Gameday - Canucks

The boys are on fire right now (well, relatively when you look at their road record for the season), so they head into Vancouver on a high...

They have won all three games of their current road trip and are looking to head home unbeaten...

The only team standing in their way are the current Northwest division champs...

This is a big game for Calgary, as Colorado eked out a win over the Wild this afternoon and the Flames need to regain their lead...

No big news other than that, they just need to keep up what they've been doing...

May try to make it down to the Wheat Sheaf for the last bit of the game, but I'm meeting some friends in the Yonge and Eglinton area first, so there is a good chance I won't make it that far South...

Go Flames!

Postgame - Wild

I spoke too soon...

So I did predict a re-emergence of Iggy on this roadtrip, but I guess he decided to do it a game earlier than I figured he would. But I'm okay with that...

Don't know who pissed him off in Minnesota the last couple days (maybe he had an incident at the mall?), but I'd like to thank them...

It looks like the number of active bloggers has been fluctuating lately, but maybe the boys needed that. We get sick and they play better. Maybe I need to find somebody with a cough, now that I'm starting to feel a lot better...

Here's hoping the boys can continue it over into Saturday night against the freakin' Canucks...

If any of the Flames fans in Toronto are up to watching that game at a bar or something and wouldn't mind some company, let me know...

Gameday - Wild

The Flames play their second game of a back to back on the road with the Wild tonight.

Calgary won the Tuesday night matchup in Minnesota 1-0 in a shootout.

Everyone is still waiting for Jarome Iginla to get a little spark and get going, which I don't think will happen until somebody pisses him off. With a mild mannered team like the Wild, I really don't think that will happen tonight, so I'm thinking it'll be another low scoring affair (But I think those ocean going spawns of satan could do it on Saturday night)...

Kipper has been doing pretty good as of late, so I'm thinking we'll see quite a few beauty saves on Demitra and Gaborik tonight...

Calgary wins 2-1 in regulation this time. Goals by Huselius, Langkow, and Demitra...

Go Flames!

One Night Only

I'll let myself out...

Edmonton takes on the ever-present Avalanche tonight and really need to end this horrible losing streak...

Well, for this game at least...

I started getting worried about Colorado during that 3 games series and they have done nothing to quell my concerns since then...

So lets go Oilers! Slow down that Avalanche!

I refuse to use that term that resembles 'goiters', since it sounds like something somebody mentally deficient would say (like a greaser)...

And by the way, that number I gave you isn't mine... it's for the suicide prevention hotline...

Postgame - Predators

Taking it to the Predators

I knew you could do it boys!

It turns out that all everyone needed was a little bit of a break and a little faith...

Maybe my TSN turning point was totally ignoring that came that supposedly happened on Saturday...

And the boys rewarded my renewed faith in them after Tuesday's game with the 3-2 overtime win tonight...

Outshooting the number one team in the league is no small feat for this team, especially since they have reportedly gone back towards the defensive system they had under Sutter...

Nice win boys! Beating the top two teams in the Western Conference at home... awesome!

Now lets see if you can take it on the road...

I feel so refreshed...

Gameday - Predators

You may have noticed that my gameday posts have been getting pretty basic lately and I have neglected to put up a postgame from the Red Wings game on Tuesday night...

To be honest, I haven't had a whole lot of time lately. I've played 5 hockey games in the last four days (was asked to play in another) and tonight is my only break before I play another 8 games in the next 6 days...

If the game starts out poorly tonight I'll probably just go to bed after the first period. Nothing against the boys, but if it doesn't look like they're going to win I'm just going to try to catch up on a tiny fraction of all the sleep I've missed since Sunday...

On to my preview I guess...

Nashville is now number one in the league, passing the Red Wings after Detroit lost to the Flames on Tuesday night...

Calgary still has the league's best home record but hasn't beaten Nashville in the last eight games between the two teams...

But I've heard the boys are going back to their defensive system from the last couple of years, so hopefully they can get the 'W' tonight (and this also probably means that Sutter must have stepped in)...

I honestly think the boys can pull this off tonight. I said that I would believe in our boys if they beat Detroit, so I will...

Calgary wins tonight, 2-0. Goals by Iginla and Phaneuf (PP), and Kiprusoff with the shutout...

