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Wednesday, December 29, 1999
Freddie's fame fleeting
Cowtown's fickle Flames fans give Brathwaite the boo-bird treatment
Jill and Joe Phan can be ever so fickle at times.
In particular, those within Cowtown boundaries where the winds have abruptly changed direction.
Right, Fred Brathwaite?
The ink was not yet dry on the press clippings depicting the diminutive Calgary Flames goaltender as the NHL player of the week when the Saddledome fans turned ugly.
As the Flames led Philadelphia 1-0 during the first period Monday night, the season's first sellout crowd (17,145) chanted "Freddie, Freddie,'' which has become a custom in nearly every home game over the past six weeks.
FROM CHEERS TO JEERS
But after the Flyers blitzed Brathwaite for four third-period goals en route to a 5-1 triumph that rudely interrupted Calgary's seven-game home-ice unbeaten run, the cheers turned to loud jeers.
Defenceman Derek Morris, for one, couldn't believe his ears.
"Man, that was just brutal,'' lamented the Edmonton native. "Freddie's human. He can't stop every shot; he can't win every game.''
All Brathwaite did the week previous was go 2-0-1 with two shutouts while compiling a microscopic 0.32 goals-against average and a near-flawless .989 save percentage. He allowed but one goal, stopping 89 of 90 shots.
Still, what have you done for us lately, fella?
"For that to happen in your own rink, for a guy who's meant so much to this team as he has ... it's embarrassing,'' continued Morris. "Want to boo somebody? Boo the rest of us. We were just (terrible). We gave him no help at all.''
Morris even discarded a crutch that the Flames were playing their second game in as many nights while the Flyers were rested.
"We weren't tired, we were just awful,'' he scowled. "Sure (the fans) were frustrated, so were we. But to take it out on Freddie ...''
While coach Brian Sutter wasn't about to argue with those paying the freight, he did deflect the blame from his goalie's crease.
Well, sort of.
"They (fans) obviously weren't happy with what was going on and I can't blame them. Neither was I,'' said Sutter. "Sure some pucks went in that shouldn't have, but Freddie gave us an opportunity to be there in the third period and we just fell apart.''
The anemic Flames offence managed a paltry 13 shots on the Flyers net, yet Brathwaite shouldered the rap.
"I'll take the blame,'' the ex-Oiler murmured. "That's hockey, I'm not going to say anything about (the booing). Hopefully I can play better next time and get them back on my side.
"We were tied 1-1 going into the third period. We needed this game because Edmonton and Colorado were playing and we could've passed them. And I wasn't good enough. A frustrating evening for me.''
The fickle fan wasn't alone when it came to blowing off steam down south ...
The Battle of Alberta certainly ain't what it used to be, but there's a little healthy festering developing between Sutter and coaching counterpart Kevin Lowe. Which I can only applaud wholeheartedly.
"I laugh at what Edmonton's saying because we have as good a skating team as them,'' chirped Sutter. "Edmonton beat us last year because we turned too many pucks over every game we played them. We are not doing that any more.''
The Flames are 1-0 at the Oil's expense this season.
"I love the whining, though, and our players love it,'' shot Sutter. "When I got home after the Edmonton game, my wife told me she heard their coach was complaining how we played and I just laughed. They're thinking about us. We are starting to gain some respect around the league.''
Sutter didn't allow Ottawa's Jacques Martin off the hook, either, after the Senators coach, too, beefed about the Flames' style following another 2-1 Calgary triumph.
"I'll tell you why Jacques Martin didn't like us,'' muttered Sutter, like Martin a member of the St. Louis Blues coaching alumni. "We did what they did, but harder.
"When you start talking about things like that, you're showing a weakness.''
NO CAKEWALK FOR QUACKERS
While on the subject of respect, the Oilers weren't exactly on the receiving end despite Monday's 4-1 triumph over the Anaheim Ducks.
"I think we expected it to be a cakewalk,'' quacked Ducks flight leader Paul Kariya. "It was another lesson. We thought if we just threw our sticks out there we would win. We forgot about the effort it takes to win.''
The messages delivered, the dates may now be circled on calendars.
The Flames visit Skyreach Centre Jan. 19, while the Oilers' next collision with the Ducks is Feb. 27 at the Pond.
You're welcome ...
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