[News Roundup] Thursday, November 16th, 2017

[Cheese]

Flames Thoughts: Score misleading in lopsided loss

2. LACK OF SAVES

With Mike Smith on the shelf with an upper-body injury (he is scheduled to join the team in Philadelphia and could play in Saturday’s matinee matchup with the Flyers), Eddie Lack started for just the second time this season. Lack didn’t give up any horrible goals, but he also didn’t make enough saves, surrendering five goals on 15 shots before being pulled.
His replacement, Jon Gillies, who was recalled from the AHL’s Stockton Heat on Wednesday morning, wasn’t any better (or worse, really), giving up three goals on 12 shots in his first NHL game of the season and the second of his career. While I don’t think goaltending cost the Flames the game, Lack, and to a lesser extent Gillies, didn’t make the timely saves that Smith has been making almost all season long.
Puck Daddy Countdown: Niemi, Bettman threats and surging Flames

2. The Gary Bettman Vague Threats About Cities Building New Arenas For Canadian Teams Tour
Fresh off getting his ass handed to him in the Calgary mayoral election, Gary Bettman has now moved his campaign of glowering and darkly intoning that something’s gotta give with this whole arena situation to Ottawa.
Where, by the way, only like 12,000 people give a rat’s ass about the team until they’re two rounds deep into the playoffs.
Friendly competition bonds young Calgary Flames

They don’t often cross paths in practice, but off the ice, it’s game on for Calgary teammates Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau.
Relief. It’s the first word Tkachuk uses in describing what it feels like to avoid Gaudreau, one of hockey’s slickest offensive stars.
But if the pair ever does go one-on-one during a Flames morning skate, a little chat will take place before the whistle blows.
“I’ll skate up to him and say quietly, ‘Come on, now. Nice and easy,’” said Tkachuk with a laugh. “He’s just really elusive with the puck. His feet and his hands, they move so fast, you don’t know what’s going on or what his next move is going to be. It would definitely be a challenge to go up against him every day in practice, but he makes me and the whole team better.”
Power Rankings: Best superhero (and some villains!) for all 31 teams

18. Calgary Flames

Record: 10-8-0
Week 5 ranking: No. 22
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND ANT-MAN. Who else could you assign to a team with the ageless Jaromir Jagr and a pocket-sized Johnny Gaudreau?

[Coach]

Some of those superhero rankings are really funny.