[PGT] Flames win in LA 1-0! Rittich SO!

[drewtastic]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Not trying to antagonize, but did you miss the part where Hamonic scored the only goal of the game?



I'm glad to see the Hamonic love after all the crap I read last season where people thought the trade was stupid and that Hamonic was overrated. Ok, he wasn't amazing last year, but nobody was. I blame Gulutzan.



Now you can all see the type of shutdown game Hamonic can bring when required, especially in more physical games. Mark my words, he's going to be incredibly valuable in the playoffs this year (yes I said it).



I've watched Hamonic for years in Long Island and this is the type of player he can be when the games get elevated. Even when he's not playing at an elite level, he's never going to hurt you and he's a strong character guy. Really good defensive defensemen are undervalued these days, but he's as good as it gets in that role.

Great post, Cali! I also think Hamonic got a bum rap last year. And to think that this year he started out by breaking his face only to come back into the lineup and become the steady influence/mentor Hanifin needs.

For me, the best play Hamonic made last night (amongst so many good ones) was that one where he fought past Kovalchuk’s interference at our blue line to chase down the winger (Carter maybe?) and deflect his shot out of play. Even better was that he immediately afterward chirped the ref for the brutal non-call on Kovalchuk. It was like Hamonic knew he was making the play no matter what, but “geez, ref-make the damned call!”

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by redforever

Smith deserves every bit of the criticism given him. His game has been more than pathetic to date. I have cringed every time I have seen the opposition skating his way...just no confidence what so ever in his abilities to make routine stops.

And I think it is pretty presumptuous to assume Smith could have got a SO last night as well.

Firstly, he didn’t play. My comment was a time and place comment, not an “I like Smith” comment. (Actually, since you seem to imply that I think he is above criticism it something, I don’t. Don’t like him, even when he is playing well. I don’t like the way he calls out teammates, his lack of composure, overplaying the puck, rebound control, etc. )

Presumptuous? Your sentence seems to pretend I didn’t say all things being equal (Rittich even admitted the guys made it easy for him), and assuming he stopped the shots he should.

I think a lot of NHL goalies get a shutout in a game like that.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by drewtastic

Great post, Cali! I also think Hamonic got a bum rap last year. And to think that this year he started out by breaking his face only to come back into the lineup and become the steady influence/mentor Hanifin needs.

I still have horrible flashbacks to him shutting down the red hot Barkov line in the Panthers most recent playoff foray a couple of years ago. They couldn't get a sniff of offense anytime Hamonic was out there, and he was physically punishing as well. That was a major reason why the Islanders won that series and why a 100+ point team was out in the first round.

[shadowlord]

Hamonic, Rittich and Bennett were in their game last night. Thought Hathaway was noticeable for the right reasons.

Not impressed by Ryan. Plays seemed to die on his stick a lot. I thought he was supposed to be strong in faceoffs, but he seemed to lose the ones I noticed (mind you, I think the whole team was 43% on the night).

Forward 2 lines, semmed to be unable to connect on passes in the offensive side of centre, save for 2 plays early in the first and one in the third period.

When Johnny, Mony and Lindholm move up the ice as a trio, that is some scary good passing/chemistry. Now they just need to actually shoot the puck before getting too close to the net and running out of space.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I'm glad to see the Hamonic love after all the crap I read last season where people thought the trade was stupid and that Hamonic was overrated. Ok, he wasn't amazing last year, but nobody was. I blame Gulutzan.

I don't think you can just blame Gulutzan for the fact that he's already doubled his goal total from last year and in 9 games is nearly halfway to his point total on the year. He has legitimately been way, way, way better this year. Which is awesome, and may justify the trade(which might I remind you could have been a Svechnikov, Kotkaniemi, or Dahlin had the ping pong balls bounced another way). But his body of work between fall 2016 and winter 2017 - over a year of play, was bottom pairing level which was a legitimate concern for a guy who seemed so injury prone. If he plays like he has this year, all year, it is encouraging.

Now you can all see the type of shutdown game Hamonic can bring when required, especially in more physical games. Mark my words, he's going to be incredibly evaluable in the playoffs this year (yes I said it).

But physical play was the opposite of why Hamonic was excellent last night. His stick game was perfect and has been this year. Last year he had an awful stick outside of like, five games.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by redforever

Smith deserves every bit of the criticism given him. His game has been more than pathetic to date. I have cringed every time I have seen the opposition skating his way...just no confidence what so ever in his abilities to make routine stops.

And I think it is pretty presumptuous to assume Smith could have got a SO last night as well.

In games where he doesn't play?

[heep223]

I didn’t want to say this during the game last night to jinx it.

But Anze Kopitar looked horrendous all game long. What is going on with him? He was fantastic last year.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by heep223

I didn’t want to say this during the game last night to jinx it.

But Anze Kopitar looked horrendous all game long. What is going on with him? He was fantastic last year.

Yeah, he didn't look like Kopitar of old. I think the entire team looked old and uninterested except for Kovalchuk, who is just old.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

Great win the Flames play with a different swagger when Rittich is in net.

Oh good god, please don’t use that word to describe our team.

The tire fire to the north has ruined that word for me until the end of days.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

If he plays like he has this year, all year, it is encouraging.

That's an understatement.

[CsInMyBlood]

I have continually hammered on Hamonic for his crappy uninspiring play since we acquired him.

That was an unreal game played by him and I'm not even caring or talking about the fact that he scored the goal.

Some of those defensive reads and plays were very high end. By far his best game in a Flames jersey. If he can bring that kind of effort more I wont be able to say #### about him because my mouth will be full of crow.

Additional shout outs to Hath and Rittich.

It's getting hard to not be excited about this group.

[CaptainYooh]

Was at a party last night and just watched the PVR'd game recording.

Besides enjoying seeing Flames' win (albeit a very scrappy and tough win, to be fair), I really liked the commentary from Brian Burke in the intermission about Gary Bettman's induction into the Hall of Fame and his great contribution to NHL revival. I always felt that the level of senseless hate he's receiving from fans all over the league is not just undeserved, but borderline ignorant.

Also, Burke described a grim reality of firing a coach sequence by a GM - how it starts from star payers' agents calling a GM offering "feedback", how it develops to hearing rumours about things being said in the locker room and how it progresses to speaking to players until it becomes clear that a coach has lost the team. In the end, it almost makes firing inevitable, because if GM doesn't fire the coach after all the above, he's gonna be fired himself. Not a pretty picture...