Interesting on so many levels

Tonight’s game is sure to be a treat.  Besides two of the top teams in the league doing battle, we have the Flames coming off of a Darryl Sutter closed-door meeting and a Keenan tirade.

I’m looking forward to this one.

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FollowThePuck.com is a great resource for any of us Minnesota high school hockey nuts.

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Keenan isn’t the problem

It was inevitable that, barring a 5- or 6-0 run to start the season that the Keenan-is-on-the-hot-seat goofballs would be at it already.  Even without any apparent evidence writers like Allan Maki of the Globe and Mail are saying things like Keenan is as popular in the dressing room as “foot fungus.” (You might want to check with the Captain on that, Mr. Maki, as it is pretty clear Iginla has had a rebirth under Keenan.)  Strangely, though, Mr. Maki also goes on to point out all of the reasons the Flames have started inconsistently for the second straight season — the same reasons this campaign as the first — and none of them are Keenan’s fault.

1. Bad defensive corps — while Regehr and Phaneuf are very good, Sarich and Aucoin are puck-panickers while Vandermeer and Giordano are a bit green.
2. Very weak centermen — they are unable to win a big faceoff for anything, particularly when they are up a goal in the late stages of the game
3. Kiprusoff is one of the worst goaltenders in the league.  “What,” you say?  Take a look at the numbers.  There are 42 goalies currently on pace to play at least 27 games — ESPN.com’s criteria to be among the league leaders in stats — and Kiprosoff is 38th in Goals Against Average and tied for 37th in Save Percentage.  Look at the goalies that are around that level in either category and their teams are the worst in the league while Calgary has somehow elevated their record to 3-3-1 after their come-from-behind victory last night where they scored 5 unanswered to beat Nashville 5-3.

I always expect to see these kinds of articles, but it really is amazing how the media is out to get coaches fired.  Clearly there is something in it for them — a rash of new article ideas on what kind of car said-new-coach drives and how glued he is to his Blackberry in between periods or whatever other bizarre things they can come up with.  The fact is that Keenan has done a very good job with very little performance from some key guys.  While some of it is within his control (he needs to start getting tough on these guys that take stupid penalties), you can’t MAKE a goalie play better.  With a little better play from Kiprusoff (yes, just a little better), the Flames would be 5-1 right now.

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Flames open in disastrous fashion

I remember seeing games like this last year, when the Flames never had a chance.  This one feels a little different — the sting isn’t quite there.  Perhaps that is due in part to it being the first game of the season.  Perhaps it is due in part to opening on the road against one of the most improved teams in the league.  Mostly, though, the Flames look like a much better team than last year.  In fact, had they been able to convert on their 5 on 3 in the first period this game might have been different.

A couple of things are for certain:

• They need Regehr in the lineup come Saturday, when they get a rematch against the Canucks.
• Kiprusoff has to cut down on the massive rebounds.  He need only look across the ice at the masterful job that Roberto Luongo did in tonight’s game.

It would be nice to see the Flames at least get one to prove it’s possible on Luongo.  At this point even that looks pretty bleak.

Regardless, hockey’s back.

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