IGT - Flames @ Hawks

Flames @ Hawks 7:30 cst


CHICAGO -- The Calgary Flames will open a six-game, 10-day road trip when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at the United Center.


Calgary (26-18-8) is coming off a 4-3 win in overtime on its home ice over the Blackhawks on Saturday night. However, Flames coaches and players know that a tough test awaits in one of the most raucous buildings in the NHL.
"One of the most fun places to play in the league," Flames goaltender Mike Smith said to the team's official website before he and his teammates traveled east. "The fans are intense. Loud. Into it right away. And the national anthem, it sends chills up and down your spine, every time. How could you not get up for a game like that?"
Chicago (24-20-8) also could use a jolt of energy after going winless in its last two games. The Blackhawks are 2-4-2 in their past eight games and remain on the outside looking in when it comes to the Western Conference playoff race.


The club's recent struggles prompted Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville to shake up his scoring lines heading into Tuesday's game. He matched slumping forwards Brandon Saad, Ryan Hartman and Patrick Sharp on the fourth line.
Saad has gone 11 games without a goal. Hartman has one point (an assist) in his past 10 games. Sharp recently missed four games as a healthy scratch and has only six goals in 45 games this season.
Still, the group is confident that it can produce.
"You know what, I think it's a pretty good line," Saad said to the Chicago Sun-Times. "Even though we've been a little snakebit, we're all good players. It should be pretty exciting here to get going (Tuesday against the Flames)."
Smith is no stranger to facing the Blackhawks' scoring attack. The 35-year-old netminder has posted a 21-15-6 record with a 2.52 goals-against average and .922 save percentage this season, both of which are better than his career averages.


In 19 career games against Chicago, Smith is 9-9-1 with a 3.16 GAA and a .907 save percentage.
The Blackhawks will counter with goaltender Jeff Glass for the second game in a row. The 32-year-old rookie is 3-3-3 with a 3.24 GAA and .908 save percentage in 10 games this season. He has faced the Flames twice, posting a 0-0-2 record with a 3.95 GAA and .897 save percentage in those matchups.
Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames with 59 points (16 goals, 43 assists) in 52 games. Sean Monahan (24 goals) and Micheal Ferland (20 goals) are the top finishers for Calgary this season.
Chicago is led by Patrick Kane, who has 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 52 games. Rookie Alex DeBrincat is second to Kane in goals scored with 18.


This is the third and final meeting of the regular season between the teams. Calgary has won 4-3 in overtime in each of the first two games. This marks the Flames' first and only visit to the United Center during the regular season.

Chicago is 12-10-3 at home. Calgary is 13-5-5 on the road.
"I said this before our last road trip, we're comfortable going on the road," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said to the Calgary Sun. "I'm sure we'll get a different animal there. But for us, nothing changes on the road."



https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/game/calgary-flames-chicago-blackhawks-20180206

Looks like Glass is in net.
Saad - Hartman - Sharp 4th line? Who will be center, Hartman?

6m for a 4th line winger. Thanks Stan

Seems like nothing Stan did worked out this year.

Sharp has sucked.
Saad has sucked.
Toews has sucked.
Young guys have not filled in the gaps on either side.
Forsberg has not been a suitable backup to Crow.

Pack it in and see if Hossa will unretire next year.

Ares said:

Seems like nothing Stan did worked out this year.

Sharp has sucked.
Saad has sucked.
Toews has sucked.
Young guys have not filled in the gaps on either side.
Forsberg has not been a suitable backup to Crow.

Pack it in and see if Hossa will unretire next year.

Click to expand...

Toews has sucked for a while now.

Ares said:

Seems like nothing Stan did worked out this year.

Sharp has sucked.
Saad has sucked.
Toews has sucked.
Young guys have not filled in the gaps on either side.
Forsberg has not been a suitable backup to Crow.

Pack it in and see if Hossa will unretire next year.

Click to expand...

Young guys are playing great. Rutta and Forsling started out as our best d line. I actually have seen both of them actually play goalie with no fear. Schmaltz, Vinnie, even Haydon played very well. Kampf should have started the year as the replacement for Kruger not Kero.

They did a comparison of the deal to show both Saad and Panarin on in the loop, looking at the stats

Panarin 13 goals 29 assists, 42 points, 5 power play goals, 13 power play points.
Saad 13 goals 11 assosts. 24 points 1 ppg, 1 ppp

Neither of our current goalies are any good in over time or shootouts.

