Todd Cordell: Flames 3, Coyotes 2: Pulling away from the pack

If the playoffs were to start tomorrow does Talbots get the start. Different coach but I remember last year rittich earned it over smith yet smith still started.

If the playoffs were to start tomorrow does Talbots get the start. Different coach but I remember last year rittich earned it over smith yet smith still started.
- RedC21

Did you watch the Flames last year? Smith was their best player after the All-Star game and Rittich was ass. For whatever reason, Rittich is always garbage after the break.

You don't earn it in November.

Rittich is our starter there is no doubt Talbot is doing his job and he has not taken anything from Rittich by just doing his job !! In the playoffs Rittich is the man but that doesn’t mean if he falters at all you don’t put Talbot in.

Rittich is our starter there is no doubt Talbot is doing his job and he has not taken anything from Rittich by just doing his job !! In the playoffs Rittich is the man but that doesn’t mean if he falters at all you don’t put Talbot in.
- Hockeyfan4life14

In the coaches' eyes, Rittich isn't the starter. If they were 100% behind Rittich being the starter, he would have started last night. He'll probably get another shot if Talbot falters, but right now, they picked Talbot.

Ride Talbot til he sh!ts the bed. You gotta believe Rittich is chomping at the bit and dieing to get a chance to prove himself.
@ Hunky
Don’t agree on your analysis of the goalies last year. The whole team played like garbage after the Allstar game. Smitty came to play in the playoffs, I’ll give you that, but to say Rittich was total as$ is just dumb.

On another note,
13 games left
7.5 wins to 94 points

Last year Vegas and Dallas got in with 93 and Colorado had 90

A win against Vegas on Sunday should be viewed as a must win! Closes the gap and confidence booster.

Nice to see Johnny heating up at the right time! Breath of fresh air.

Taylor Hall is going to look good in the flaming c next year! Guy always plays well against us, will be nice to have playing FOR us.

Todd you forgot to mention that there’s a goalie controversy in Vegas!

Ride Talbot til he sh!ts the bed. You gotta believe Rittich is chomping at the bit and dieing to get a chance to prove himself.
@ Hunky
Don’t agree on your analysis of the goalies last year. The whole team played like garbage after the Allstar game. Smitty came to play in the playoffs, I’ll give you that, but to say Rittich was total as$ is just dumb.

On another note,
13 games left
7.5 wins to 94 points

Last year Vegas and Dallas got in with 93 and Colorado had 90

A win against Vegas on Sunday should be viewed as a must win! Closes the gap and confidence booster.

Nice to see Johnny heating up at the right time! Breath of fresh air.

Taylor Hall is going to look good in the flaming c next year! Guy always plays well against us, will be nice to have playing FOR us.
- K-man25

Smitty did play slightly better than rittich after the break but I agree the whole team sucked in front of the 2 goalies. If smitty didn’t put on a show in the first 2 games last year rittich likely comes in. I could see something similar happening this year but with Talbots starting since it seems ward likes to go with whoever’s hot.

As far as hall goes it depends on what the cap is. If it’s at 84 I would say he’s not with us but if it’s at 86-88 I could believe it. Would likely require trimming Derek Ryan and Bennett and replacing with cheaper players in the bottom six to get it done. My guess if we’re eliminated in the first round tre will be aggressive in trying to add but if we make it past that, things will stay status quo

Todd you forgot to mention that there’s a goalie controversy in Vegas!
- K-man25

Pretty well every team in our division has a glaring issue. I would say Vegas is likely to make it into the second round but for everyone else it’s a coin flip

Don’t agree on your analysis of the goalies last year. The whole team played like garbage after the Allstar game. Smitty came to play in the playoffs, I’ll give you that, but to say Rittich was total as$ is just dumb.


- K-man25

The numbers don't lie. You can't win if your goalie can't at least get to a .900 save percentage. Rittich's first year in the league, 2.15 GAA .929 SV% before the break, 3.40 .889 after. Last year, 2.47 .918 before, 2.89 .898 after. This year, 2.77 .913 before, 3.56 .890 after.

That's three years in a row. I don't know what to say if you don't think those numbers are ass.

Pretty well every team in our division has a glaring issue. I would say Vegas is likely to make it into the second round but for everyone else it’s a coin flip
- RedC21

The Flames don't have a glaring issue now that they have two top lines again.

The Flames don't have a glaring issue now that they have two top lines again.
- Hunkulese

Only reason Talbot even started against coyotes is the team shut out Florida if that games is 3-2 Rittich starts against coyotes and doesn’t let in first goal like Talbot has done all year ! Just cause the team bails him out with comebacks doesn’t make him a starter

Only reason Talbot even started against coyotes is the team shut out Florida if that games is 3-2 Rittich starts against coyotes and doesn’t let in first goal like Talbot has done all year ! Just cause the team bails him out with comebacks doesn’t make him a starter
- Hockeyfan4life14

Got some bad news for you bud. The coaches see Talbot as the starter right now. Both goalies were rested, it wasn't a back to back, Talbot was coming off a game where he was fine, not great. Arizona was a massive game and they picked the guy they thought gave them the best shot to win. The job is Talbot's to lose now.

