"

Last year, goaltending was 100%. This year it's 70%.
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Old 01-16-2018, 09:33 PM   #171
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Don't know how to embed a tweet on tablet, but Haynes tweeted out an amusing fun fact about the goaltending payroll for Arizona. Smith is the highest paid goalie.

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Darren Haynes‏Verified account
@DarrenWHaynes

Glancing at the Coyotes payroll, Mike Smith providing some great value in net.
- Smith | $1.4M | 20-13-3, .924 SV%
- Raanta | $1M | 6-12-3, .915 SV%
- Wedgewood | $650K | 4-7-4, .894 SV%

Wait, what?

9:50 AM - 16 Jan 2018

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Old 01-16-2018, 10:07 PM   #172
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Originally Posted by Enoch Root View Post
What's the old saying?...

"Goaltending is 70% of hockey. Unless you don't have a good goalie, and then it's 100%"

Last year, goaltending was 100%. This year it's 70%.
Totally agree. But Elliott was a huge reason why the flames made the playoffs. He went on an epic run right up until the playoffs. And then he shat the bed trainspotting style.

If we make the playoffs, which is still a massive hill to climb, the real test will be what Smith does in the playoffs. I (and we) are obviously homers, but if we got Smith level goaltending last year against Anaheim, I think we had a great chance to win the series. I think we would have won it.

The only team that scares me in the west over a seven game series is Nashville. I think we’re dogs in that series. Maybe Winnipeg if they are firing on all cylinders. Any other team, I love our chances if we get the tending we have been getting all year.
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Old 01-16-2018, 11:17 PM   #173
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Originally Posted by Duffalufagus View Post
Totally agree. But Elliott was a huge reason why the flames made the playoffs. He went on an epic run right up until the playoffs. And then he shat the bed trainspotting style.

If we make the playoffs, which is still a massive hill to climb, the real test will be what Smith does in the playoffs. I (and we) are obviously homers, but if we got Smith level goaltending last year against Anaheim, I think we had a great chance to win the series. I think we would have won it.

The only team that scares me in the west over a seven game series is Nashville. I think we’re dogs in that series. Maybe Winnipeg if they are firing on all cylinders. Any other team, I love our chances if we get the tending we have been getting all year.
He was also a huge reason for the necessity for the 'Epic Run.'

He let in some terrible goals and frankly, a case could be made that the solid run by Johnson is really what saved that season.

Elliott eventually got his act together but in the interim Johnson won a bunch of games when it mattered.

Again, my main objection to Elliott is that as a starting goaltender in the NHL you have to have a decent baseline. You cant be 'God' for a few weeks and then complete garbage afterwards, you've got to maintain a baseline somewhere in the middle for the most part.

He did not.
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Old 01-17-2018, 09:54 AM   #174
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“That’s a talent. That’s no different to me than how Brett Hull shoots the puck or how Wayne Gretzky sees the ice. You can work on it but that’s just a natural ability he has that very few have. Marty Brodeur maybe had somewhat close to that, but Smitty’s the very best.”

Sean Burke on Mike Smith’s puckhandling.
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Old 01-17-2018, 10:53 AM   #175
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Originally Posted by Duffalufagus View Post
...The only team that scares me in the west over a seven game series is Nashville. I think we’re dogs in that series. Maybe Winnipeg if they are firing on all cylinders. Any other team, I love our chances if we get the tending we have been getting all year.
I generally agree, but I would still expect any series with Nashville to be tightly contested. I would also replace Winnipeg with Dallas. The Flames have owned the Jets, and they are also a very average road team. Teams that struggle on the road tend not to do well in playoff series’s.
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Old 02-01-2018, 09:57 PM   #176
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"For the first time all season the Flames lost this one because they did not get enough saves" - Loubo

Rough game buddy.
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Old 02-01-2018, 10:09 PM   #177
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Smith is the last person I'll blame for the loss. Probably his only true 'rough' game this season.
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Old 02-01-2018, 10:13 PM   #178
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Tough game, but I believe that he'll bounce back strong.

But even he'll admit that this loss was pretty much on him.
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Old 02-01-2018, 10:13 PM   #179
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoller View Post
"For the first time all season the Flames lost this one because they did not get enough saves" - Loubo

Rough game buddy.
Literally the most consistent player all year with the highest compete level.

Nice one buddy.
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Old 02-01-2018, 10:15 PM   #180
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Smith didn’t have it tonight, but his fire burns brighter than almost everyone else. He’ll be back and this will just be a blip on the radar when it’s all said and done.
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