GOING DOWN IN OVERTIME
Rookie-laden Jets edge the Flames
Every goalie in the NHL will tell you the best-case scenario is to play in every single game.
Mike Smith is no different. The reality for the Calgary Flames is, even in the pre-season, they will have to be mindful of their No. 1 netminder’s minutes in 201819, properly balancing his ice time, his confidence to do what is best for the organization.
“We’re going to manage it,” Flames head coach Bill Peters said at the morning skate when the conversation turned from Monday ’s exhibition clash against the Winnipeg Jets to plans for Smith this season. “We’ll talk about it and we’ll have to make sure there’s proper rest in the back-to-back scenarios no matter how well someone’s playing. When you make those plans, sometimes they blow up a bit. They’re good at this time of the year, but then reality hits.
“We have a number in mind that we want our backups to play.”
Smith is 36, in top-notch physical condition and, like most of Monday’s mixed roster, is trying to get his touch back. Also, he, like most of the veteran group, is still recovering from a 14-hour time change coming on the heels of the China Games.
The six-foot-four, 215-pounder went the distance Monday in a 5-4 loss to the Jets in overtime, much like he did in a 3-1 loss Sept. 19 to the Boston Bruins in Beijing.
“Just until I feel comfortable. It’s been nice to get on the ice for a consistent time here in the last few days,” Smith said. “I’ve been feeling a bit better about my game, so it’s nice to get back in there and move it along.”
In Monday’s loss to a rookieladen Jets squad, there were some good moments and some cringeworthy ones as well.
A bobbled puck here. A bobbled puck there. A late goal in the first period from Sami Niku to beat him on the glove side.
In the second, he produced a handful of NHL-worthy saves on seasoned players like Brandon Tanev and Adam Lowry. Then a Jets power-play marker sailed past him early in the middle frame courtesy of Nikolaj Ehlers thanks to a screen from Brendan Lemieux. With 4:40 remaining in the second period, Niku struck again on a shot that looked to have ricocheted off Spencer Foo’s skate. (Foo, for the record, played his best pre-season clash to date).
The real gut punch was a tap-in from C.J. Suess off a wicked pass from Jacob Trouba early into the third period. Suddenly, the Flames were down by two goals.
Smith could have been sharper, for sure.
And yes, the pre-season darling Dillon Dube could have connected on an outstanding breakaway, which saw him beat Tucker Poolman and fend off a backchecking Marko Dano.
Andrew Mangiapane could have picked Derek Ryan’s pass and picked the top corner instead shooting it right at the chest of Jets goalie Laurent Brossoit (remember him?) in the final six minutes.
But when captain Mark Giordano connected on a pictureperfect walk-in, fed by Dube, and Morgan Klimchuk tied it with 4:16 remaining only to lose the game in overtime on a giveaway by Elias Lindholm, it’s clear the Flames — goaltending or not — are still very much in transition mode.
Calgary got first-period goals from Juuso Valimaki and Ryan Lomberg.
“Being back home and back on the ice for the last three or four days has been real nice,” said Smith who faced 26 shots. “To be back in the dryness, it was pretty humid over in China and it felt like you were in quicksand half the time. It’s nice to be back at home and nice to ramp it up going into the season. You are just kind of feeling out things, new players. Hearing new voices on the ice.
“It’s all a process.”
The plan is for Smith to draw in for another full friendly before the bullets start flying for real on Oct. 3 at Vancouver. Meanwhile, the Flames are evaluating potential backup netminders David Rittich and Jon Gilles, who both had the night off Monday with Tyler Parsons minding the bench.
And whether he likes it or not — he scoffed when a reporter jokingly asked if any of the youngsters had referred to him as gramps yet, saying, “They don’t dare do that” — Smith’s age will be an ongoing conversation this season.
How they manage him will also be a hot topic.
“The travel and back-to-backs are the things we are going to focus on,” Peters said. “He’s in real good shape and looks after himself in the offseason. To me, the age isn’t an issue.
“They all want to play. Especially when they’re playing well. The toughest one you have is when you’re playing real well and it’s a back-to-back and the guy wants to stay in there. Again, that’s where we have to manage the situation properly.”
At the end of the day, Peters is optimistic about Smith pre-season or not.
“I’ve seen him be a real good goalie in this league and coached against him many times,” he said. “There’s nights where he’s dominant. He can stop the puck and his puck-handling ability changes things. We’re excited about that, but we’re also excited about the play of Ritter and Gillies the other night.
“We’ve got some real good competition.”
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