AHL- Apolyton Hockey League 08/09 (III): The Home Stretch

[Asher]

Yeah, brutal. It was a night of frustration for me.

It's criminal to me that Ward got a shutout for that joke of a game. I'm also pissed off Vancouver won, because it was all Luongo. The team infront of him was just awful while he stood on his head and got a couple lucky bounces off the post until the Flames finally ran out of gas in the last 5 mins or so.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's criminal to me that Ward got a shutout for that joke of a game. I'm also pissed off Vancouver won, because it was all Luongo. The team infront of him was just awful while he stood on his head and got a couple lucky bounces off the post until the Flames finally ran out of gas in the last 5 mins or so.

Makes up for the Edmonton game where the Cancuks doubled up on shots and still lost.

Oh, and you might want to mention the 1789798789998097 penalties called against Vancouver.

[Asher]

I hope he's not talking to me?

Dumbest kid I've ever met, I swear to God. He probably talks to his few friends when they leave the room too, without realizing it.

[Ben Kenobi]

So now the Flames have two advantages-- a game in hand and a currently better tiebreak but neither assures anything. Again looking at it from a macro point of view, if the Flames can go .500 with two wins in their final four, Vancouver would need to go 2-0-1 or better. I actually think Vancouver is liekly to rebound in their next few games. The Flames? I would think they are due to rebound a bit as well but with four regular defencemen out, I am not even sure what team will be playing.

I don't claim to be an expert. I'd say my predictions are closer to right then wrong, but that also means that there will be some that are wrong.

Flames should just rest Kipper for these last 2 games. He can't break the record anymore and then we get to see the real 'one man team'.

[Flubber]

Right now I am as proud of this loss for the Flames as I have been of any loss by this team ever. Overall they played an excellent hardworking game and never quit. Even the troublesome PP was better in that it generated some excellent chances (still needs work but it was moving in the right direction). The Flames depeleted defence did a reasonably good job in limiting Canucks chances. Kipper? a reasonable night but I thought he could have been better.

If the Flames play like THAT in the playoffs, they should have a long run (Luongo was just that good). Oh and Ben, I don't know where Asher stands but for me . . . I like Kipper but I would trade him even up for Luongo in a second.

Asher cited "bounces" and that is part of what happened. The other part was that Luongo just outgoaltened Kipper. NO one can dispute that. Similarly I don't think even the most ardent Canucks fan can dispute that the Flames dominated most of the game in all other aspects.


So I don't like that they lost BUT if this is the effort this team gives when the games really matter, the other teams out there better watch out. I said a few posts back that it was less about winning the division for me and more about the Flames reversing a pattern of mediocre play lately. For me, on that criteria last nights game was a "victory"

Now I do like Vancouver's chances to win the division-- LA was lacklustre in Calgary Monday and Colorado is the worst team in the West. The only upside is LA seems to like to play spoiler and Colorado only lost 1-0 in a shootout to San Jose last night (so they both can have good nights). Calgary gets Edmonton twice and I expect to see some pissed off and highly motivated Oilers. Should be fun !!


The irony in all this is that Vancouver apparently handles Chicago quite well and the reward for winning the division is to play a reasonably hot Columbus team that can potentially rival Luongo in goal

[Asher]

Yes, Vancouver has good chances for the division title now.
No, I don't think it matters that much (both Columbus and Chicago will be troublesome).
Yes, Luongo is a better goaltender than Kipper last night and this season. I don't think Kipper is bad, but he's certainly not an all-star anymore.

I still can't echo your rosey tone though, Flubber. I hated the game. It was very frustrating to watch, was pretty surreal. I'm surprised the Flames got any goal at all last night given Luongo's goaltending and the bounces all being a cm or so off the mark. But to anyone who watched 95% of the game, it's hard to figure out how Vancouver won that.

The good news is Vancouver didn't play very well outside of Luongo. If I was a 'nucks fan, I'd be concerned with that. The bad news is when Luongo is on, nothing else matters.

[Flubber]

I still can't echo your rosey tone though, Flubber.

I don't see it all as rosy. Its just I have seen this team be very inconsistent, period to period. I have seen them be dominated for long stretches at times. I have seen them fail to show up sometimes. In particular I have seen Iggy and Jokkinen disparear a bit too much and the d give up far too many good chances.

