Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Bittersweet


If you like the Flames, or the art of goaltending, this picture should be the background on your computer, phone, iPad, etc. Not stretched either, tiled.

I didn't realize that there is actually a free preview of Sportsnet ONE until the end of the month, which means that putting back-to-back games on the new "companion channel" to Sportsnet isn't such a tragedy after all. That being said, I turned on the game midway through the second period, and to everyone's surprise (read: sarcasm) the game was 0-0. Major shocker.

Between the way I'm cycling ephedrine/caffeine and watching the Flames try to score goals, I am going to experience some sort of heart failure before the end of the year. Some other things I noticed from the game last night:

- The second unit PowerPlay now includes Olli Jokinen and Steve Staios. Between those two and whatever other "scoring depth" the Flames have, their offensive zone presence sort of looks like this:




- Brendan Morrison and Olli Jokinen are playing together on the second line. They are both centers, and watching them play, I couldn't tell which of them was supposed to be the center. Quite frankly I don't think they know either.

- Cory Sarich was on a warpath last night. I generally have nothing good to say about him, but much like the arm of a drunken husband he was hitting everything that moved out there.


A question of preference: would you have rather won that game 1-0, or lost it 7-5? There are cases to be made for both sides. Considering the Flames were pretty much shut out for the third time in five games, I'm ready to call last night's contest a failure. Obviously the two points are what matter most, but is it really indicative that the Flames have turned the page and are ready to be as competitive as they're supposed to be?

At least with a 7-5 loss, there is some positive re-enforcement that there is goal-scoring potential on this team, and obviously Kipper isn't going to let in seven every night. As for now, the Flames have won two in a row, and go to Detroit to face heavyweight champion Pavel Datsuyk and the Red Wings on Thursday night. Is it too cynical to go in expecting to not score again?

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