Icehogs outshooting the Flames 6-3 about halfway through the 3rd. They will need to turn things up a little more if we are going to comeback. Play is still looking a little slow and lazy. No intensity so far.
On the upside, it looks like Hamilton will get the loss. That leaves the Flames, Hamilton and Leafs all with a 1 point difference between a playoff spot and out.
Flames are off to Grand Rapids tonight to play the Griffins tomorrow afternoon. The Griffins are 1st in the West and 3rd in the AHL. This will not be an easy one.
The "cautious optimism" has fallen to "doubtful cautious optimism".
Have to say though, this CANNOT be blamed on our goalies or even saying "Well if Ortio was here we would be in the playoffs". Our forwards need to smarten up.
Goals For Since Ortio's Injury: 41
Goals Against Since Ortio's Injury: 45
A 4 goal differential really doesn't scream to me poor goaltending. If you take out the two blowout games (4-7 and 7-8 losses), it becomes 30GA and 30GF. Outside of those two games, both Thiessen and Carr have been pretty solid in net. It seems many of our forwards are going through goal droughts or just not stepping up in the game. Wolf and Hathaway are the offense along with our defence. Many of the Flames forwards are still invisible.
Edit:
Forwards currently struggling
Poirier - No points in 3 games
Hanowski - 1 point in 6 games
Vause - 2 points in 7 games
Arnold - No points in 3 games
Tousignant - No points in 8 games
Elson - 1 point in 5 games
The remaining schedule is pretty much a nightmare.
Adirondack at Grand Rapids
Hamilton at Adirondack
Rockford at Adirondack
Oklahoma City at Adirondack
Adirondack at Texas
Adirondack at San Antonio
Adirondack at San Antonio
Adirondack at Toronto
Adirondack at Utica Lake Erie at Adirondack
Lake Erie at Adirondack
Adirondack at Syracuse
Utica at Adirondack Rochester at Adirondack
Bolded games are against weaker teams, all the other games are against top teams except the Toronto and Hamilton games, which are teams that are on par with our Flames.
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Lake Erie should be an easy 4 points as I would imagine by that time Roy will have Pickard called up and using him to finish out the season as he's obviously never putting Berra on the ice again.