Keenan gave rookie Curtis McElhinney high marks for his play in the first two periods but suggested the seldom-used backup showed signs of nerves in the final frame.
"That’s the next challenge for him," suggested Keenan, "to be able to close out a game when you have a two-goal lead. It wasn’t like we had a barrage of pucks coming at us."
It depends on your definition of barrage, of course. The Red Wings had 13 third-period shots and 39 overall.
...
Asked about Todd Bertuzzi's lack of point coverage on the game winning goal and -4 rating in the last two games, Keenan replied,
"Nothing is Todd's fault. He operates on another level out there, so it's not for us to question what he's doing. He's thinking eight, nine, sometimes ten moves ahead. Plus he's just so darn good looking. I mean, really...you just can't stay mad at the guy no matter what happens."
Although it seems fictional, I didn't make the first part up (just the second). Hey kid! You've been sitting on the bench for weeks and I've just thrown you into a nearly impossible situation against the defending cup champs in their own building (where we've lost 7 in a row). You made 35 saves, including a couple of highlight reelers, but hey...you need to learn how to "close out" games. Oh and Todd? Looking good buddy.
This is just...I don't...fucki...*indignant*...*choke*...!!
15 comments:
The comments about Bertuzzi must've been sarcastic. Must! Right? Right???
It's more likely that he's thinking eight, nine, or ten career moves ahead. Hopefully the first one happens sooner rather than later.
It's hard to learn to close out games when you only play 4 a year.
i really embarassed myself at the pub on the GWG, i stood and pointed at #7 thru the replay and screamed obscenities...
there was no flames' defense in the last ten minutes of the hockey game. it was clear the tank was empty and the wings were a nicely rested team taking advantage. i admit the last two goals were a little weak by cumac --just above his glove both times--- but i would hardly fault him for the loss....
bertuzzi, once again, looked effin' terrible defensively. end of story.
(note: word verification: warnburt)
The comments about Bertuzzi must've been sarcastic. Must! Right? Right???
Or made up...by me...
I don't know about the Bertuzzi comments because -14 pathetic... did he really say that?
As for CMac. Unfortunately with goalies its the ones that go in that really count. He played well, however, the 3 goals on 16 shots in the last 25 is not good enough. Yeah... it's the Wings, yes, he made a lot of good saves. Two long shots beat him though, and he can do a better job looking through those screens. When it comes down to it its .897 overall, .813 in the last 25 when we're up 3-1 and playing pretty well.
Unfortunately, when you're the backup, its not how you make the saves, or how many, its that when you play 5 to 10 games a year you cannot lose. For recent example Halak... or look at Hiller, Boucher, Clemmenson (the 3rd), Tellqvist, or the best example Pekka Rinne.
Yesterday morning if you were told McE and the Flames would escape Joe Louis arena with a point, would you have been okay with that? :-)
he can do a better job looking through those screens.
Hmmm, I dunno. Maybe if you are 6'4" like Luongo, but even then, a screen is a screen is a screen, not helped by the fact his own player was 50% of the problem.
So when does McE get his next start? March?
Just be clear folks, the latter half of the quote is me being a smart ass. Keenan didn't actually say that.
Two long shots beat him though, and he can do a better job looking through those screens.
The only goal I fault CuMac on is the Zetterberg tally, because he failed to control the rebound.
The last two were clear shots from two of the best offensive defensemen in this league...and they were shots through screens no less. Few, if any, goaltenders are stopping those.
while we are being sarcastic...
Keenan, post-game: "The main problem with us is our poor luck with backup goaltending. McElwhatever should damn well be able to play much better than that. He just proved why I never play him. Jeez, he only has to play once a month or so, why couldn't he have given us more big saves in the third like he did earlier in the game? Yeah, we got in last night at 4:00am, but he's been resting since early November. I thought the reason NHL teams carried backup goalies was to steal games by themselves when called upon."
oh SNAP!
And I thought the Oilers were the ones doing the better job of sabotaging the development of a young goalie. Crikey.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who did a spit-take at Keenan's comments. I was watching with my brother and we literally turned to each other and said... "really?"
Thought he had a great game, even with a gutsy Flames effort (especially in the first period) it could have easily been a Detroit blow-out and still a solid performance.
Plus we all know McGuire would never give "MONSTER" status to someone who couldn't close out games. Right? RIGHT?
I thought CMac shined last night. Todd...as usual, not so much. He did have that one nice play on the langkow goal, that's it.
I thought CMac shined last night. Todd...as usual, not so much. He did have that one nice play on the langkow goal, that's it.
He has one or two every night. But, as Matt says "the good outweighs the bad". Bertuzzi has been on the ice for 2 ES goals for in the last two games...and SIX goals against.
No argument from me.
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