Gameday - Red Wings

The Flames host the Red Wings at the Saddledome. With their road record, every game at home is a must win, no matter who they are playing...

Detroit is on top of the Western Conference right now, so this is obviously going to be a hard game. If the Flames can't win tonight AT HOME against Detroit and then AT HOME on Thursday against Nashville, then they shouldn't be going to the playoffs anyway, as it will probably be a four game blowout regardless of which of these two teams they would have to play...

Everyone knows that the boys have the talent to compete in this conference, they've just been horrendous on defence for the majority of the season, which is supposedly our biggest asset...

As far as I'm concerned, the Flames haven't played since the Dallas game on Thursday. It wasn't on TV anywhere, so it didn't actually happen...

Actually, I was just too busy/ lazy to do any posting this weekend, so I decided to take it off...

I think the boys finally get their heads out of their collective asses tonight and turn it on against a team that doesn't really scare me right now. They probably should, but they don't...

Flames win this one 3-2, and I really don't care who scores for either team. Take this one boys, and I might start caring again...

Give me something to believe in...

Postgame - Stars

What, there was a game last night?

I know there was a game last night, but I didn't really pay attention...

I knew it was going on, but I decided I would rather not listen to it over the internet as I did my fantasy baseball draft...

I think I followed the March Madness tournament closer on Thursday night, and I don't even like basketball...

I had the Sportsline gamecenter up, but I was only checking it intermittently between my picks...

I'd resigned myself to the loss when heard McLennan would be starting...

I would tell you my thoughts on the game, but at this point, I don't even remember what those were anymore...

I'm almost to the point where I'd be happy if the boys just stayed in the playoff race...

Actually, the real sign of apathy is that I knew I had to post this, but I didn't actually do it until Saturday morning. I just changed the date to make it seem like I cared more than I actually do at this point...

And that's some new artwork I created just for this occasion...

Gameday - Stars

Thursday, March 15, 2007

6:30 p.m. MST

American Airlines Center

Calgary @ Dallas
Flames PPV

• The Flames sputter into Texas tonight to take on the Stars.
• Dallas has won their last three games, the last two at home, and haven't played since Tuesday night.
• Calgary is coming off a loss to Colorado in Denver last night and I really don't feel the need to talk about their road record.
• I'm sure it'll be Marty Turco in net for the Stars tonight, and even though Miikka Kiprusoff started last night for the Flames, he'll probably be tending the twine again tonight.
• The leaders for the home team are Jere Lehtinen (24g), Sergei Zubov (36a), Philippe Boucher (46p), Matthew Barnaby (127 PIMs), and Jaroslav Modry (+10).

Alright, so I got into a little trouble from the girl I'm dating for picking against the Flames last night. She said that I probably jinxed the team, so I'm going back on the positive side of things...

And given the lack of scoring from the Stars, I think we can outgun these guys anyway...

Calgary wins 2-1 tonight, with goals coming from Jarome Iginla, Matthew Lombardi, and Boucher...

Postgame - Avalanche

Surprise, surprise, surprise!

Can't say that I didn't see this coming, as I said in my pregame...

The Flames totally got dominated tonight, no matter how flukey that first goal was...

And why didn't Stuart cover Hejduk on that tying goal? He's the number one scorer on the other team, and his man was being covered by somebody else! You can't tell me he had no idea he was over there...

The boys looked like a bunch of Gomers in the third period, running around not knowing what exactly it was they were supposed to be doing...

Yet another good showing by Lombardi in the speed department, and he looked pretty good for most of the game...

Actually, there were a couple Gomers wearing black and white tonight as well. A little quick on the whistle in the Avalanche zone, taking away a potential goal for the Flames. Here's a hint, when you lose sight of the puck, wait a second before blowing the whistle, as there is a chance it may have gone up into the air...

And some of those offsides calls were questionable on both sides of the puck...

I realize that Amonte hit a couple of posts tonight and had some decent chances, but I still wouldn't have had him out on the ice in the final minute of the game...

I feel it is time for me to bring back a little artwork...

For the majority of the third period I was dropping the F-bomb like it was going out of style. Or in other words, like it was a Jimmy Playfair suit...

