Lack biding his time until he gets call
Flames’ goalie OK with waiting turn
On Monday in the Calgary Flames dressing room, while the team was packing up to head out on a twogame, back-to-back road swing, Mike Smith interrupted a rare Eddie Lack interview.
Rare, of course, because it’s mostly been Smith’s show to start the 2017-18 NHL campaign and the attention has been on the former Arizona Coyotes goalie rather than the former Carolina Hurricanes netminder.
“Hey,” shouted the starter to the backup. “I don’t think it’s my best … could have been better.”
In Smith’s hands was a freshly made post-practice protein drink, specifically for his partner.
“Mike’s been great,” Lack said with a grin. “Made me a great smoothie, so he’s a great guy.” Both goalies chuckle. The two puck-stoppers have created an interesting dynamic at Scotiabank Saddledome — one rather different than the one that existed in 2016-17 between Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson.
Smith and Lack have different styles and completely different personalities. Smith, 35, is an honest, outspoken competitor who has proven through eight games he is capable of handling the No. 1 netminder’s workload and is one of the main reasons the 4-4-0 Flames do not have an 0-8-0 record.
Meanwhile, the easygoing, happy-go-lucky Lack is still in the process of regaining his NHL form and is taking each ice time day-by-day, by design.
“I kind of told myself before this year that I was going to be patient and not be discouraged or anything like that,” he said. “In the past, I’ve been down on myself when I haven’t played a lot. I’ve been thinking a bit too much. Whereas this year, I’ve come in with the mindset that whatever game I get into, I’m going to play the best I can and not overthink it and not try to over-prove myself … and just be happy.”
That doesn’t mean the 29-yearold Swede isn’t itching to get his opportunity, which may come on this road trip — potentially on Wednesday when the Flames play the St. Louis Blues, the second half of the back-to-back set.
At one point during the brief Monday morning practice at the Saddledome, Glen Gulutzan shouted: “Eddie Lack, let’s get ready to start.”
Following the skate, Gulutzan said Smith would start Tuesday against the 2017 Stanley Cup finalist Nashville Predators (6 p.m. MT, Sportsnet Flames, Sportsnet 960 The Fan).
“Eddie will play at some point,” Gulutzan said. “We’ll make those decisions day-to-day.”
Lack had not heard if he was getting the start Wednesday versus the Blues (6 p.m. MT, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet 960 The Fan).
But he indicated that he’ll be prepared.
“Obviously (Smith’s) been playing great,” said Lack, who only played 12:02 of mop-up duty and allowed one goal on six shots in an ugly 6-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 13. ”There hasn’t really been any reason to switch, either. Last time I was hoping to play was the back-to-back game (in Vancouver). But they wanted to throw Smitty back in there, too, (because of the four-day layoff that followed) and I understand that. If it would have been the other way around, I would have felt the same way, too.
“But I just want to spread a little joy in the locker-room and whenever he’s ready to throw me in, I’m ready.”