Was the Chicago Blackhawks’ epic (6-5-overtime-comeback-from-a-5-0-deficit) win over the Calgary Flames the best Columbus Day game ever? I’m just askin’, because I have DirecTV and the game was on Versus, so…I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Rangers (metaphorically) pull down the Maple Leafs’ pants and spank them in front of an enthusiastic MSG crowd. In between periods of that game, I caught chunks of a hard-fought Lightning win over the cross-state rival Panthers, as well as a bit of the Penguins-Senators game. All in all, a pretty good night of hockey…except for missing the game on Versus. Are you listening, DirecTV? I ain’t happy.
While the young ‘Hawks should pat themselves on the back for turning a humiliating home rout into the greatest comeback in franchise history (tied for greatest comeback in NHL history), the fact that Cristobal Huet surrendered 3 goals in 53 seconds is definitely cause for concern. Equally concerning is the performance of backup Antti Niemi, who looked (based on the two goals he allowed) completely unprepared to play hockey Monday night. All blame for Calgary’s five goals shouldn’t lie with Chicago’s goalie tandem, but neither one turned in a confidence-inspiring performance. What’s Manny Legace’s phone number?
On the flip side, at least Chicago can look back on this night as a character test passed with flying colors. Calgary, on the other hand, has nothing but questions and regret. Seriously, in the National Hockey League, how do you blow a 5-0 lead? As a result of the Flames’ Columbus Day Massacre, tonight’s game in Columbus represents a serious character test for Calgary. Final score aside, the way the Flames play against the Blue Jackets will go a long way towards answering the “Contender or Pretender?” question. Without a doubt, Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock watched the Flames-Hawks game, and will have his team “dug in” and ready for an all-out assault from an angry Flames team. In Sunday’s JabberHockey broadcast, I picked Calgary at Columbus as my Game of the Week, primarily for the match-up of Calgary’s top-ranked PP (43.8%) against Columbus’ top-ranked PK (94.4%). Monday night's meltdown, however, only makes tonight's game much more interesting.
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Showing posts with label Calgary Flames. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calgary Flames. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
1. 4.
Friday, September 4, 2009
OGA SPR: The Calgary Flames – Frozen Pill
This is On Goal Analysis’ 2009/10 Season Preview Report (SPR) for the Calgary Flames – the 4th installment of our daily previews leading to the start of the new season!
Fantasy Players - be sure to read the Frozen Pill’s Fantasy Dose at the conclusion of the post.
The CALGARY FLAMES as Measured against the OGA Playoff Qualifying Curve (PQC)
Last Season VS the PQC: On Goal Analysis called the Calgary Flames Chasing Stanley (IN the playoffs) at Game 38 on January 3rd, 2009. They did indeed qualify for the playoffs in the middle of the Western pack, finishing 5th in the conference – 6 points ahead of St. Louis and 6 points behind Chicago to whom they would lose a rousing series in 6 games.
The Devil didn’t make them do it, but he may be found within the details. Calgary finished the 08-09 season with a PQC rating of 4.9 – which just happens to be their exact post-lockout average.
Post-Lockout Average VS the PQC: Consistency is the hallmark of this organization when the Flames’ play is measured against the PQC. Calgary rides the Curve year after year but, because they do, they make the playoffs each spring having secured a playoff berth in each of the four seasons since the lockout.
Their baseline differential from the PQC never strays far. Post-lockout, the Flames never play higher than 2.5 points above the Curve – but never play lower than -1.5 points against the PQC, either.
The season prior to the lockout, the Flames were the Western Conference Champions.
Yet Calgary has flamed out in the opening round of post-season play each year since then. Obviously, they must find a way to advance in the playoffs. And if their historical performance as measured against the PQC holds true this season, they will be there again to fight that fight.
SUMMER SPLASH
- Brent Sutter was named new coach in June.
- Hoping to both sure up the defense (a top priority for the new coach) and improve on the Power Play (the Flames finished 21st last season), the Flames made big news with the off-season addition of Jay Bouwmeester.
- Flames’ second overall scoring leader Michael Cammalleri signed with Montreal creating a vacancy in the ‘netting goals’ department. Will Olli Jokinen (obtained at last season’s trade deadline) allow Calgary to bypass ‘replacing’ Cammalleri? Time will tell, but Jokinen seemed to be a good fit in Calgary at the conclusion of the regular season and in the six playoff games against Chicago.
- Jordan (Easy Come, Easy Go) Leopold is gone (again) as part of the Bouwmeester deal but the Flames brought back the feisty fan favorite, Brandon Prust.
