Mike Smith's... woes? He blows? Eating crows? Who knows! (Also David Rittich exists!)

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

It could be, but this is not necessarily so. There tends too be very little correlation between team and individual player performances in March and what happens in the playoffs. Some players go on a hot streak, and then go quiet; some players just keep performing at the same level; some players seem to suddenly go on a tear once the playoffs begin.

It just doesn't seem to matter much.

I'm in the dreamland, Text, lemme dream on please.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yeah, the better stats for him are his .919 or so since Feb. 1. Or his .933 over the last five games.

Before the coronation, has anyone looked at his opponents?

Anaheim x2, Arizona x2, LAK, Ottawa...

In his last 11 games, 8 have been against non playoff teams. Anaheim had no Getzlaf, Kase, etc. and dressed 9 players from San Diego.

Against playoff teams, we saw NYI x 2, and both were wins (and a team against which his puck handling was a positive difference maker in game 1, no idea why they didn’t adapt the second game), and against Wpg, a loss, but he was fine.

Glad that he is performing well, and gaining confidence.

The numbers are good, but the lunging and belly flops are still concerning. He seems to be making big saves at times and then having trouble tracking the puck and rebounds at others. Although he doesn’t have any tension on his mask straps so in a pinch he can always just flick his neck and launch his mask off to get a whistle.

Just keeping in mind the quality of teams he is facing, I can not shake some concerns. Don’t tell him though, he is feeling good.

[Enoch Root]

Smith since Jan 1:

11-7-1, .912, 2.41

His last 10 games:

6-4-0, .926, 1.72

In order to say he has below league average numbers, you have to go back to the early part of the season.

October and November:

7-7-1, .885, 3.13

He sucked early, but he has been good (for the most part) for quite a while

[Enoch Root]

^ agreed that he has gotten mostly easy games, but he is playing better

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

^ agreed that he has gotten mostly easy games, but he is playing better

Yeah, and what coronation? He's on a bit of roll, that's the extent of anyone's comments.

It's not taking a thing away from Rittich to say Smith is playing well.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yeah, and what coronation? He's on a bit of roll, that's the extent of anyone's comments.

It's not taking a thing away from Rittich to say Smith is playing well.

I think the Rittich thread is somewhere else, I understand this is the Smith thread.

Sorry for using the phrase coronation, I know this is not a monarchy and my preferred selection from Jules Winfield’s vocabulary likely would get replaced by a bunch of number signs.

Or hashtags for you kids.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

I think the Rittich thread is somewhere else, I understand this is the Smith thread.

Sorry for using the phrase coronation, I know this is not a monarchy and my preferred selection from Jules Winfield’s vocabulary likely would get replaced by a bunch of number signs.

Or hashtags for you kids.

Why so sensitive? And, yes, it's also a Rittich thread FWIW (see title).

[Sylvanfan]

I think Rittich is the guy in the playoffs. The team is being very conscientious with managing his work load down the stretch. Smith is getting the non playoff type teams and one of the back to back games. Pretty remarkable that 29 shots against is the high water mark in his past 10 starts.

Rittich has still been getting the better teams. Flames are making sure he gets at least two days rest between starts.

They're also keeping Smith sharp as a backup plan. If Rittich falters in the first two games they'll go to the veteran. He's a lot more on point now than he's been all year too.

I keep hearing how it's easier to start the veteran and bring the young guy in later if need be.

But that's not what Washington did last year and it's not what Chicago did in 2015. Even Pittsburgh went to Fleury for a couple games in the third round in 2016 to give Murray a couple extra days off when he was wearing down.

[Textcritic]

If the Flames end up drawing Colorado in Round One, I don’t see how they don’t start with Rittich. I don’t think he has ever lost a game v. Colorado.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I don’t think he has ever lost a game v. Colorado.

Rittich lost one in Denver last year, but the Flames played like total crap and IMO he kept them in there as long as he could.

[Ducay]

The fact we're this close to the playoffs and still have no idea who our #1 goalie is, is a bit concerning. Not having someone who can reliably steal you a game is going to be a big issue.

Almost wish we just picked one of the two guys and stuck with them as #1 until they totally sh*t the bed. This #1A #1B approach rarely (if ever) has had playoff success.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Ducay

The fact we're this close to the playoffs and still have no idea who our #1 goalie is, is a bit concerning. Not having someone who can reliably steal you a game is going to be a big issue.

Almost wish we just picked one of the two guys and stuck with them as #1 until they totally sh*t the bed. This #1A #1B approach rarely (if ever) has had playoff success.

Glass half full says the Flames have two goalies who are playing well enough to start.

The last 2 cup winners started with a 1A 1B situation at the beginning of the POs.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Ducay

The fact we're this close to the playoffs and still have no idea who our #1 goalie is, is a bit concerning. Not having someone who can reliably steal you a game is going to be a big issue.

Almost wish we just picked one of the two guys and stuck with them as #1 until they totally sh*t the bed. This #1A #1B approach rarely (if ever) has had playoff success.

I guess it depends on what you mean by a "#1A #1B approach," but more to the point why does it matter?

The playoffs are essentially a new season. I think it is most beneficial if players are playing well before the post season begins, but history shows time and time again almost NO CORRELATION between individual and team performances in March and those in the second week of April. If one of the Flames goalies plays lights-out when the playoffs start, no one will care about who was playing great on 31 March.

[Cube Inmate]

I think the psychology works best with Rittich as opening game starter. If he thrives under the pressure, great! If not, you say "good effort, rookie*" and Smith gets to come in and try to play saviour. I don't think it works as well for either of them if you go the other way. Smith and the team wouldn't respond well if he had to be pulled, and Rittich might struggle more as the "last hope."

*Playoff rookie

[transplant99]

From Wills...

Smith was 5-7-1, 3.48 / .876 in first 13 GP...not good.

Smith is 17-8-1, 2.35 / .912 in 27 GP since...good.

Smith is 7-4-0, 1.75 / .927 in last 11 GP...great.

Smith has 2.40 / .934 in 28-career GP vs. #Sharks.

[TheSquatch]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Glad that he is performing well, and gaining confidence.

The numbers are good, but the lunging and belly flops are still concerning. He seems to be making big saves at times and then having trouble tracking the puck and rebounds at others.

I agree with most of that post, but this in particular, I have been paying special attention to the tracking after making a save, after being hit with a puck, and it's often not good, like he has NO idea where it is. Watching other NHL goalies for this, and it for sure happens to all of them, the puck is moving very fast and it can carom around and be gone, and goalies tend not to move much just in case it's stuck under them. But Smith genuinely seems to lose it after the first save pretty often, luckily the D-men are pretty good about getting control. I also think he's very slow to get back on his feet after the forward flop. So style-wise, I'm giving Smith about a 3/10 but he does seem to be stopping the puck, and in a sense, that's all that matters.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by transplant99

From Wills...

Yeah, Wills. Someone tell him we have heard him, he loves Smitty.

[PeteMoss]

I'm glad Smith is starting tonight. If he's going to play in the playoffs - better see him against a good team instead of this string of cupcakes he's had lately.

[the-rasta-masta]

The goaltending starter is such a tough decision right now. On one side, Smith has played well and I actually all of a sudden have good confidence in him as the starter in the playoffs. He’s got some experience and a good playoff background. On the other side, has anybody ever chosen to not start a goalie with a 27-8-5 record by choice before?

[DeluxeMoustache]

I liked Smitty’s engagement tonight. Seems like a solid teammate.