mslepp

"http://twitter.com/mslepp"

Okotoks, AB • Canada • 27 Years Old • Male

The Momentum Roller-coaster, Big Joe Makes an Appearance

So, heading into game 4 of the Flames/Sharks series if there was ever a particular scenario that I would absolutely want to avoid happening...

It would be exactly what happened last night.

Everything that I was afraid of happening, happened.

First of all, the Flames jumped out to an early lead then attempted to try and win the game 1-0. If there's one thing we've seen all season long, and although the Flames have been a completely different team in the post-season, this is something they've shown time and time again that they are incapable of completing and winning a game with that strategy.

When the Sharks tied it up 1-1, while disappointed, I had to think it was better for the Flames.

And it was.

They instantly picked up their play once again and started putting pressure back on the Sharks.

After Dion scored to make it 2-1, my only comments were... we absolutely can NOT lose this game. You can't give up a lead late in the third and then lose the game, which consequently ties the series rather than having a strangle-hold 3-1 lead. History has shown that this is not kind to the team who loses game 4. Sharks fans need not look back any further than last season when this turned around the series against the Wings... although it may not have been a game 4...

Then watching the Flames crumble in the last 5 minutes was heart-breaking. Knowing, in my opinion, that this is the worst possible scenario ever for a game 4.

After a complete momentum swing for game 4... it has swung right back to the Sharks heading into game 5. But if there was a positive about that; it's that the Flames seem to love playing when everyone thinks they're going to lose. For some reason, they like to pull off those games.

Aside from the momentum swing, an even bigger factor reared its ugly head in the game last night.

Joe Thornton showed up. He dominated play in the final period and set up chance after chance before finally leading the Sharks to victory while the Flames tried to force a 2-1 win and then tried to force overtime rather than attacking.

Some other thoughts on last night's game...

5 minutes in, it appeared they weren't going to call cheap penalties as the Flames had already been dumped and hooked several times with no call; then Primeau gets a chincy hooking penalty, which paved the way for several more throughout the game.....

Brian Campbell is pretty good at bringing the puck up the ice but lacks any other skills that makes a number one D-man, especially one thought to be up for Dion-like money....

which brings me to my next point, Dion Phaneuf has been on the ice for 11 of the last 12 goals in the series, including all of last night's. For some reason he has returned to the Dion of last year who consistently got scored on with his back to the play and by not playing strong positional hockey, not good for the Flames......

The linesman could use a refresher on what is and isn't icing.........

Jody Shelley continues to show that he is an absolute goon and i'm just waiting for him to hurt someone before others finally see it. I really hope it doesn't get to that. But there's no use in the league for guy's who's sole purpose on a team is to provide cheap shots and think that Niklas Hagman is a decent fighting partner. The sooner he's out of the league, the better.....

Speaking of Jody Shelley, how did he only get 2 minutes for his actions in the first? A cheap-shot right in front of the ref? The officials are getting worse, not better.....

Why on earth did it take until game 4 for Devon Settoguchi to get into the lineup? Some one please give me a reason. As a Flames fan, I can only hope Ron Wilson goes back to his good ol' self and sits Seto, he's so dangerous and seems to love playing in front of all his friends and family at the dome.......

Two critical plays last night;
1) The referee's not blowing the play dead after Kipper had covered up the puck, leading to the Jonathon Cheechoo goal.
2) Dion Phaneuf failing to clear the puck on a wide-open attempt, rattling the puck waist-high around the boards (perfect for D-men) and right onto Doug Murray, leading to the shot and Thornton deflection.

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