Gameday - Avalanche

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

7:00 p.m. MST

Pepsi Center

Calgary @ Colorado
TSN

• The Flames are in Denver tonight, looking to build some space to maintain their current spot in the playoffs.
• The Avalanche are coming off an overtime loss to the Wild, but won the previous 5 games.
• The Flames are coming off an overtime win over the Blues at home, but have been horrible on the road.
• Peter Budaj has been playing well, and will likely get the start for the Avs. Calgary is playing the first of back to back road games (they play in Dallas tomorrow night), so I'd expect McLennan to get the green light tonight.
• The stats leaders for Colorado are Joe Sakic (50a, 77p), Milan Hejduk (28g), Ian Laperriere (115 PIMs), and Ken Klee (+11).

I have little optimism for the boys tonight and am tempted to use the power of the PVR, as I can actually get this game. But instead I will just try yelling at the TV nonstop, and see if that works instead...

Avs beat the boys tonight, 4-2. With goals from Jarome Iginla, Kristian Huselius, Sakic, Paul Stastny, Hejduk, and Wojtek Wolski...

Postgame - Blues

A little too close for comfort...

While its nice to see the boys show that they can win in a shootout (and in a dominant fashion in the process), I'd really rather they not go to shootouts at all. Yes, Iggy can score in the shootout. Yes, Kipper can now shut out the opposing shooters. But I'd really be much more comfortable not having to see them prove it...

To come back from a one goal deficit after the first period only to give up a two goal lead in the third period is a little frustrating...

Huselius was on fire tonight (as best I could tell from the radio feed). A goal to reach 30 on the season (plus three assists)...

Stempniak also showed up for tonight's game, with two lamplighters for the Blues including the tieing goal halfway through the third. The Flames weren't quite Stempniaked, but it looked like they almost could have been...

Lombardi really needed to make full use of his chance on the top line, which he didn't do tonight. And getting a senseless penalty at the end of overtime wasn't the smartest thing either, no matter how borderline the offence actually was...

He's just lucky that Kipper saved his ass...

This game did not exactly instill confidence in me, which has been a running trend the last few weeks. Although it was nice to hear that Playfair actually pulled the boys aside in the third period, which shows that he's at least open to the idea of settling them down during a game (even though it came at least one goal too late)...

Gameday - Blues

Monday, March 11, 2007
7:30 p.m. MST
Pengrowth Saddledome
St Louis @ Calgary

Sportsnet West

• St Louis returns to Calgary tonight to take on the Flames.
• The two teams met in St Louis last week, where the Flames won 4-2.
• The Blues have losts 3 of their last four, and have gone 3-3-1 since losing Manny Legace to a lower body injury after the February 20th game.
• Calgary is coming off an overtime loss to the Lightning at home on Saturday night and are looking to maintain their status as the top home team in the NHL.
• Curtis Sanford will likely get the start again for the Blues, as there has been no mention of Legace coming back yet. Jamie McLennan could possibly get the start tonight in place of Flames starter Miikka Kiprusoff.
• The leaders for the Blues are, pretty much the same as last week, Lee Stempniak (21g), Doug Weight (37a, 48p), Jamal Mayers (78 pim), and Christian Backman (+11).

The boys better win tonight. I'm tired of being pessimistic and subscribing to doomsday theories of playing the Predators in the first round of the playoffs...

Flames will have their statement game tonight and destroy the Blues 7-2. Goals by Jarome Iginla (3), Daymond Langkow, David Moss, Dion Phaneuf, and Jeff Friesen with his third in as many games. Responding for the road team will be Stempniak and Petr Cajanek...

Postgame - Lightning

Deja vu all over again...

Maybe I should have just let the PVR handle last night's game...


It was looking decent in the first period, getting lots of shots and controlling a lot of the play. Up until that first goal anyway...


And Friesen added another nice one in the second period, in something of another futile effort (although getting a point is better than nothing)...


When they initially called off that goal by Conroy in the 3rd I think I was about ready to lose it...


And then Lecavalier, of all the fucking people, scores to send it into overtime...


Two stupid penalties at the end of overtime to lead to the third 5-on-3 in the last two games, and eventually the game winner...


Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck...


