4Nov/084:34 PM

08 Flames VS Coyotes

By Hip Shot Blog

gdt calgary by you.

Here we go again… time to break the stranglehold these boys have on us. Break the cycle. PERIOD.

TGO has juggled again… this time I pretty much approve of the swaps.

Here is Phoenix’s lineup for Tuesday:
Daniel Winnik-Martin Hanzal-Viktor Tikhonov
Shane Doan-Olli Jokinen-Peter Mueller
Kevin Porter-Steven Reinprecht-Mikkel Boedker
Daniel Carcillo-Garth Murray-Todd Fedoruk

Derek Morris-Kurt Sauer
Ed Jovanovski-Zbynek Michalek
David Hale-Ken Klee

Ilya Bryzgalov

Garth Murray has been recalled from SA. (Garth had a really strong camp and many of us were surprised when he went to the Rampage). He will add some grit and fire to this group for sure. and maybe a few more face off wins? Patrolling the ice with the Fridge and Carcillo, I got a feeling ‘energy line’ may take on a whooole new meaning. Kyle Turris will be watchin the game from on high. (Use the time wisely lil one… you got game… you just gotta figure out how best to utilize it.)

The other big change is on the blue… seems that everyone is hoping to jumpstart the Jovocop’s production by putting him back w/ his old partner Z. ( I could just spit! The kid was finally starting to show flashes of his innate offensive talent again) Apparently JV isn’t very comfortable w/ DMo as his partner and it certainly shows in his lack of production. I can pretty much see him going on a tear w/ Z back on his six, dooming Z to babysitting duty for the rest of JV’s Phoenix tenure. Ah well… maybe my baby boy can continue to find ways to get into the offensive zone occasionally and pick up a point or two. The Klee/Hale experiment will continue and DMo is now paired with Sig and should lose that ugly minus stat he accumulated trying to cover Jovo. There still isn’t a big shot on the 3rd pairing (Yandle is still languishing in the pressbox) but until TPTB decide to give Goose another shot at the roster we’ll have to be content with the third pairing not producing a damn thing and just pray they can hold their own defensively.

The WTH line is back together. Hoping they can finally break through with some points on the board. Winni and Tiki are sooo overdue it isn’t even funny. They work so damn hard and have been right on the doorstep so freakin often it is starting to hurt. C’mon lads! you can do it!

The BIG line is back. In an effort to stimulate Mueller’s production, the #1 line has been put back together. Both Joker and Doan are catchin fire… maybe together they can light one under the often lacksadaisical looking Mules. The kid has not been looking well out there. Especially in light of what we KNOW he can do. Kick it up a notch… or 5 Mueller.

Rhino has two youngins to teach in this one. Boedker has been the best of the rookie class in terms of actually playing like he belongs in the NHL. Naturally gifted, the Bods has picked up more and more confidence with each shift and can be relied on to be where the best chances are by vets and fellow rooks. Ports is not the flashy guy, he is basically the mini-me of Rhino. Quietly contributing in nearly every aspect of the game. While not the fastest thing on the ice, Ports makes up for the dash and the flash by totally creating a bond w/ his line mates and giving them the passes, checking and basic good calm play needed to score.

Keys for tonight:

Intense my ass. Just get in the face of everyone. Jump on every loose puck and do whatever it takes to get said puck on the Flames net. We have to play smart, smash and grab hockey tonight. Take the hit, hit them back twice as hard. If you take a player out of the play, make sure he ’stays’ out (no more of these pansy rub n gropings along the boards) please.

The vets (Doan, Rhino and Joker) are starting to come to life… Jovo? Jovo?

Mueller? Mueller? (the pressbox has space, bucko)

Hang in there Breezy… they’ll get the hang of it.

BTW - if you hadn’t heard… GMDM took on Nikulin from OTT (what is up w/ OTT pissin off all the Russians?) Like Kaigodorov before him Nikulin basically wanted out of OTT’s clutches by any means neccessary. So we took him off their hands for Drew Fata in return. Gonna be interesting.

AZCentral storiesNikulin Juggling Oh Jovo

Yotes Offical GDT

Flames Eye View another Fireside Preview