Like most Flames fans (see MM's post below) I am in the unenviable position of anticipating with dread each impending Flames game. Largely because I'm not too certain what club is going to take to the ice. The offense is top 5 in the league. The defense is Young Guns bad. This group is nothing like the one that gave me fits of a different sort the previous couple of seasons.
Goals are great. I would've gladly sacrificed a bus load of mewling kittens last season if there had been even a remote possibility of it effecting an increase in offensive output. But, this year, with the goals has come the baffling predilection towards defensive zone boobery. Soft clearing passes. Panic. Shoddy board work. A marked inability to challenge shooters or block shots. At least one soft goal against per game. Shudder.
To be certain, this hasn't been true all season. Calgary was amongst the very best in the league at ES goals against up until mid-January. Kipper, aside from October, ranged from solid to spectacular. Everything besides the deplorable PK was on the defensive side of things was going swimmingly.
Then - the swoon.
And, make no mistake about it, the Flames still haven't figured things out. When Mike Grier is single-handedly orchestrating a 4 goal 2nd period against you in your own barn, then you still have problems. Particularly when your blueline includes Regehr, Phaneuf, Hamrlik and Stuart. This isn't Atanta and I don't cheer for the Thrashers. Calgary should be more balanced than this.
Tonight, the Coyotes come calling and one can only hope to see a modicum of the defensive prowess that once lurked within this team not-too-long ago. Sand is slipping through the hour-glass and the Wild and Vancouver are both rabidly grabbing points. The time to sort this crap out is now. An 8th place finish and a date with the Nashville Predators in the post-season is probably the worst possible play-off scenario for this team...
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Noodles gets the start this evening in place of a tired and befuddled Kipper. Hopefully the rest will do him some good.
Moss will also be making his return, meaning one of the bottom 6 will be sitting the press-box. Bet on it being Godard. I'm not sure if this means Lombo will be back at center on the 3rd unit or not, but I think he's been great the last few games, so it may not matter either way. After struggling a bit in Conroy's shadow it looks like he's returned to pre-Craig trade form. Yay!
Let's go with a 3-1 Flames victory. Phoenix with less than 25 shots on net. Iginla, Moss and Giordano for Calgary. Nolan for the Coyotes.
GO FLAMES!