Its really looking like we'll be facing off against the Predators to start the playoffs, but I can see us taking it to at least 4 games...


That is, unless the Avalanche catch up to us (and with 3 games remaining against the Flames, they could actually do that)...


Shit...

Gameday - Lightning

Saturday, March 10, 2007

8:00 p.m. MST

Pengrowth Saddledome

Tampa Bay @ Calgary
CBC

• Tampa Bay comes back to Calgary for the first time since the two teams played each other for the Stanley Cup.


• The Lightning are playing their 5th game in a 6 game road trip, and are 2-2 thus far. Their most recent game being a win over the Oilers on Wednesday night.


• Calgary holds the NHL's best home record at 27-6-1 and are coming of a loss in Nashville on Thursday night.


• Marc Denis is the probable starter for the Lightning tonight, up against Miikka Kiprusoff.


• The leaders for the Lightning are Vincent Lecavalier (45g), Martin St. Louis (52a, 91p), Andre Roy (104 PIMs), and Nikita Alexeev (+10).

I still hate the Lightning after the Flames lost to them in the finals. They seemed like a bunch of whiners and I'm not a big fan of the Fonz either...

And that puck was in (its too bad we couldn't get Gelinas back just for this game)...

I really don't like these guys so I'm going to say that our boys make a statement and absolutely destroy Tampa 6-1. Goals by Jarome Iginla (3), Craig Conroy, Dion Phaneuf, and Robyn Regehr for the home team. Brad Richards scores for the bad guys...

Postgame - Predators

No, everything is not alright...

That game sounded as ugly on the radio as those Nashville jerseys look...

Some bad penalties taken by the defencemen...

The game actually sounded like it was pretty even until about halfway through the second period...

Just when I was ready to think they may have gotten over their road problems...

And to think that Jeff Friesen even got another goal...

Since it was to the best team in the NHL, I will refrain from using profanity this time...

Gameday - Predators

Thursday, March 8, 2007
6:00 p.m. MST
Gaylord Entertainment Center
Calgary @ Nashville

Sportsnet West

• The Flames travel to Nashville tonight to take on the top team in the NHL right now.
• The Predators are coming off a 5 game roadtrip where they picked up 8 of a possible 10 points.
• Calgary is currently on a 5 game winning streak, including the last two on the road.
• Chris Mason will get the start against Miikka Kiprusoff.
• The leaders for the Predators are Scott Hartnell (22g, inj.), Paul Kariya (45a, 67p), Jordin Tootoo (89 PIMs), and David Legwand (+31).

This is short because I'm running a little late today. I took a nap when I got home from work, and I just woke up half an hour ago...

Nashville has actually gone to the shootout in 5 of their last 7 games, so I'm going to predict a shootout win for the Flames tonight, 3-2. Regulation goals by David Moss, Jarome Iginla, Kariya, and Legwand...

How about a shootout win on the road boys? Do this (or better), and I won't doubt you for the rest of the season...

Postgame - Blues

Here come the big guns!

Big win for the boys tonight in a game that could be seen as a must win, if only to prove to themselves that they can win on the road. Sure they beat the greasers in oiltown on Saturday night, but that Oiler team was deflated...

I didn't catch the game tonight, as I don't get Sportsnet West, but I did follow along on Sportsline's gamecenter. As Leanne pointed out to me on the BofA site though, I probably could have just listened to the radio feed. I used to do that before the lockout, but I guess that year off made me forget all about it. I actually watched the Sharks game from a couple weeks ago instead (finally got around to it)...

The big guns (Conroy, Iginla, and Tanguay) turned it on in the last 21 minutes of the game, contributing on all four unanswered goals. Conroy had a breakthrough night (2g, 1a, +2), as he had been slumping the last few weeks, which is obviously nice to see as we get closer to the playoffs. Duncan is probably a better person to ask about that one though...

I'm not sure what HockeyGirl's new superstition is, but I give her credit for this one as I was worried that the boys might not win tonight...

I'm not fully ready to believe that they are over their road woes, but it was definitely a good start tonight. But if they can at least make it through regulation on Thursday night in Nashville, they may actually have me fooled until their next road trip...