- Adrian Aucoin signed with Phoenix and Big Todd the Bertuzzi is moving to Detroit.
Interesting Flames Factoid: Calgary has lost each of its season openers in the previous four seasons. Now, if I were a betting man….
THE FANTASY DOSE
The Sure Thing: Jarome Iginla (RW). Because he is the heart and soul, the cog on which the team turns…and he scores lots of points (89 last season). When wondering if you shouldn’t try Olli Jokinen instead, just remember - every season some fantasy GM complains on the message board about Iginla’s slow start to the year. Then, midway through the season, the same GM is commenting how smart he was to stick with Iginla. Don’t be that guy. Take Jarome if you can get him. It will work out for you just fine.
TrustyRusty: Dion Phaneuf (D) is a pretty safe bet on any fantasy roster’s D-squad. He eats Power Play time like its dinner at the farmhouse and he is not prone to injury having missed only 5 regular season games since 2005.
Up and Coming: Rene Bourque (LW). Bourque, a lefty, may get to fill some of the ice time (alongside Iginla) formerly skated by Mike Cammalleri. His career year last season found him scoring 40 points in only 58 games for his first season with the Flames. Expect even more this season.
Under the Radar: David Moss (LW). This kid could end up playing on the second line this season in Calgary. He popped in 20 goals and 19 assists to little notoriety. Grab him deep in the draft and then thank me later.
The Watchful Eye: Mikael Backlund (C). Calgary’s top prospect is fast, a playmaker, a scoring threat and quick to backcheck. If he makes the squad out of camp, keep an eye on him as a ‘free-agent signing’ during the course of the fantasy season.
The Crease: Take a goalie from Calgary in the fantasy draft? Uh, yeah. Miikka Kiprusoff plays tons of games every season. And in 08/09, no goalie had more wins (45), faced more shots (2155) or made more saves (1946). Kippers is a Keeper.
Mad Scientist: Craig Conroy (C). Most may view Craig as being on the sunset side of his twilight years but you can’t overlook 36 assists (12 goals) and his team leading +20 rating last season. For reference, Iginla finished -2. And he played all 82 games.
THE DAILY TIP-IN REPORT (DTIR)
Will the Calgary Flames maintain their role as a ‘model of consistency’ and ride the Curve, never straying far and find themselves back in the hunt for Lord Stanley’s Cup once again next spring? Well, they have to start playing the games before anyone knows. But give us ten games and we might be able to tell you. OGA knows. And you can too.
Make sure to sign up for the daily, bargain-priced analytical tool for your NHL analysis and fantasy needs by ordering the OGA Daily Tip-In Report (DTIR). For only $10.00, the season-long subscription to the DTIR is delivered to you each morning via email (minus the Olympics, of course). With OGA’s Daily Tip-In, you will have insight to the teams’ chances of qualifying for the playoffs – potentially well before the mathematical call is made – in addition to important team notes as their play is measured each night against the PQC. See a teaser and read it about the DTIR here.
And remember, the OGA 2008/09 Report Card (how accurate are our calls?) will be posted at the conclusion of the SPRs on September 30th.
Tomorrow brings us another dose of the Frozen Pill with the Carolina Season Preview Report. Hurricane season is upon us.
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Thursday, March 26, 2009
Chicago and Florida's Problems, Tonight's Key Games
First, a few quick thoughts on Wednesday night's games, then a brief look at tonight's action...
CHICAGO: Good job beating the Sharks (6-5,SO), but...When I tuned in, the 'Hawks were already up, 4-1. Squandering a three-goal lead, at home, to an injury-depleted San Jose squad should set off alarms. In Joel Quenneville's system, Chicago's d-men are fully engaged in the attack. This system works best when your goalies demonstrate the capability to make saves on breakaways, but neither Khabibulin nor Huet have been up to the challenge of late. Last night's example:
And two from last Friday:
If the Blackhawks can't clean up this mess, they could be one-and-done in the playoffs.
FLORIDA: After taking a 3-1 lead early in the 3rd against a down-and-out Sabres squad, the Panthers - repeating what has become a theme of late - snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, losing the game, 5-3, and seriously damaging their rapidly dwindling playoff hopes. The keyword is consistently, as in "The Panthers of late have consistently failed to play a full 60 minutes." As a result of their spotty efforts, Florida has dropped three straight, and now sits in 9th in the East, two points back of Montreal, and the Habs have a game in hand. The Magic 8-Ball says, "Outlook not so good.", which brings us to...
