AHL- Apolyton Hockey League 08/09 (II): Game On

[Asher]

The Canucks just named Luongo thier captain.............

But he's not allowed to wear the 'C' due to NHL rules.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/09/30/canucks-luongo.html?ref=rss

He really is a 1-man team...

[Asher]

Phaneuf draws first blood in the Battle of Alberta.

2-0 Flames at the midpoint.

[Asher]

4-0 Flames final...men vs boys!

Shots were 41 to 19. McElhinney gets a shutout. yay!

It's only pre-season, but that's four victories in a row now. Party time, excellent, Wayne's world! Wayne's world!

WAYNE'S WORLD!

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher
4-0 Flames final...men vs boys!

Shots were 41 to 19. McElhinney gets a shutout. yay!

It's only pre-season, but that's four victories in a row now. Party time, excellent, Wayne's world! Wayne's world!

WAYNE'S WORLD!

Nice effort but its only pre-season. I said that last year when the Flames sucked in pre-season and say it this year when they look good.

BUt all around a pretty good game from a roster that is getting closer and closer to final. The line of Glencross-Boyd and Moss did really well

So I could see lines like

Iginla - Langkow -Bertuzzi
Cammalleri - Lombardi – {Rene Bourque?/not sure}
Curtis Glencross --Dustin Boyd – David Moss


Leaving

Craig Conroy – C
Jamie Lundmark – C
Andre Roy – LW
Eric Nystrom – LW
Wayne Primeau – C
Brandon Prust – RW


To be battling for time on the 4th line. It will probably be tough decisions. They have a fair bit invested in Conroy (although last year he wavered between games where he looked fine and games where he seemed simply old and slow), Roy will stick around as the dedicated goon, Lundmark has apparently had a good camp., Nystrom and Prust are both similar energy guys that consistently are notable for their efforts . ..

I would see Primeau as being in the most trouble-- I have always liked his size but he had game after game after game since he joined Calgary where he did absolutely nothing of note.

MY 4th line would be a pest line of Prust, Nystrom and Lundmark. Even if they don't score they would hit anything that moves and be generally very annoying

Conroy? He may end up being an integral part of the team-- But I cannot see him on the top two lines really and best case for him might be if Moss or Boyd are installed on the 2nd line and he fits in centring the third line .But if the Flames could trade him he might be the best for clearing some cap space

The last player on the second line is actually the trouble spot for me-- It could be Conroy I guess but Lombo strikes me as more a centre guy so that might mean Conroy on the wing -- I actually can see any number of folks filling that spot and it might be a bit of a revolving door. Bourque's numbers last year don't really look second line but assuming they don't want to mess with the chemistry of what I am calling the third line, Bourque could see time on hat second line.


For the first time in a few years I am a bit excited about the possibilities. I think this will be a rougher, meaner Flames team and I also think they will score more. Iggys line will be an obvious scoring line and while I think that they don't have assured great scoring beyond that, they have a pretty decent chance of some more diverse scoring if some of their younger guys blossom. But Kipper will be key- If he plays well, this team should make the playoffs more easily than in the past couple of years. If not, this team could be in tough.

Regardless of how Kipper plays I want to see the backup starting a game early in the year and with the idea that he might start 15. Kipper may want to start 75 but its better for the team to have a more-ready backup.

[Asher]

It's a better team than people thought I think. Myself included. The difference is in the young players...last year they were pretty meh, but at least in the preseason, they're showing they've made some tremendous progress.

Even Nystrom looks like he got a lot faster somehow.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher
It's a better team than people thought I think. Myself included. The difference is in the young players...last year they were pretty meh, but at least in the preseason, they're showing they've made some tremendous progress.

Even Nystrom looks like he got a lot faster somehow.

As always time will tell but I like that they have toughened up and came in with the idea that Moss and Boyd were going to me contributing members. If the Moss-Boyd-Glencross combination can actually perform when it starts counting, the Flames could have one big scoring line-- two more with decent punch and a real good line of pests.

Nystrom-- I always liked the guy-- You could put him up there with Lombo and Cammalerie for a real speedy line

WE shouldn't get ahead of ourselves though sicne as sure a death and taxes, they will probably have a big injury and one or two of the young guys will fizzle--

But who knows-- Apparently Boyd is packing almost 10 extra pounds of muscle this season-- That type of change can be the difference in a LOT of those puck battles

ON d--After Phaneuf (who still makes a few too many miscues you have Regehr who wasn't as good last year as in previous seasons, Giordano-- high hopes but who knows and Aucoin who was often meh-- At least they are deep at d (even if they aren't all stellar) I'm hopeful for a ereasonably good set of d but ythere still seem to be lots of question marks

[Asher]

Cammalerie

Who knew a lawyer could be so creative?

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher

Cammalerie

Who knew a lawyer could be so creative?

ok

Cammalleri-- So I left out an l and added an e-- I never knew you to be the spelling nazi-- I betcha I spelled Eriksson with a c or with only one s somewhere too

[Asher]

I was just making a joke. I think that's the third spelling of his name I've seen from you.

And yeah, I have trouble spelling it too. Same with mack-el-enny.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher
I was just making a joke. I think that's the third spelling of his name I've seen from you.

And yeah, I have trouble spelling it too. Same with mack-el-enny.

There's a reason I referred to him in my post above as "the backup"-- I know who it is but I just didn't want to spell his name

[Asher]

Looking over the stats, the Boyd - Moss - Glencross line was really, really outstanding last night.

In their eight minutes of icetime, they were in the Oilers' end almost the whole time.

I really like that line as a 3rd line.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher
Looking over the stats, the Boyd - Moss - Glencross line was really, really outstanding last night.

In their eight minutes of icetime, they were in the Oilers' end almost the whole time.

I really like that line as a 3rd line.

Watching the game I had the same impression. They were dominant in fact. I am surprised they were only on for 8 minutes. Thats 4th liner territory-- perhaps the coaches said "that line is just fine-- lets tinker with the rest to see what works"?

[Asher]

ARGHGGHFGHGHG

NHL.com ****ed up the scoresheets again. Damnit!!

http://www2.nhl.com/ice/boxscore.htm?id=2008010074

Edit: Okay, the old scoresheets still exist. But they're now several clicks away from every game listed.

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20082009/GS010074.HTM

[Asher]

It seems the hockey gods have had their revenge on the Flames, judging by the scoresheet.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher
It seems the hockey gods have had their revenge on the Flames, judging by the scoresheet.

If you mean Flames-Canucks--yup.

The Flames did not put in a good effort. Kipper and possibly their top 6 d all played and it wasn't good. Kipper let in a couple of not great goals and the defensive coverage wasn't there.

Luongo looked good and the Flames only goal came when Glencross played with Boyd and Moss ---- Boyd put a nice screen on Luongo. I am not sure why those three were split up most of the game except that they needed someone playing with Iggy on a night when Bert, Cammy, Lombardi and Langkow all did not play.

Oh and tsn did a depth chart on the Flames last night. The top two lines were same as mine. They differed by having Conroy centre the third line and showing Boyd as a 4th line winger. That could happen-- it might even be likely given how Keenan seems to like his older players-- but I think its the wrong call-- Boyd has been so strong-- I know its only pre-season but it should earn him better than 4th line status to start the season