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Calgary, AB • Canada • 29 Years Old • Male

Fatal Error

Posted 1:08 AM ET | Comments 11
There are 11 games left in the season. The Flames are playing one of the four opponents that they definitely should beat. Miikka Kiprusoff is the Flames MVP and starting goalie. Vesa Toskala, the Flames back-up, starts in between the pipes.

Can someone please explain this to me?

I don’t care about Brent Sutter’s hunches that Miikka can’t play the Wild and that Toskala played well against them last week.

Why would you even want to ‘rest’ Kipper during the stretch run if there isn’t anything to ‘stretch’ for?

Did Sutter over think the decision on his starting netminder? Yes.

Did he make a horrible gaffe and possibly, finally, cement the Flames in the 9th position? I believe so.

That is a atrocious coaching error and there is no excuse for it.

Kipper should be playing every single game until the Flames are eliminated from playoff contention. He is the best player on the team and the only reason the Flames have a chance to begin with.

Toskala allowed three questionable goals and that just can not happen. He showed his true “Leaf” colours today.

“The Bears are who we thought they were!”

Ten games remain for the Flames, who sit two points back of Detroit, and time is running out. I do not think the Red Wings are even the team to catch either. The team that is the most susceptible to being caught is either the Avalanche or the Kings.

Both teams are young and both teams haven’t been in a playoff chase for some time. They play each other three times over the course of the rest of the season, including back-to-back games this Monday and Wednesday. If one team were to sweep that series, than this could possibly open the door for the Flames, given the Flames take care of their own business. Still, the walls are closing in on them at an alarming rate.

The Flames have 81 points with a possible 20 still available to get.

The room for error, as I see it, is two games. If they lose two games or more then they are finished. Lose just two, and win the rest and you give yourself a shot.

Like my good friend once told me though, “Hope is a horrible thing.”

This has been,

Newman on the Flames

Read More: http://calgaryontheflames.blogspot.com/
Filed Under:   calgary   flames   toskala   nhl   hope  
March 22, 2010 2:23 AM ET | Delete
Yeah as soon as I saw Toskala starting again I thoug we were pushing our luck..
March 22, 2010 2:24 AM ET | Delete
Although i think thank may have been Toskala's last start as a Flame.
March 22, 2010 9:31 AM ET | Delete
Bad coaching choice, but a worse GM move by bringing in Toskala in the first place. For over 2 years Leafs fans watched him stake the other team to an easy lead off soft goals.Flames would have been better off pulling Mike Vernon out of retirement.
March 22, 2010 12:09 PM ET | Delete
OH BROTHER. If Kipper started every game down the stretch then you'd be saying how we do that every year and he's over worked. Toskala had two solid starts for us and Minny is far enough down in the standings that we shouldn't have needed our number one. In the end Toskala probably cost himself over a million dollars yesterday simply because he's only going to be given so many chances to prove he deserves a starting position in the league.
March 22, 2010 12:11 PM ET | Delete
I will say that Toskala was brutal yesterday but I'm just saying I don't pin that on the coach. I also agree that the Avs or Kings are the team to catch. The Avs are finally starting to play like predicted and we play them once more.
March 22, 2010 3:49 PM ET | Delete
March 22, 2010 3:50 PM ET | Delete
That's exactly what I feared when they got Toskala: him blowing a crucial game since it appeared they got him to rest Kipper significantly. This is what happens when you wait until March 3 to solve your backup goaltending issue, WHILE you're in a tight playoff race to boot.
March 22, 2010 4:52 PM ET | Delete
im crossing my fingers. if they make they'll be hot. If they don't I would be surprised not to see some changes.Go Flames
March 22, 2010 6:06 PM ET | Delete
lose 2 games 80% chance of playoffs, lose 3 50%... do we really think there two 4 game win streaks in these guys? Against teams that are great as well... The one hope we may have is taking San Jose's spot!
March 23, 2010 2:19 AM ET | Delete
RE: Flamesin04: No, if Calgary had a massive lead in the division or were safe in a playoff spot i would have no worry resting Kipper. But, the Flames are fighting for their lives and should dress their BEST player whenever they have the chance, PERIOD!
March 23, 2010 10:14 AM ET | Delete
They are done! chances are slim and none..and slim just left town.The question begs. Where do they go from here. No high draft picks. A group that just isn't good enough. What is the next move(s)?
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