What can I say? The morning after the game 1 shellacking I have to admit - I'm not that surprised.
Had last night's game been the first example of shocking ineptitude, a wholly unique occurrence as compared to their typical performance, perhaps I could act stunned today. But that's just not true. Sadly, Calgary pulled this same act all too frequently this season: the inability to execute elementary plays, the total absence of cohesion, of intelligence, of discipline.
I had hoped they'd learned their lesson in the first 82 games. That the added excitement and meaning in the post-season would rid them of their regrettable road tendencies. However, sitting through the pitiable display last night, it appears that the exact opposite, in fact, happened.
Calgary columnist George Johnson's piece this morning is titled "All the Dignity of a Finger-Poke in the Eye". I'd say that's pretty accurate.
I wish it was astonishing how completely the Flames failed in their objectives last night. My preview post featured "things to look for" in the contest - things I assumed that Calgary would do to try to win the game. They were, as follows:
crease-crashing, good play from Iginla and Lombardi and playing physically against Datsyuk. Not a single one of these things was even sort of accomplished - or, in the case of the former and latter points, even really attempted. The only prediction I made yesterday that was bulls-eye accurate was the "home-ice advantage" thing. The Wings certainly made the most of it.
"We've got to be ready to play harder, to be stronger out there," said Iginla. "From our point of view, there's a few things we need to adjust."
Said the Captain in the wake of the slaughter last night. Look, I know the guys have to say something in the post-game interviews. But, with that in mind, I am so goddamn sick-to-death of hearing the players spouting stuff like this and doing the exact friggen inverse on the ice. A few things to adjust Jarome? A FEW? The same "few things" that have stunk on the road all year? These issuses, that have been in glaring evidence for the entirety of the season, now you're going to adjust to fix them?
Excuse me if I seem a tad incredulous.
Watching Nervous Jimmy twiddle his chin and chew the inside of his cheek last night, it occurred to me that the team seems to mirror his "fear that is barely held in check" demeanor. Think of it - there's Playfair on the bench, yanking at the shirt of his collar as if it were a hangman's noose. And, simultaneously, there's the Flames on the ice, nervously bobbling pucks in the neutral zone and skating pensively into the corners; looking every bit as unsure of their future as their poorly dressed skipper. At this point, I'm uncertain whether a sudden, (un)fortunate accident to Playfair's person would cause the players to explode in ruckus celebration or just simply slump sullenly and in unison, relieved at the opportunity to finally give-up and expire themselves...
After the relatively disappointing season and now the first game debacle (which, quite honestly, could have been a double-digit raping had Kipper not been the lone bright spot for the Calgary squad) I have warring voices in my head in regards to the rest of the series. A cynical part of me wants the Flames to drop the next 3 straight and bow out in humiliating fashion. Such a turn of events would no doubt result in the cleaving of Nervous Jimmy's overripe melon by the inexorable descent of the ever-present Sword of Damocles that has been perilously dangling above him all season.
Of course, there's another part of me that still wants the Flames to shake it off and make a series of it. I look at the potential held by the roster and still some vain hope swells within me. "We should be able to win." I think. "We still can win provided we get our shit together."
The final proviso is now seeming unrealizable at this junction, however. I've had the same thought swimming in my skull since October. The players echo it in all their repeated press-published promises to improve. And yet here we are, bemoaning another ignoble performance after a road game. I honestly want to believe the Flames can regain some measure of composure and make a strong go of it, but...
excuse me if I seem incredulous.