THURSDAY NIGHT'S GAMES OF NOTE
Florida must go into tonight's game at Philadelphia with a Game 7 mentality. Simply put, they NEED a W here, while the Flyers don't. If the Panthers don't leave The City of Brotherly Shove with two points - particularly if Montreal beats Tampa Bay - then I'm afraid the decision to keep Bouwmeester will go down in the history books as a gamble that didn't pay off.
Nashville needs to take full advantage of a beat-up and tired San Jose team. As with Florida, the Preds NEED two points, while the Sharks just need to get healthy for the playoffs (but picking up a point to stay ahead of Detroit wouldn't hurt). As with Florida, the Preds sit 9th in the conference. Two points tonight, coupled with an Edmonton regulation loss at Phoenix, will put Nashville into 8th come Friday morning.
Calgary at Columbus has "1st Round Matchup" written all over it. The Flames have stumbled a bit of late, and need a W tonight to maintain their division lead over the onrushing Vancouver Canucks. Meanwhile, Columbus needs a W for a comfortable 5-point lead over the suddenly red-hot Anaheim Ducks, not to mention the need for a "statement game" against a potential 1st round opponent.
So many more: Edmonton desperately needs to beat Phoenix...St. Louis (where did they come from?) desperately needs to beat Vancouver...Ditto Montreal over Tampa Bay. Let's face it: At this time of year, there are more "Must Win/Must Watch" games than not. It's the time of year when dreams are realized and hopes are dashed, when many teams' playoff futures hang on a single power play, a single injury, a single goal. It is both beautiful and terrible, and it's merely a glimpse of what will come in the postseason. To (loosely) paraphrase General George S. Patton:
Take me back to On Goal Analysis
CHICAGO: Good job beating the Sharks (6-5,SO), but...When I tuned in, the 'Hawks were already up, 4-1. Squandering a three-goal lead, at home, to an injury-depleted San Jose squad should set off alarms. In Joel Quenneville's system, Chicago's d-men are fully engaged in the attack. This system works best when your goalies demonstrate the capability to make saves on breakaways, but neither Khabibulin nor Huet have been up to the challenge of late. Last night's example:
And two from last Friday:
If the Blackhawks can't clean up this mess, they could be one-and-done in the playoffs.
FLORIDA: After taking a 3-1 lead early in the 3rd against a down-and-out Sabres squad, the Panthers - repeating what has become a theme of late - snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, losing the game, 5-3, and seriously damaging their rapidly dwindling playoff hopes. The keyword is consistently, as in "The Panthers of late have consistently failed to play a full 60 minutes." As a result of their spotty efforts, Florida has dropped three straight, and now sits in 9th in the East, two points back of Montreal, and the Habs have a game in hand. The Magic 8-Ball says, "Outlook not so good.", which brings us to...
THURSDAY NIGHT'S GAMES OF NOTE
Florida must go into tonight's game at Philadelphia with a Game 7 mentality. Simply put, they NEED a W here, while the Flyers don't. If the Panthers don't leave The City of Brotherly Shove with two points - particularly if Montreal beats Tampa Bay - then I'm afraid the decision to keep Bouwmeester will go down in the history books as a gamble that didn't pay off.
Nashville needs to take full advantage of a beat-up and tired San Jose team. As with Florida, the Preds NEED two points, while the Sharks just need to get healthy for the playoffs (but picking up a point to stay ahead of Detroit wouldn't hurt). As with Florida, the Preds sit 9th in the conference. Two points tonight, coupled with an Edmonton regulation loss at Phoenix, will put Nashville into 8th come Friday morning.
Calgary at Columbus has "1st Round Matchup" written all over it. The Flames have stumbled a bit of late, and need a W tonight to maintain their division lead over the onrushing Vancouver Canucks. Meanwhile, Columbus needs a W for a comfortable 5-point lead over the suddenly red-hot Anaheim Ducks, not to mention the need for a "statement game" against a potential 1st round opponent.
So many more: Edmonton desperately needs to beat Phoenix...St. Louis (where did they come from?) desperately needs to beat Vancouver...Ditto Montreal over Tampa Bay. Let's face it: At this time of year, there are more "Must Win/Must Watch" games than not. It's the time of year when dreams are realized and hopes are dashed, when many teams' playoff futures hang on a single power play, a single injury, a single goal. It is both beautiful and terrible, and it's merely a glimpse of what will come in the postseason. To (loosely) paraphrase General George S. Patton:
"Hockey...God help me! I do love it so."
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