GDFD No. 70: Or, Loss No. 27
Ryan Lambert
March 17 2010 06:11PM
Welcome to the Game Day Fire Drill, for this, Calgary’s 70th game of the season on March 17, 2010.
I don't know what the hell goes on with this team, but this is what I imagine happened at Flames practice this morning:
"Okay, guys, gather 'round," says Brent Sutter. "Vesa's going to start for us tonight and..."
"Uhh, Coach?" interjects Jarome Iginla.
"Problem, Iggy?"
"Well yeah, I mean, you just said Vesa's starting for us tonight."
"Right," comes the reply.
"Uhh, Coach?" says Miikka Kiprusoff. "You mean me, right? I'm starting?"
"Are you Vesa?"
"No."
"Then I guess not."
"But," says Robyn Regehr, "this game is, like, pretty important, right?"
"Yeah," says Sutter. "Real important."
"So..."
"So we're starting Vesa."
"Against Colorado?"
"Yeah, the Avs. Look what don't you guys get about this?"
"It's just that...," starts Craig Conroy.
"It's just that Toskala blows, Coach," interrupts Ian White. "I played with him in Toronto and he's, well, he's really bad. He gave up a goal from like 200 feet away or something earlier this year."
"Guys," says Toskala with a sigh, "you can see me, right? I'm standing right here."
"Oh hey Vesa," says Iginla. "You heard you're starting against Colorado tonight?"
"Yeah," Toskala says, "Coach was.. Wait, what?"
Who
The Calgary Flames (34-26-9 for 77 points. Ninth in the West, third in the Northwest) and the Colorado Avalanche (40-23-6 for 86 points. Fifth in the West, second in the Northwest).
When
7:30 p.m. Mountain time and 9:30 p.m. Eastern time. All other time zones should keep their cool.
Where
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado.
Calgary is 17-10-6 on the road this year, and have gotten one point from four games against Colorado this season. The Avalanche are 22-10-2 at home, and have won four of their last five.
What (to hate about the Avalanche)
Brandon Yip — Look at this kid scoring a ton all of a sudden. He's got 11-7-18 in 26 games, and he's a rookie. That's a pace for almost 35 goals. That's crazy, especially because he was an eighth-round pick.
Chris Stewart — Second-year player. And he's got 27 goals.
Matt Duchene — A rookie. With 23 goals. Yikes.
Why
Because only Staios can deliver us from a three-game losing streak! Enjoy the game and ride Steve Staios to victory in the comments section.
I'll comment, but I refuse to ride Steve Staios.
That was the greatest conversation I've ever read. I wish that was actually what happened.
But I also won't ride Staios. He is still an oiler to me.
It all rides on Vesa Toskala, a.k.a. the Finnish Roman Turek.
There's a good start. A needless penalty!
That's OK, Kotalik is just setting the stage for the late hero turn and dramatic finish. He's been doing it routinely ever since he was rescued from the Hartford Wolfpack taxi squad.
I underestimated your capacity for sarcasm I think Jean.
Ahh...and that further proves that the Flames are more dangerous on the PK.
Matt Duchene embarrasses a line and d-combo worth about $26M.
The Flames have looked terrible ever since they scored.
Trying to reverse the script from the previous four meetings this season with the Avs?
It's incredibly ironic that the Flames have scored on their first 2 chances, given the way the previous games against the Avs have gone.
Calgary's begun to reel things in a bit in the latter half here.
Yeesh. Wilson shouldn't be taking on Mayers, that's for sure.
Still don't get is as far as the Avs are concerned. Lots of nice young players and Anderson has been quite good, but how have they been a division title contender all season long?
Flames with the chance count in their favor, 7-5 after one. They were down until the 10 minute mark.
It's all percentages, Jean. A team or two rides the percentages train every year in the NHL. Last season it was BOS. The year before, MTL.
For example, the Avs have the second highest SH% in the NHL this year (last time I checked). There's no way that's actually indicative of their abilities.
The hockey gods smiled on them this year.
Yeah I get that somewhat. It's just hard to believe that's not at least some evening out of that factor over an 82-game schedule.
That was the greatest GDFD I've ever read. Good job TLP.
Love the Dawes handlebar
I know. But it seems to happen at least once a year for at least one team. Most have fluctuations during the season, but some have the voodoo all season.
Flames were dominating until that abysmal Langkow et al shift. Now the Avs are storming back.
Calgary was taking the game over and just...stopped. Started turning pucks over, stopped skating, decision making went south.
What a baffling team this is.
Calgary PP back to being ridiculously bad.
Chances were 9-8 in favor of CGY in that one. They were ahead 8-2 at the 12 minute mark.
Yep, pretty solid Avs push in the latter stages of the period. Led by Chris Durno, naturally.
This first 3 or 4 minutes is huge...the Avs have come back from two goals a ton this year.
Glencross hurt...that's no good.
"Find a way to win" is something we've heard a few (300+) times this season. Comes to mind again.
It would be a very good time to do that.
Actual pressure on the PP! What is this?
Gotta say...Matt Stajan has been underwhelming the last week or so.
Of course they have to make it a little more difficult.
Oh well. Win is a win.
Chances were 6-6 in that period.