Gameday - Blues

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

6:00 p.m. MST

Scottrade Centre

Calgary @ St Louis
Sportsnet West

• The Flames travel to St Louis tonight to take on the Blues.
• St Louis has been coming on as of late and have actually been 6-1-1 in their last 8 games.
• The Blues are on a four game home winning streak and have beaten some impressive teams in the process (Nashville, Minnesota, and Vancouver).
• The Flames have won their last four games, including the most recent one on the road in Edmonton, and the previous one in a shootout at the Saddledome over the Wild.
• Calgary is 7-0-1 in their last 8 games against St Louis, the one loss in a shootout in St Louis at the end of January last year.
• At 8-15-8 the Flames are tied with the Florida Panthers for the fewest road wins by a team so far this season.
• Manny Legace is injured for the Blues, so Curtis Sanford is expected to get the start again tonight. Sanford is 2-1-1 in filling in for Legace since he went down two weeks ago.
• Miikka Kiprusoff will be tending the twine for Calgary tonight and looked pretty good against the Wild and Oilers last week, but we'll just have to see how his defence plays in front of him on the road.
• One thing going for the Flames this time is that Sanford is about as brutal in the shootout as Kipper is.
• The leaders for the Blues are Lee Stempniak (20g), Doug Weight (36a, 44p), Jamal Mayers (70 pim), and Christian Backman and Barret Jackman (both at +20).

I'm really skeptical about this game, as the Blues have turned into a dangerous team of hard working young guys. Stempniak has been known to take the game over for himself from time to time, while disappearing completely on other occasions (as is typical of a lot of players early in their careers)...

I'm actually going to give the home team the benefit of the doubt on this one, and I hope our boys prove me wrong, but I think the Blues take it 3-2 in overtime...

Goals by Iginla and Huselius for the good guys, Stempniak (2) and Petr Cajanek for the home team...

Postgame - Oilers

Not sure what to do with this...

I'm not sure if I can really count that as a good road win. For a team as emotionally and physically deflated as the Oilers, the Flames let them keep too close for too long...

The real test will come on Thursday night against Nashville, but I think a win over St Louis tomorrow night will be a good start to overcoming their horrible road woes. Not that I expect them to beat the Blues, but I think they have a decent chance (which I feel is a bit more realistic than whatI normally would have said)...

I still have yet to watch the game, but I did catch bits of the third period when I was at the bar on Saturday night (although I was at beer 11 before the game even started, so, as you can probably imagine, I didn't catch that much)...

The PVR (7-0) is more than holding its own, as I'm sure you are all aware though. I don't expect this perfect record to continue into the playoffs or anything, but I'll take what I can get for now...

Gameday - Oilers

Saturday, March 3, 2007
8:00 p.m. MST
Rexall Centre
Calgary @ Edmonton

CBC

Alright, this will be a quick one, as I'm leaving here in about 5 minutes...

Oilers have been shutout the last two games since losing Ryan Smyth, both games were at home...

Flames are winning the season series 4-2 and have not lost to the Oilers in the Saddledome...

Calgary is coming off their first shootout win of the season and won all three games of their recent homestand...

But Calgary is just brutal on the road, especially lately when facing teams that they should really beat...

I'm thinking that this one won't be quite as close though, so I'll pick the Flames 3-1, cause I think SOMEBODY from the Oilers will finally get a goal tonight...

Goal scorers are David Moss, Kristian Huselis, and Daymond Langkow, with Fernando Pisani answering back for the home team...

And I will once again be out for the evening, so the PVR will try to go 7-0...

Postgame - Wild

TSN turning point?

I'm in such a good mood when it comes to the Flames right now...

Big shootout win last night over a divisional opponent...

Coming back in the third period to tie the game...

All the crap that happened with the Oilers on Tuesday...

The Canucks losing Tuesday as well...

Lots of confidence heading out on the road this weekend, which I think is what will turn this team around outside the Calgary city limits...

My PVR is now 6-0, as I recorded the game last night and then started watching it an hour later. And thankfully I thought ahead near the end, and set it to record another half hour so as not to miss the shootout...

I just wish that my work computers weren't messed up today so I could have posted this earlier (although I probably should have posted right after the game)...

Feel free to say 'bullshit' at any moment here...