...If I hear that at the conclusion of another Flames game this year, Im gonna puke.
Anyways, Sunday afternoon's loss was another round of "make the back-up look like a superstar". Munro. Shaeffer. Budaj. Im sure there have been other no-name tenders who have stumped the Flames this year, I just can't think of them presently.
An image occured to me during the hair-pulling frustration of watching Calgary flub chance after chance yesterday:
picture a big, rustic barn in a quaint, idyllic country setting. The barn has a person-sized goalie rendered crudely on the side of it. Set-up 15 feet in front of the barn is the entire collection of Flames forwards. The Flames take turns firing pucks at the barn, most of them missing it completely. The noble few that manage to tag the barn hit the illustrated goalie. In the chest.
Absurd hyperbole aside, Calgary's offense since the Olympic break has fallen from "Impotent" to "Eunuch". Nine goals for in 6 games. That's an average of 1.5 GPG. Consider that Derek Roy (Buffalo's 2nd year, 3rd line center) has scored 7 goals since the Olympic break...wow.
Im at a loss to diagnose these woes. The Flames generate quality scoring chances but invariably whiff on them. Previously, Calgary could at least count on Iginla converting one or two those (and hope vainly someone else would join him on the scoresheet). But this season even that is a rare occurance.
The cure? Unknown. What can you do to a team that is suffering scoring slump en masse? the "shake-up through a trade" is no longer an option. Unless Lundmark steps into the line-up tonight and plays like Olli Jokinen (ha!), I can't forsee Calgary's struggles in their opponents zone ending any time soon...
Positives:
- Miika Kiprusoff. Despite allowing 3 goals and losing, was still stellar in net. Robbed Milan Hejduk numerous times.
- Edmonton loses again. Hey...I need to fill this space somehow.
Negatives:
- Lose to Colorado again and fall out of first in the NW division.
- Blanked by another back-up.
- 1 goal for in the last 2 games. From a deflection.
- Undisciplined. Another game where the Flames take 3+ penalties in a row. PK can't bail them out this time.
- Bonehead team defense. In contrast to the game against Dallas, the Flames frequently looked confused in their own end. weak clearing attempts and soft passes were exacerbated by poor coverage down low. Not to mention questionable decision making at the Colorado blueline.
- Jordan Leopold. One of his worst games this season. Caused the first goal by running around in his own end. gave the puck up to Hejduk in the slot late in the second and was saved by Kipper.
- Flames forwards. Score about as much as the 98 pound weakling in high school. Has gone from frustrating to laughable.
- Jarome Iginla. *shrug*
Calgary has a chance to turn it around against Colorado today. However, given their previous 2 meetings against the Avalanche, Im not terribly optimistic.
Prove me wrong Flames! Prove me wrong.
