flames v. panthers postgame: FUN

i love being at a game when the flames score 8 goals.... and i'm starting to get really excited about the potential of this team.
:)

i realize that we need to take this win with a grain of salt. it was quite a few of calgary's elite players against the baby panthers with add-ons like bouwmeester, horton, and vokoun. still, the flames showed incredibly well, for the most part, offensively and defensively. guys like david moss, who has finally found his hands, was probably the best guy on the ice in either end.

most disconcerting, to me, is that rene bourque had a helluva first period but didn't seem to return for the final two frames. he was noticeably missing, and ended with less than six minutes of TOI. there's nothing in the news today so hopefully he's fine.

rhettro is still out to prove something, but i'm not sure his 9 penalty mintues (roughing, roughing, fighting) is the way to go. lundmark got his own string of stupid penalties: 19 minutes in total (instigating, instigating with a visor, fighting major, ten minute misconduct). oopsie !! he still looked good out there, and was rewarded with ice time on the PP, PK and 4/4.

eriksson had a rough go in the first few minutes, but wasn't his normal, horrible self all game long. sarich, on the other hand, was mostly awful... good lord. can't adam pardy just stay ?!?!

oh... um.... how GOOD is CAMMALLERI ??!? (or as the ladies behind me in section 201 were calling him: cammarelli ??)

i presume a good round of cuts will come this weekend, and i'm convinced mikael backlund will be on a plane back to vasteräs (i've actually been to the airport in vasteräs.... it's like a bus station). don't get me wrong, i think backlund has a solid future, but he needs to work on his defensive game. keenan removed him from the top line last night, and gave him chucko-like minutes, where backlund was completely invisible (greentree styles) in the final two periods. oh yeah, and he ended up a -1 in an eight goal game !!!! not good not good.... another year in the allsvenskan will not hurt the 19-year-old. he may last till the end of camp but i don't see him staying on...

lombo is innit to winnit. wow. mcelhinney looks to be getting the flaming C jersey, after last night. glenX really picked it up. if gio plays like THAT everynight, he'll get a TON of icetime..... and thank goodness bootuzzi was finally able to put one in the net and get it out of his head. it was a pretty cohesive outing, and the team looked like a TEAM. there is some serious chemistry starting up... i'll say it again: wow... it's exciting stuff....

i think the roster will be significantly smaller come tuesday when the flames play edmonton.