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On Mangiapane, Smith, and Giordano |
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Follow me on Twitter @ToddCordell
A few Calgary Flames notes on this off-day:
1) I get not wanting to throw Andrew Mangiapane to the wolves against a good Chicago team in his first NHL game but I thought Glent Gulutzan and the coaching staff were too conservative with his usage. He had a couple good looks around the net, and finished tied for 3rd on the team in 5v5 shot attempts, yet was given just 7:25 of ice at evens and no power play time. He is a shifty, offensively gifted player who needs consistent ice, opportunity, and quality linemates to be at his best. He didn't really get any of that in his debut and still showed really well.
I'd like to see him given a chance on the 2nd line with Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk because that line has looked a little out of sync with Jaromir Jagr on it. The sample size is small and it's possible, if not likely, that trio improves with time but I think Mangiapane is ready to make a difference and his AHL numbers suggest that's the case. Give him a chance to prove it.
2) Mike Smith has only won three of his last nine starts but that's certainly not on him. He has posted a spectacular .932 save percentage during that stretch and almost single-handedly earned the Flames at least a point on a couple occasions. I think David Rittich being able to handle himself with some spot starts, coupled with some extra days off over the holidays, has really helped as Smith's been able to stay fresh and on top of his game. I imagine it's difficult to start your backup in the midst of a tight playoff race, but I think it's really important Rittich continues to see the net and gives Smith a night off every 7-10 days.
3) I recently commented on Mark Giordano's play and noted it felt like he's been a lot more active and involved offensively of late. After doing a bit of research, the numbers on that theory have checked out. Giordano recorded nine shot attempts or more just twice in the first 32 games of the season. He has that five times in the last seven games. Giordano can really skate, and has a great shot in his repertoire, and it looks like he and the team have made concerted effort to take advantage of that. It seems to be working as he's scored three goals over this small period after potting four in the first 32. It'll be interesting to see if he continues piling up the shots moving forward.
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