Yeah, I know, Panarin had a 6 million contract and 2 million in bonus money against our cap this year, but we are still being counted for his 2 million in bonus money arent we?

Stan said fuc Q and fired his buddy coach, then kissed and made up with returning Saad and Sharp.

Either be a hard ass or dont be a hard ass, will Rocky let Bowman fire Q or will he do the right thing and keep Q and replace Bowman?

This is it.

Hawks win. Glass holds it down, Crow returns. Q pulls his head out of his ass and builds his 4 best lines.


Saad-Hartman-Sharp sounds crazy but means chances are being given to The Cat and The Hat(hino).

I think Q is lost, and Stan is lost also.

It's a sad state of Blackhawks hockey...

Who would have thought the Bears are closer to playoffs than Hawks

we can do it

if Rask be for us, who then can be against us?

I have problems with these lines tonight. I really think it should be...

Saad-Toews-Hinostroza
Smaltz-Anisimov-Kane (ASK or SAK who cares)
Duclair-Kampf-Debricat
Hartman-Wingels-Hayden

when we make our final stand, assuming no trade of 15, or Hartman for that matter. I would like to see what Wingels leadership could pull out of Hayden and Hartman doing some work together. Those guys will set a nice energy line with some potential skill mixed in. That third line isn't pretty but has some individual magic, and its two thirds of our first line so...Kampf can hold it together and get something out of it its a win.

I could believe in that team if the defense put the youths back in and benched 7, kicked 2 off the power play and played him normal leadership minutes not vanilla marathons every night.

Fix the damn power play, I don't care how. study someone, change parts, move guys around, something. You have an 88 on this team the power play should never die. Its just boredom and stagnation...is there no fresh ideas? good god.

I was yelling at Stan after the 15 Cup to blow the team up that offseason. Result is 1st round exit, 1st round exit (swept as the #1 seed), and no playoffs. You got your blood out of the turnip after 15. Anyone with any sense should have seen that. Instead he re-signs Seabrook to an albatross contract and trades Hammer for not picks and prospects but a guy making nearly the same amount as Hammer who is a healthy scratch most of the time. He trades Panarin for another guy making 6 million instead of picks and prospects. Stan Bowman really has no fucking clue and is the sole reason why this team won't sniff the playoffs for probably another 4-5 years. Q is at a loss and you can tell he simply doesn't give a shit anymore. His time is done.

The situation is so FUBAR the Hawks don't even have any tradable assets right now since they have a league high 6 NMC. Total clown shoe fuckery.

Raskolnikov said:

if Rask be for us, who then can be against us?

I have problems with these lines tonight. I really think it should be...

Saad-Toews-Hinostroza
Smaltz-Anisimov-Kane (ASK or SAK who cares)
Duclair-Kampf-Debricat
Hartman-Wingels-Hayden

when we make our final stand, assuming no trade of 15, or Hartman for that matter. I would like to see what Wingels leadership could pull out of Hayden and Hartman doing some work together. Those guys will set a nice energy line with some potential skill mixed in. That third line isn't pretty but has some individual magic, and its two thirds of our first line so...Kampf can hold it together and get something out of it its a win.

I could believe in that team if the defense put the youths back in and benched 7, kicked 2 off the power play and played him normal leadership minutes not vanilla marathons every night.

Fix the damn power play, I don't care how. study someone, change parts, move guys around, something. You have an 88 on this team the power play should never die. Its just boredom and stagnation...is there no fresh ideas? good god.

Click to expand...

I like those lines. Just not sure Saad deserves 1st line minutes right now.

That distilled goatloads. I get that the refs are bad and that we're dealing with Mike "Greg Luganis" Smith, but it would be nice if Toews, Keith, Saad, and Seabrook would stop choking their chickens and start playing hockey anytime now.

Wasn't Saad the one brought in to help get Capt donuts going.

Holy shit, that whole post and I did not mention our best kid in DeBrincat.

Vinnie has looked like a good one time sniper on the PP with Kane.

Whose gonna make an IGT for tonight? I'm a jinx making them I guess.

[video=youtube;YqLr0Qy-DyE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqLr0Qy-DyE[/video]

Tater said:

Whose gonna make an IGT for tonight? I'm a jinx making them I guess.

Click to expand...

I was gonna suggest it was the GDT that was jinxing it but....

MassHavoc said:

I was gonna suggest it was the GDT that was jinxing it but....

Click to expand...

I suggest a moment of silence here in honor of 3 cups and 9 years of excellence for the final 7 losses of the playoff streak, essentially our death # is now 7.