Game No. 45: Winning is losing
Ryan Lambert
January 17 2011 05:11PM
Calgary has an awful good chance to wrap up this long East Coast road trip at 3-0-1 tonight. Whether or not that's a good thing is up to you.
It has been with increasing worry that I've watched the Flames winning a fair number of hockey games lately. Granted, these are mostly against pretty bad teams, but they're 6-2-2 in their last 10, and that can't be discounted.
The question is: to what end? The Flames can certainly still squeak into the playoffs if they really get their act together down the stretch here, and Jay Feaster is certainly still managing the organization that way. No one would argue that this team has a shot at competing with most teams at the bottom of the current Western Conference playoff picture, at least not anyone with a realistic view of the club (the jury on Feaster is still out, I fear).
The club is old, slow and still, somehow, despite five years of being able to adequately prepare as other organizations have, not well-suited for the rigors of the New NHL. The prospect cupboard, also, is bare.
None of this is breaking news.
So why pursue winning, when each victory brings Calgary two points farther from a lottery pick? Already, Calgary is seven spots away from dead last in the league — and one supposes that the lowly bottom three are all but spoken-for by the Devils, Islanders and Oilers. Continuing to win, and to barely sneak by weak opposition, serves no purpose.
It's been said that Calgary won't trade The Core, and that's to be expected, since no GM worth having would ever tip his hand that plainly and drive down the asking price for what players of value he has.
But if you're going to do a tank job, do it properly.
Remember when Brent was mixing up lines with reckless abandon, and scratching people for no readily apparent reason? Remember when guys were earning minutes they didn't deserve? What happened to THAT?
Winning nail-biters with cellar-dwellers (which, I'll needlessly point out, Calgary's opponents tonight categorically are not), a cheery locker room and contributions from the fourth line are all well and good for teams that have Cup aspirations, even vague ones. Calgary does not fit that description.
I don't understand how anyone can operate under that delusion.
Regehr in the line-up. So much for those trade rumors.
That's what I get for besmirching Eller.
Giordano not having a banner evening so far.
All habs so far.
Gio has been adequate this entire road trip.
Mostly. The Glencross line has created some chances this period, but everyone else has been mostly shut-out.
Glennie has to start burying those break aways.
Wow, being outplayed, outshot, and outscored so far, just as I turn it on halfway through the first period.
Kiprusoff follows up criticism with losses and barely wins, and follows up his barely wins with another likely stinker.
Why must the Flames torment us so?
MTL led the chances count 9-6. I'm guessing Glencross' line had at least 3 or 4 of them.
10 8 round for the Habs,Rags says they gotta cut down on giving up quality scoring chances. Realy? Go figure.
Also, Flames PP's were underwater in terms of chances and goals against in that one. Just abysmal.
Corsi.
CGY +2, EV shots 10-8 MTL. Tough night for Iggy's line.
Didn't even hear Iginla's name during the second half of that first period... guess we need someone to hurl slurs at him, or maybe swing a stick at his head, to get him going.
Tough night for Iggy's line.
Again.
Surprised to see the Flames above water as a team in terms of possession. Didn't seem to be in the offensive end any more than the Canadiens.
Gotta get a pair of those rose coloured glasses that the sportsnet gang wear.
@negrilcowboy
Heh. I'll do that when the Flames start paying me to wear them.
Yeesh. Bad play and bad bounces.
Once again the Flames overpaid a flattire. Charlies ok cause his wife was a bunny at one time.
SNET with chances 8-6 in favor of CGY half way through the second. I have no idea what criteria they use to count chances.
They use: Step 1'nap through first period'
Step 2: Oh the shots look close...
Step 3:Lets make the scoring chances close even though they are losing quite handily
Step 4: Give the Flames the edge just because...
Step 5: Back to nap time
But on a serious note , well done Flames in the latter half of the second. Another comeback in the third? I dont doubt it, But that mountain doesnt look as steep now.
I had the chances 8-7 for MTL in the second (and I didn't count their 4th goal as a chance).
Check that 8-6, owing to the second Flames goal being Bouwmeester's.
Corsi.
CGY -3, EV shots 17-15 MTL.
Pardy's corsi seems a little off to me, perhaps I need some rose coloured glasses.
Flames have had some rough bounces in this one, but their being behind right now isn't a gross miscarriage of justice.
Wow. Flames second improbable come back on this trip.
Wow is this happening????
huh turned the game of before the end of the first,i thought for sure mtl had it in the bag.did cgy pick it up or mtl take there foot off the pedal?
Ehh, bit of both. Auld let in a stinker or two as well.
Up by four the habs fans started cheering ole ole .... lol beautiful way to shutem up.
those loser points are just postponing the inevitable.
Well, the Flames finally won a period, 5-3 in the third.
Corsi.
CGY -2, EV shots finished 24-23 Habs. Lots of funny plays, so OT seems about right.
Too bad, I guess, but that's an A-one shot from Subban.
Quite the shot by Subban.
yup - great shot, but did the Tower give him a bit? Maybe just a bit of inexperience?
Kent, agreed, quite the shot by Subban but does Karrlson have to be on his knees on every shot?
@icedawg_42
Yeah, he still tends to go down a little too early.
I'm kinda torn now, the flames are quite fun to watch WHEN they try, there is certainly no middle ground with this team, either everyone tries or no one tries (except Jackman of course).
I'd love to watch this team put in solid efforts night in and night out, but that results in them winning.... which is the opposite result I am hoping for (unless they make the playoffs)
Hmmm....should've read this article before posting on the newest one. Now I look like a hack. In other words, I agree with everything RL says here.