Finally a game people can get up for.
This is more like it, right?
It’s a game against an opponent Flames fans can actually care about. Sure it’s nice seeing them play the league’s stars like Ilya Kovalchuk and Mike Richards and Chris Pronger and Marian Gaborik and Sidney Crosby and… someone from the Wild recently. But nothing’s better than a good old fashioned rivalry game.
Full disclosure: I no longer hate the Canucks as I once did. They’re just not the same bunch of borderline criminals (Bertuzzi, Jovanovski) and crybabies (Naslund) and punks (Cooke, Ruutu) they were in the middle of the decade and, particularly, in the 2003-04 season.
You might not like Ryan Kesler very much, and for good reason, but as an American I am contractually obligated to like anyone that almost toppled Canada on their home ice in the Olympics. The only guy on the team I even vaguely dislike is Alex Burrows, and even then, his impression of Marc Crawford makes it awful difficult to line up against him. God help me, I even like the Sedin twins. A lot.
But the Canucks? The most annoying thing about them these days is their fans, who are awful goddamn smug for supporting a team that has never in its history been very good. And the current campaign is no different.
This year they really should have been one of the best teams in the West, if not the whole NHL, and yet here they are, thoroughly mediocre, one point above a non-playoff spot and bunched in with several teams, like Columbus, St. Louis and Anaheim, that you would deem pretty unimpressive. Nonetheless, they’re a point out of the division lead because the Northwest is just about the worst division in the league.
The Flames are pretty bad right now, sure, but no one thought they’d be good either. A win here tonight against a team they pretty well dislike would put them just three points back of Vancouver and four back of Colorado for best in the Northwest, if you can believe that. But that’s what happens when No.1 in the division is the lowest point total by a leader league-wide.
Hell, of the five teams in the Northwest, only Colorado would even make the playoffs in the East right now, and they’d be the No. 8 seed.
The point I’m trying to make, I guess, is that games like this are important for the Flames. When every team in the division stinks — and this year, do they ever! — every time out is a helluva chance to win a home ice spot.
God hlp me I like Kesler too. And I don’t have the excuse of being American.
That’s OK. I hate him more then enough for the both of us.
Welcome to our side Kent. All excuses are accepted.
There is something wrong with you.
“Kent, this is God. How exactly would you like me to help you with the fact you like Kesler? I could cause an earthquake that leave the City of Vancouver piled up in False Creek, but don’t you think that’s overkill? If you’re just feeling guilty, that describes pretty much my entire following.”
Dear God – could you perhaps erase the Staios trade from the books? I know it’s not related, but…
“Kent, its God again. You should know that I can’t erase the Staios trade, that falls under the “Free Will” exemption. When I first decided to roll the dice with this humanity experiment, I gave everyone the ability to f*#k up royally. Some people (read: Darryl Sutter) seem to like to beat me over the head with that mistake…err… decision”
Mikkelson FAIL.
Damn. Lucky goal for Raymond.
Backlund’s line is getting killed by Kesler.
Uh-oh. Not a good feeling about this one.
Boy that’s an expert tip by Jackman. Nicely done.
There you go Kent, Kesler just snowed Kipper. Dick move, non?
Well, that could have been ugly but the Flames caught up as the period wore on. Bourque et al faced the Sedins and were fine, which is good.
Backlund et al got killed though.
Chances were 6-6.
Corsi.
CGY -4, EV shots 12-9 VAN. That could have been a lot worse. Sutter has to get Backlund’s line away from Kesler.
Who would you go with? Iginla et al?
Ahh the match-up dance. How we’re destined to continue it indefinitely.
Yes, and Mikkelson and Babchuk have to be out against Malhotra’s line and nothing more. This is a game where Butter needs to be on the ball, big time. Those first few shifts might end up costing them the game.
Yeah I dont fully remember, But it was a combination of Mikkleson/sarich (Or Mikkleson/Babchuk I forget) But the Sedins came on and it was frightening. We got home ice, hope that doesnt happen again.
And although the two goals against, and the first one being weak, I have liked Kipper’s play thus far.
the finn-back line is looking vulnerable. kesler is feasting on backs. where is rene?
I actually thought Rene was decent in that first. He did some good work down low.