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Monday, October 4, 1999
Autopsy tells all!
Flames didn't show respect
Not that Brian Sutter needed Billy Crystal to play psychiatrist and analyze that, the 5-3 season-opening loss to the San Jose Sharks.
He'd already pinpointed the problem, without the benefit of a couch and $200-an-hour consulting fee.
"We didn't have enough respect away from the puck," lectured the coach, already returning to one of his familiar themes of the season past.
"Look at their fifth goal. See the forwards that were on the ice for us at the time, all guys who played here last year.
"That means guys like the Stillmans. They have to take more responsibility when they don't have the puck, plain and simple. They can't be doing this" -- and he began to trace circles in the air. "I don't care who you are or how many goals you think you can score, in this league you'd better check."
Given that they don't play again until Wednesday, Sutter instructed the players to stay away from the rink yesterday.
"When you're mad, you'd rather play right away," he explained. "I'd play (today). But we've had a hectic schedule. I'd rather get two good days of practice than three half-a***** days."
The coach felt his Flames were merely the unfortunate victims of 10 unattentive minutes to open the second period.
Others might argue, with some justification, that being 4-zip up leads to a measure of complacency in any team and that fact, more than a rip-snortin' Calgary resurgence, made the Sharks slow down and brought the Flames at least back into the periphery of the game.
"I thought Saprykin was good," judged Sutter, "and Val (Bure) was excellent. Shantz was good. Wilm, too. Naz got better as the game went along. He has to start being more of a physical presence off the start."
Despite the cavernous hole they had dug themselves seven minutes into the second period, the coach was encouraged by the resolve he saw.
"Our bench never got down. We just got p---ed off. I liked that. If anything, their goals made us more determined. I thought we wore them down. In the third period, that team was out of gas."
Alas, it had taken the Flames far too long to fill up their tank.
Undoubtedly the most upset of the losing side was goaltender Grant Fuhr, who marked his Calgary debut by lasting all of 26 minutes, 16 shots and four goals against. Fuhr, although clearly miffed at being hooked, accepted blame for his performance afterwards.
"That's why we're going to be better, Grant saying things like that," commented Sutter. "I'm sure he'd like to have a couple of those goals back.
"Let's just say I'm not worried about Grant Fuhr."
Being pulled, being sub-par, these things just don't sit well with a five-time Stanley Cup champion. Such indignities alone are guaranteed to have him angry and ready for Wednesday.
And as if that weren't enough, it just happens to be the St. Louis Blues coming to town.
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