Game 57. TOR vs. CGY. 9:00pm EST.

[CarltonTheBear]

Phaneuf needs a dependable partner with him, he always has even dating back to his best Calgary days. Komisarek isn't that. Quite frankly no other defenceman but Gunnarsson fits that bill.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Now if Bozak would have been on the bench for the rest for the game, that wouldn't have happened.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Phaneuf needs a dependable partner with him, he always has even dating back to his best Calgary days. Komisarek isn't that. Quite frankly no other defenceman but Gunnarsson fits that bill.

Someone on Twitter posted something to the effect of: If you are unsure of Gunnarsson's worth to the team, you will know now.

 

[Strangelove]

Nice that the Leafs got their home crowd back into it...

 

[crazyperfectdevil]

Phaneuf needs a dependable partner with him, he always has even dating back to his best Calgary days. Komisarek isn't that. Quite frankly no other defenceman but Gunnarsson fits that bill.

i feel like schenn can be that..as long as he isn't being asked to contribute offensively

 

[L K]

Wow.  After that last save I honestly thought Kiprusoff was going to do one of those "you just can't beat me" kind of performances.  Big statement by the top line.  Great scoring chance, Bozak wins the draw, hits the post and scores on the rebound.

 

[Bonsixx]

I was just about to post that it's never over as long as the Flames are terrible...

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Phaneuf needs a dependable partner with him, he always has even dating back to his best Calgary days. Komisarek isn't that. Quite frankly no other defenceman but Gunnarsson fits that bill.

i feel like schenn can be that..as long as he isn't being asked to contribute offensively

Schenn is still prone to too many braincramps, and doesn't have the skating ability to cover for Phaneuf if need be. The fact that he forces Phaneuf to play his non-preferred side doesn't help either.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Yeah Bozak didn't get hooked or held trying to go around the net there. :-\

 

[4th Liner]

Kessel are you nuts!!? Shoooooot

 

[Strangelove]

Calgary is getting away with one hook after the other...

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Yeah Bozak didn't get hooked or held trying to go around the net there. :-\

Plus the too many men on the ice, just a mirage.

 

[L K]

I know we had that discussion ages ago, but I really wish that Kessel would take a hit or two to make a play.  Not all the time, because I do understand the "better to have him in the lineup and healthy than injured" viewpoint, but he turns away from every single close play in the corner whether there is an impending hit or not.

 

[ZBBM]

At this point isn't it better to just waive Komi and give another D-man a shot? Holzer, Aulie whoever?

I mean the guy sits for a huge amount of time, and isn't likely to step in and handle big minutes well, and surprise he has a meltdown and fans will jump all over him.

We're in the middle of a playoff race, and we're putting in the guy who flat out can't play. I don't get this team. Meritocracy my left foot....

I'd waive Phaneuf before I'd ditch Komi.  And I'm (almost) serious.  You cannot have a captain playing like crap in his own end more games than not.

Watched repeated highlights of both goals and not sure what Phaneuf did so bad defensively?  He was at the end of a shift on the first one and was kind of running around, but that was due to reacting to a shot that missed the net and went around the boards - it was the forwards (Lupul/Bozak) who completely missed the Flames guy come in off the boards.

The second goal - well, terrible line change and Komisarek.

Tonight I was thinking of the first goal and his allowing Iginla to get behind him earlier (luckily the pass didn't connect).

He's just not good enough defensively, period.

I certainly don't think he's great defensively, but I don't think he's bad either, and if he's putting up around 50 points then I can live with it a little more than say....Mr. Komisarek.

I'd rather have neither, so it's not a case of trying to judge which is the lesser of two evils.

Phaneuf reminds me of a Poni on defense: not only does his make too many mistakes, he makes especially deflating bonehead mistakes.

 

[L K]

Gardiner playing with Phaneuf now.  Komisarek is awesome and under contract for two more years.  Absolutely noone is going to take him as part of a trade.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

Gardiner playing with Phaneuf now.  Komisarek is awesome and under contract for two more years.  Absolutely noone is going to take him as part of a trade.

Havent seen him since the penalty. Lets hope he is benched for the rest of the game.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

At this point isn't it better to just waive Komi and give another D-man a shot? Holzer, Aulie whoever?

