Monday, December 28, 2009

 

Standings! Battle Night! Olympics!


**Check out this quote from the Associated Press recap of last year's New Year's Eve tilt:
“We played a pretty good game with the exception of our inability to be able to kill a penalty,” Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish said. “That’s killed us all year long. It killed us again tonight. We’ve got to find a way or find some new guys who can kill penalties.”

How's progress going on that, er, Coach?

**Olympic roster (Canada, Men's) thoughts:
**The Flames aren't in a very good place right now, but I'm trying not to get discouraged. My happy thought in this regard, at least as it concerns making the playoffs, and apart from the happy news that Brent was willing to bench Jokinen in the 3rd the other night, is basically this:

Moss, Glencross, and Bourque have all looked pretty limp in the last month. Not hapless, exactly, but they're just not creating chances. Since all three have a fairly good track record of doing so, I think that has to change. Though I wouldn't count on Dawes being any better than he has been, even recently (the dude is a nice player for a waiver pickup), he's due for a couple more burst. Boyd is due for a burst. Bouwmeester is due to demonstrate some of the offense that makes him worth $6.6M/yr, rather than $4.4M/yr. Conroy, despite playing well and being a crucial member of the team, hasn't scored a goal yet. He's probably due. Etcetera.

In other words, I'm not saying that the Flames are snakebitten -- I'm saying that they can be better offensively (though not miles better), and probably will be any day now.

Today though? Um, uh, errr.... well, why the hell not. Though I feel the Lowetide superstitions with equal ferocity, I think the Oilers are headed for a bit more... shame.

Calgary 5 (Moss x2, GlenX, Conroy, J-Bo) Edmonton 3 (Souray, POS with two late ones)

Go Flames.

Comments:

I'd say Weber and Niedermayer are probably locks. I'd be legitimately shocked if neither made it (more than if Keith didn't make it, frankly).

As for the forwards, I generally agree, except I think there's no way all of Morrow, Doan and Smyth make it. Two of those three will be the "checking line" wingers with a two-way C (M. Richards, Carter or Marleau being the options I see) between them. The third is staying home.
 

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