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**Asher** · October 24, 2007, 22:56

Hey, how 'bout that comeback. Don't see that under Playfair.

**Asher** · October 24, 2007, 23:08

5 unanswered goals. Backstrom isn't looking so hot.

Harding looking better and better.

Iginla another 3 points so far.

Edit: Flames win. First Wild defeat in regulation this season.

**Flubber** · October 25, 2007, 00:22

Originally posted by Asher
5 unanswered goals. Backstrom isn't looking so hot.

Harding looking better and better.

Iginla another 3 points so far.

Edit: Flames win. First Wild defeat in regulation this season.

Yup and Tanguay was a big part of it-- he sucked against San Jose (seemed to be benched for a couple of shifts even) but tonight he fought hard-- He set a screen on the first goal-- then got 2 goals and assist-- BUt just as important, he was digging hard in the corners-- compared to two nights ago he seemed a completely different player

**Asher** · October 25, 2007, 00:25

Backstrom's starting to cool off from his super-hot start.

79% sv% tonight against a team Tingkai once deemed weak offensively.

**Asher** · October 25, 2007, 00:38

For those keeping score, the Flames are now the #1 scoring team in the Western Conference (well, tied with Detroit)

**Flubber** · October 25, 2007, 01:23

I was just looking and this seems like it has been a rough week for goalies so far-- a few folks with sv%s less than .800

**Flubber** · October 25, 2007, 01:37

Originally posted by Asher
Backstrom's starting to cool off from his super-hot start.

79% sv% tonight against a team Tingkai once deemed weak offensively.

he definitely looked beatable tonight-- But then again almost all goalies have some off nights

Kipper didn't look great early either but came up with some nice stops later

Oh and Asher, I thought you said somewhere it was Harding tonight? Perhaps I am misremembering.

I always thought they would use Backstrom in Calgary (use your #1 against a supposed tough rival) and that Harding would start in Edmonton. I am hoping that the Minny team will be riled up tomorrow night after blowing their big lead and that can lead to a win for Minny and Harding.

But who knows? Edmonton has been pretty awful and may be due for a crazy good game. ... and Harding is probably due for an off game where he isn't good

**Asher** · October 25, 2007, 09:29

Originally posted by Flubber
I was just looking and this seems like it has been a rough week for goalies so far-- a few folks with sv%s less than .800

I had a shutout.

**Asher** · October 25, 2007, 09:37

Originally posted by Flubber
Oh and Asher, I thought you said somewhere it was Harding tonight? Perhaps I am misremembering.

I always thought they would use Backstrom in Calgary (use your #1 against a supposed tough rival) and that Harding would start in Edmonton. I am hoping that the Minny team will be riled up tomorrow night after blowing their big lead and that can lead to a win for Minny and Harding.

Yeah, I meant Edmonton. I forgot they were playing us first.

**Asher** · October 25, 2007, 10:26

Originally posted by Asher
For those keeping score, the Flames are now the #1 scoring team in the Western Conference (well, tied with Detroit)

Iginla on pace for 49 goals, 82 assists for 131 points.
Langkow on pace for 66 goals, 49 assists for 115 points.
Tanguay on pace for 16 goals, 74 assists for 90 points.
Huselius on pace for 49 goals, 33 assists for 82 points.
Phaneuf on pace for 25 goals, 49 assists for 74 points.
Aucoin on pace for 8 goals, 41 assists for 49 points.

Not saying they'll keep this up, but that's pretty damn good. Phaneuf has been a huge improvement this year defensively AND offensively.

**Flubber** · October 25, 2007, 11:55

Originally posted by Asher

I had a shutout.

Yup -- those rangers haven't scored a goal in two games now-- good on Fleury though-- He was getting a bit of heat and thats two pretty good games in a row

But there are a lot of not great goaltending performances lately.. IIRC more than half our teams are under .900-- Mason's .789 wasn't enough to drag you down too far but your .927 is tied for best on the week-- Other weeks IIRC the sv%s were higher

With two starts in already, I guess your question will be how much do you play Mason? If Montreal continues to use Huet mainly you may only be facing the NJ goalies.

If Fleury can beat Toronto (tonight IIRC) you may not need much more. I am hoping for a Fleury win actually since Sparrowhawk has picked up Toskala (probably to try to win the "wins" category)

**Flubber** · October 25, 2007, 12:21

Originally posted by Asher

Not saying they'll keep this up, but that's pretty damn good. Phaneuf has been a huge improvement this year defensively AND offensively.

In the SJ game I attended, Phaneuf was pretty much the only Flame that showed intensity and an ability to win puck battles as the remainder of the team took the night off.

More generally he seems like he is pinching less, getting beat less and picking his spots to rush the puck better.. . . And as usual he is dishing out punishing bodychecks with pretty good regularity

It seems that Regehr has been demoted a bit. He is still in the second pairing but in prior years he was often the TOI leader -- now instead of two top pairings that both get used a lot, it seems that Phaneuf and Aucoin are very clearly the top pairing. regehr sometimes gets big minutes sometimes ( like 24 minutes) but in half the games this year has been in the 18-19 minute range. Phaneuf seems to be getting 27-28 minutes mostnights and has gone as high as 31

**Flubber** · October 25, 2007, 12:32

Originally posted by Asher
Hey, how 'bout that comeback. Don't see that under Playfair.

Loved it but not everything this year has been great.

KIpper has been adequate as he suffers his usual early season doldrums

The team blew a 4 goal lead to Colorado.
The team suffers far too many horrendous miscues.
With SJ the whole team with about 2-3 exceptions, just did not show up.

But I am already a bit more optimistic about this team because

1. They won on the road
2. Iggy seems involved
3. Phaneuf seems to be invigorated and really raring to go

If this is because Keenan has done something differently, then good for him. PLayfair seemed stressed out all season long and maybe that was bringing down the team since it seemed to me the problems had to be mental. I team doesn't seem almost invincible at home and pathetic on the road due to the systems they play.

I don't yet see much different in any systems that Keenan has employed anyway and special teams, the most coached part of the game, have not been that good (although against Minny the PK was very very strong AFTER surrendering goals on the forst two penalties-- I don't even know if Minny got a good chance-- this shows that either the coaches or players found a way to adapt)

**Asher** · October 25, 2007, 12:41

Keenan has instilled more grit into this team that was missing under Playfair. Yes, they blew a 4 goal lead (overconfidence), but they also scored 5 unanswered goals against the best defensive team in the league to steal a win.

They just scored 5 goals (4 EV) on the Minnesota Wild, who had previously allowed 10 goals (4 EV) in 8 games. Grit.

Plus, the Flames are tied for league lead in # of fights (10). The top 10 teams in fights are all Western Conference teams - REAL HOCKEY BABY!

**Flubber** · October 25, 2007, 13:33

Originally posted by Asher

Plus, the Flames are tied for league lead in # of fights (10). The top 10 teams in fights are all Western Conference teams - REAL HOCKEY BABY!

Godard fought twice against San Jose but it didn't stir the team at all.

The Phaneuf and Smith fights against Minny seemed part of a feistier Flames attitude in that game

IIRC the paper mentioned it was the first time the Flames had rallied from 3 goals down to win in regulation since something like 1998

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