Last night Iggy and Jokkinen played hard. Even though they did not meet with success, it was a good night for them. I was also impressed with how the d for Calgary handled the canucks forwards. I see Pardy and Pelech BOTH as guys that can handles themselves as ok. Overall I saw the level of effort, the number of shots and the number of quality chances as being at a level that, most nights, you win that game.

The fact that they didn't win, to me, only marginally detracts from the effort. While results do matter, as a signpost when heading to the playoffs, I perfer a vigorous well played loss over say a 3-2 win where it was only super poor goaltending on the other team that lead to the win.


So no parades planned here. I just saw the Flames play as a good team despite some adversity. I do remain concerned as to whether Kipper will be good enough. I have seen flashes of brilliance from him but he has not elevated his game consistently. If he could attain the level of play of say the Detroit series of two years ago, this team could go deeep. Even if he is like last night, okish, if the Flames play as they did last night, they still take the series against most other teams

[Ben Kenobi]

If the Flames play like THAT in the playoffs, they should have a long run (Luongo was just that good). Oh and Ben, I don't know where Asher stands but for me . . . I like Kipper but I would trade him even up for Luongo in a second.

What makes you think Vancouver would entertain any notion of a trade?

Don't get me wrong, Kipper is a good goalie, but he's not elite.

Similarly I don't think even the most ardent Canucks fan can dispute that the Flames dominated most of the game in all other aspects.

Calgary played well. I don't believe they have what it takes to make a run. They threw everything they had and still came up short.

So I don't like that they lost BUT if this is the effort this team gives when the games really matter, the other teams out there better watch out. I said a few posts back that it was less about winning the division for me and more about the Flames reversing a pattern of mediocre play lately. For me, on that criteria last nights game was a "victory"

Yep, it's a solid trend in the right direction. The question now is whether they can sustain that effort over a series.

Now I do like Vancouver's chances to win the division-- LA was lacklustre in Calgary Monday and Colorado is the worst team in the West. The only upside is LA seems to like to play spoiler and Colorado only lost 1-0 in a shootout to San Jose last night (so they both can have good nights). Calgary gets Edmonton twice and I expect to see some pissed off and highly motivated Oilers. Should be fun !!

Well the most likely result is 2 wins by both teams, so the odds favour Calgary slightly.

The irony in all this is that Vancouver apparently handles Chicago quite well and the reward for winning the division is to play a reasonably hot Columbus team that can potentially rival Luongo in goal

All of the long runs the Canucks have had have been from 2nd place in the division. This is true both for '94 and for '82. I could see the Canucks in fifth, and beating Chicago. I can see two upsets in the first round, Columbus over Calgary and Blues over San Jose.

This would mean that the Canucks would play Columbus in the second round and then the winner of Detroit/St.Louis.

[Ben Kenobi]

The good news is Vancouver didn't play very well outside of Luongo. If I was a 'nucks fan, I'd be concerned with that. The bad news is when Luongo is on, nothing else matters.

The concern is over the defense and the health of Willy Mitchell. No other worries.

[Ben Kenobi]

Flubber are Calgary fans worried about the offense? Kipper's averaged about 2.8 goals a game, and lately you folks have been lucky to get one goal let alone two.

[notyoueither]

Any interest in playoff pickem this year?

I'm thinking a small change would be in order.

Last year(s) it's been 1 point for series winner and number of games (each). 1 point for conference winners and Stanley Cup winner.

Make it 2 points for series winners as well as pre-picking conference and SC winners.

[Asher]

I'm game.

[mrboo123]

Any interest in playoff pickem this year?

I'm thinking a small change would be in order.

Last year(s) it's been 1 point for series winner and number of games (each). 1 point for conference winners and Stanley Cup winner.

Make it 2 points for series winners as well as pre-picking conference and SC winners.

I'm in.

[Ben Kenobi]

Sure, sounds like a great idea.

[Flubber]

Flubber are Calgary fans worried about the offense? Kipper's averaged about 2.8 goals a game, and lately you folks have been lucky to get one goal let alone two.

Somewhat-- but I think more people are worried about the d than the offense. When the Flames cooled off it was largely because Jarome was missing in action and Flames fans trust that when the chips are down Iggy will be there. So I think the feeling is that the Flames WILL score. People think that Iggy and Jokkinen will come through.

The worry for me is whether the d-men and Kipper will hold the other team enough.