Matchsticks and Gasoline Sep 14, 2020
Geoff Ward Is Calgary's New Head Coach
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports The Flames new head coach is their old interim coach. Well, the search is over and the new bench boss of the Flames is none other than the man who took over the team after Bill Peters was let go last season. The Calgary Flames made it official today, making Geoff Ward their new head coach, the 18th in franchise history. In 42 games as the Flames interim coach Ward went 24-15-3 to finish out the Covid-19 shortened season, but he struggled in the playoffs. Under his tutalige the Flames went 5-5-0, but we're embarrassed as a team towards the end their series...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Sep 14, 2020
News On Fire, September 14: NHL FA News, Flames Latest, Pacific Division Round Up
Looks like lots of the Flames rivals need defencemen. News On Fire NHL News -Carolina trades Edmundson -Pittsburgh sends Bjugstad to Minnesota -Isles down two players as the Eastern Conference Finals continue -Free Agent signings are less than a month away M&G Latest -Division re-alignment? -Making changes isn’t as easy as you think -Gio gets some post season hardware Pacific Division Round Up Copper & Blue: What’s Edmonton’s off-season going to look like? Five For Howling: Examining the 2018 Draft Class Jewels From The Crown: What defenceman should LA go after? Nucks Misconduct:...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Sep 14, 2020
Rumour: Geoff Ward To Be Back As Flames Coach?
Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via The Flames might not have to look far for their next coach. We will start this with this caveat: this is a RUMOUR. Elliot Friedman of Sportsnet is hearing that the Flames are “trending” towards making Geoff Ward their next head coach. In this SN segment (go to the 2:51 mark) you will hear Friedman discuss what Calgary may be doing with their next head coach with the understanding that Calgary hasn’t said a thing. Now, there could be a few different reasons as to why nothing is leaking from the Flames camp and they could be: -there’s no truth to...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Sep 13, 2020
SB Nation Reacts: Thoughts On The Playoff Format
Photo by Jeff Vinnick/ Here’s your thoughts on the current playoff system. This is SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NHL. Each week, SB Nation sends out questions to the most plugged-in Flames fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts. Through the first round of Stanley Cup Playoffs eight games went to overtime for a total of 13 OT periods. With all playoff games being played in one of two arenas, the extra play pushed back start times, even delaying games to the next day. Despite the delayed starts and concern over quality of the ice after overtime...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Sep 13, 2020
Mark Giordano Wins Mark Messier Leadership Award
Photo by Jeff Vinnick/ The Captain’s on and off ice persona has led him to some post season hardware. It’s one of the NHL’s worst kept secrets: Mark Giordano is a good guy. It really doesn’t get more simple than that statement. The Flames Captain is a leader on the ice, as he’s always known as one of the “good guys” and rarely, if ever finds himself in some shenanigans. Off the ice, he’s even better as he is known for devoting his time to local charities in the Calgary community. Well all of those efforts paid off today as Mark Giordano was named the Mark Messier...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Sep 11, 2020
So You Want To Make a Change?
Photo by Jeff Vinnick/ Understanding a players perceived value and what’s needed in a return to effectively replace them. By Shane Stevenson (@Flash_33) There’s losing in a Game 6, shaking hands and going home disappointed leaving your fan base wanting more. Then there’s ripping the joy you feel from an early 3-0 lead right out of your soul, collapsing a cliff on themselves, and crawling home like the Flames actually did. Man that one’s brutal and hard to swallow. So naturally the fans around the world after multiple years of failure and not enough success want one thing from...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Aug 30, 2020
End Of Season Round Table: Is It Time For Some Shakeups?
Photo by Gregory Shamus/ There’s a lot to get into and honestly, not a lot of it is positive. 1) Will Geoff Ward be the Flames new head coach? Maddie: Sigh. I hope not. I have to give him credit for not letting this thing go wholly off the rails after the Peters situations, but I think what we saw was that his system just didn’t really gel with this roster’s particular skillsets. This team just isn’t built to be a heavy forechecking dump and chase team, which it seemed is what he was trying to have them do. I’m hoping they find a way to keep him as an assistant coach, but with...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Aug 26, 2020
The Tinderbox-Ep. 35: Eric Francis/Johnny Gaudreau, Captain Tkachuk, Flames Season Review
We’ve got a lot to discuss on this episode of The Tinderbox. The Tinderbox This season we will be debuting the new look/sounding Tinderbox as part of SBN’s Podcast Nation. We will cover a variety of topics throughout the season and have different guests from our SBN Family when the Flames are playing a team in their respective areas. So pull up a chair by the fire place, put on your best robe and kick back and relax to the sounds of the Tinderbox! Don’t forget you can download this podcast at Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts and iHeart Radio. Episode 35: Hosted by Mark, Michael,...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Aug 24, 2020
Calgary Flames Plagued By Injuries During Playoffs
Photo by Jeff Vinnick/ A few significant Flames players were playing through some significant injuries. Usually the cry of “yeah, it’s the playoffs....everyone is injured” is a real gripe as the grind of the regular seasons blends into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Everyone is banged up and bruised, but it’s playoff time and everyone sucks it up. The NHL shutdown allowed all players (that could) the chance to heal up and be ready for the start of the post season. The Flames were no exception, as they healed those who could, but as the games progressed, Calgary had some players suffer...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Aug 22, 2020
Will Cam Talbot & The Flames Get A Second Date?
Photo by Jeff Vinnick/ Calgary’s best playoff performer is a free agent. Was Game 6’s inexplicable implosion the last time Cam Talbot will wear the Flamming C? As his current contract is stated, yes because he’s a UFA now that the Flames have been eliminated from the playoffs. BUT, could there be some wiggle room for the Flames to bring Talbot back to compete/take/keep the starting job from David Rittich? I say yes and the Flames and Talbot should be talking to each other immediately about that happening. And that appears it MIGHT be the case according to Salim Nadim Valji of the...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Aug 21, 2020
What They Are Saying: Post Game Comments From Game 6
Photo by Jeff Vinnick/ Here’s what the coaches, players and media said after Calgary’s Game 6 loss. The Flames bowed out (that’s a kind description) of the playoffs last night with a 7-3 loss to Dallas in Game 6. Calgary scored three first period goals and looked well on their way to sending the series to a seventh game.......then Dallas scored 7 in a row to send the Flames packing. Here’s what was said in the aftermath. Calgary Flames Geoff Ward reflects on Game 6 and the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/LMKm194DW1— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) August 21, 2020 "It's tough to...
Matchsticks and Gasoline Aug 21, 2020
Stars 7, Flames 3: 2019-20 Season comes to an end
Photo by Jeff Vinnick/ Flames start strong, give up 7 straight Calgary Flames 3 - Dallas Stars 7 Scoring Calgary Flames 1st: 3:42- Mangiapane (2) (Brodie [3], Lindholm [4]), 5:38 PPG- Gaudreau (4) (Bennett [3]), 6:34- Andersson (3) (Rieder [2], Hanifin [4]) 2nd: None 3rd: None Dallas Stars 1st: 9:36- Heiskanen (3) (Perry [2], Hintz[4]) 2nd: 0:59- Gurianov (3) (Heiskanen [7]), 3:25- Gurianov (4) (Pavelski [1], Lindell [3]), 5:47- Faksa (1) (Gurianov [1], Heiskanen [8]), 7:22- Pavelski (6) (Heiskanen [9]), 15:30- Gurianov (5) (Pavelski [2], Khudobin [1]) 3rd: 9:02- Gurianov (6)...