The Flames don't have a glaring issue now that they have two top lines again.
- Hunkulese

The top two lines are in hot streaks right now after being ghosts for the majority of the year.

Don’t get me wrong Calgary is a very good team but at the same time I don’t think the roster as built is in the conversation for winning a cup. Our goaltending be it Talbots or rittich is average, our defence is average, and our forewords while deep lack elite talent. I would say this roster as constructed is in the 10-15 range rather than a top 10 in the league.

Now not saying a hot streak has never won a cup before but the same core’s playoff performance over their 2 appearances in the last 3 years doesn’t inspire confidence.

At the end of the day I think we have a great shot to make it to the conference finals given the rest of our division, but odds are the cup finalist will be from the central

At the end of the day I think we have a great shot to make it to the conference finals given the rest of our division, but odds are the cup finalist will be from the central
- RedC21

Since they switched to the 2 division system, the Western Conference final has been won by the team that had fewer points in the regular season every single time.

The Flames had a bad start, but are right there with the best of the West if you look at the last 40 and are even better if you only look at January onwards. They've scored the most goals in the West since January 1st. All they need is a goalie to get hot.

They've been a top ten team since Ward took over.

I have to agree with Hunkulese, Talbot is the starter and has earned his starts. Rittich is terrible after the all star break like history shows and if I recall Talbot was the main reason why the Oilers went as far as they did the last time they made the playoffs.

I have to agree with Hunkulese, Talbot is the starter and has earned his starts. Rittich is terrible after the all star break like history shows and if I recall Talbot was the main reason why the Oilers went as far as they did the last time they made the playoffs.
- FlamesFan1230

I just want a hot goalie so flames can go far, Rittich or Talbot... whoever is hot

I have to agree with Hunkulese, Talbot is the starter and has earned his starts. Rittich is terrible after the all star break like history shows and if I recall Talbot was the main reason why the Oilers went as far as they did the last time they made the playoffs.
- FlamesFan1230

Ride whoever is playing well. Right now its Talbot. Rittich will get his chance.

I just want a hot goalie so flames can go far, Rittich or Talbot... whoever is hot
- hockey4hockey

I posted it before and I’ll post it again, IMO Talbs has shown a lot more of a consistent game as of late and now seems to always be confidently square to the puck making it look easy as a result of being in control...don’t get me wrong as I love Rittich but for me it’s a no brainer that at this point Tabs is the man!!!And I’m pretty sure is why he’s been starting the most important games of the season right now...He’s calm,collected and truly unfazed..Hopefully the blue jackets can pull an upset tonight and spank the Oilers 5-3 while Neal plots his 20th and 21st goal of the season giving us the 3rd pick that Tre put in place for us😉...
Sht I just realized that Neal isn’t on the 1st line with McJesus like he was last game and suddenly went from 1st line to 4rth...surprise surprise, I didn’t have to put my surprise face on lol

Ride whoever is playing well. Right now its Talbot. Rittich will get his chance.
- DuranDuran

For sure. Rittich is 24-16 this year. When he's playing well, he'll get the net back but for now, Talbot's the guy.

I posted it before and I’ll post it again, IMO Talbs has shown a lot more of a consistent game as of late and now seems to always be confidently square to the puck making it look easy as a result of being in control...don’t get me wrong as I love Rittich but for me it’s a no brainer that at this point Tabs is the man!!!And I’m pretty sure is why he’s been starting the most important games of the season right now...He’s calm,collected and truly unfazed..Hopefully the blue jackets can pull an upset tonight and spank the Oilers 5-3 while Neal plots his 20th and 21st goal of the season giving us the 3rd pick that Tre put in place for us😉...
Sht I just realized that Neal isn’t on the 1st line with McJesus like he was last game and suddenly went from 1st line to 4rth...surprise surprise, I didn’t have to put my surprise face on lol
- Cruzn’Oost

ya i agree, Talbot looks like a different goalie right now. Very calm and more confident now ... it's his net at this time

Damn Dallas getting shut out by Nashville twice in 3 days

Damn Dallas getting shut out by Nashville twice in 3 days
- hockey4hockey

Ya I couldn’t believe it myself...
Nashville has really turned it on as of late and could be a scary team if they keep it going!!!
The Flames can too if they all can consistently start firing on all cylinders...

Rittich is too inconsistent for me ...I hope they move on from him if he can’t figure it out. He can steal a game but then he will let in 5 on 19 shots ...maybe the D is partly to blame at times but I just look at him as a guy I hope gets hot as opposed to a guy regaining his form

Go with Talbot

Rittich is too inconsistent for me ...I hope they move on from him if he can’t figure it out. He can steal a game but then he will let in 5 on 19 shots ...maybe the D is partly to blame at times but I just look at him as a guy I hope gets hot as opposed to a guy regaining his form

Go with Talbot
- Redmile247

Ritter is still young for goalies. He's been getting better each year, maybe the all star game went to his head but he is a solid goalie capable of winning games. So is Talbot. People making a bigger deal than necessary having a 1A & 1B. Go with the hot hand.