I mean the guy sits for a huge amount of time, and isn't likely to step in and handle big minutes well, and surprise he has a meltdown and fans will jump all over him.

We're in the middle of a playoff race, and we're putting in the guy who flat out can't play. I don't get this team. Meritocracy my left foot....

I'd waive Phaneuf before I'd ditch Komi.  And I'm (almost) serious.  You cannot have a captain playing like crap in his own end more games than not.

Watched repeated highlights of both goals and not sure what Phaneuf did so bad defensively?  He was at the end of a shift on the first one and was kind of running around, but that was due to reacting to a shot that missed the net and went around the boards - it was the forwards (Lupul/Bozak) who completely missed the Flames guy come in off the boards.

The second goal - well, terrible line change and Komisarek.

Tonight I was thinking of the first goal and his allowing Iginla to get behind him earlier (luckily the pass didn't connect).

He's just not good enough defensively, period.

I certainly don't think he's great defensively, but I don't think he's bad either, and if he's putting up around 50 points then I can live with it a little more than say....Mr. Komisarek.

I'd rather have neither, so it's not a case of trying to judge which is the lesser of two evils.

Phaneuf reminds me of a Poni on defense: not only does his make too many mistakes, he makes especially deflating bonehead mistakes.

If Poni was one of the top point producers at his position I'm sure people would have been a bit more lenient on the guy (not that I was ever one of the ones who thought he was the devil).

 

[ZBBM]

I know we had that discussion ages ago, but I really wish that Kessel would take a hit or two to make a play.  Not all the time, because I do understand the "better to have him in the lineup and healthy than injured" viewpoint, but he turns away from every single close play in the corner whether there is an impending hit or not.

He is who he is.  Much as you hate to do it, I would think about splitting up Lupul and Kessel.  They are so bad together defensively.  I'd see how Kessel does on Grabovski's line.

 

[Coderaspberry]

I know we had that discussion ages ago, but I really wish that Kessel would take a hit or two to make a play.  Not all the time, because I do understand the "better to have him in the lineup and healthy than injured" viewpoint, but he turns away from every single close play in the corner whether there is an impending hit or not.

Yeah, at this point I think we've just got to accept that he's always going to shy away from physical play, both offensively and defensively.

I honestly believe it's a key factor in hemming that line in the defensive zone - cycling the puck along the boards essentially puts that line down one man, teams have recognized it, and exploit it.

 

[ZBBM]

At this point isn't it better to just waive Komi and give another D-man a shot? Holzer, Aulie whoever?

I mean the guy sits for a huge amount of time, and isn't likely to step in and handle big minutes well, and surprise he has a meltdown and fans will jump all over him.

We're in the middle of a playoff race, and we're putting in the guy who flat out can't play. I don't get this team. Meritocracy my left foot....

I'd waive Phaneuf before I'd ditch Komi.  And I'm (almost) serious.  You cannot have a captain playing like crap in his own end more games than not.

Watched repeated highlights of both goals and not sure what Phaneuf did so bad defensively?  He was at the end of a shift on the first one and was kind of running around, but that was due to reacting to a shot that missed the net and went around the boards - it was the forwards (Lupul/Bozak) who completely missed the Flames guy come in off the boards.

The second goal - well, terrible line change and Komisarek.

Tonight I was thinking of the first goal and his allowing Iginla to get behind him earlier (luckily the pass didn't connect).

He's just not good enough defensively, period.

I certainly don't think he's great defensively, but I don't think he's bad either, and if he's putting up around 50 points then I can live with it a little more than say....Mr. Komisarek.

I'd rather have neither, so it's not a case of trying to judge which is the lesser of two evils.

Phaneuf reminds me of a Poni on defense: not only does his make too many mistakes, he makes especially deflating bonehead mistakes.

If Poni was one of the top point producers at his position I'm sure people would have been a bit more lenient on the guy (not that I was ever one of the ones who thought he was the devil).

I'm not averse to offensive defensemen -- big fan of Kaberle, for example.  But Kabby can actually play defense w/o needing to be propped up.

I see your point, but I prefer my defensemen, esp. one who wears the C, to play defense.