WEEK IN REVIEW:
Flames lose in a 9-3 game to the Langley Knights at the George Preston Arena, one that the Flames were competitive on the scoreboard until the beginning of the third period.
And well tonight, the Flames can say the same,
Ridge Meadows dropped tonight`s game, October 3rd, in a final score of 6-1 against the impressive Richmond Sockeyes. On six goals the Sockeyes got scoring from five different players, and that`s only goals, when it comes to assists, it was a combination of six players. Once again in the 2014-2015 season, teams, and fans around the league should look for this team to finish just as strongly as they did last year.
As for the Flames, well, it`s like a skipping record. The team has been able to stay in games for 40 minutes and then as soon as the final twenty minutes are to be played, the passion just seems to fade. As a fan in the stands, you likely become frustrated with the finished product after the full sixty minutes has expired, but imagine how the coaching staff and roster feel. They don`t WANT to lose these games, nobody trains or plays to lose.
One thing that both head coach Jamie Fiset, and veteran defenseman Cameron Alder attributed the possible losses to are the lack of determination in games where the team knows, not that they can win, but SHOULD win. The Flames are a competitive team, and do all have passion for the game, otherwise none of them would be where they are. But any athlete has felt what coach Fiset and his player are describing. When you see on the schedule that the Los Angeles Kings are headed to Edmonton to face the Oilers, there is nothing else that anyone expects other than a Kings demolishing of the Oil. And this is why I can understand why this is being said. It is not necessarily an excuse that the team should fall back on, but it can become something that these young men can learn from, Especially when facing either a stronger team or weaker team, no matter what point it is in the season,
You have to battle hard in practice as if it were a game. You have to train in the gym visualising that you are going to be stronger than your opponent, beating him out along the boards deep in their end, It`s a passion that should burn within all your being when a part of a team, or even anything in life that you are passionate about.
I mentioned in the broadcast a specific player tonight that I feel shows passion and emotion night in and night out. That man is Boston Colley. When it is his turn to hit that ice he skates hard every shift, he battles in the corner any chance he gets, and he scores goals because he wants to be a winner. Now tonight the example that I used was that he was involved in a scuffle nearing the end of the game. He was sent off to the dressing room with approximately 8-10 minutes remaining in the game as the Flames were trailing 5-1. That brought up a thought: Was Boston being physical because he was angry or upset, or was he being physical because he is extremely passionate and sometimes it shows a little more than others. As a witness I can confirm this isn`t the only time and it likely wont be the last time that Boston gets into with an opponent.
Now I went with the latter of the two options and I am sticking with my guns. Boston was a mid season pick up last year for the Flames, and I was not sure what to expect of him. Last year he finished fifth in team scoring with twenty-one points in 28 games played. And this year he has three points in seven games played. Of course super early in the season, but looking to soar past his last year totals. When I see a guy stick out like he has, maybe not as much offence as he could have added, but the way he breaks out along the wing and gets open to force the opposing defences to change their game, I can smell that passion from a mile away.
This ties everything together. If every player performed every game as if it were the most important game of their life, to the extent they know they can play, then the Flames wouldn`t be facing the predicament that they feel they are in right now.
The Flames now have a week off to regroup, and recoup after what has happened in the last week of their schedule, and they look to turn things around for their home crowd in one week from today. The Flames look ahead to play the Aldergrove Kodiaks at Cam Neely Arena October 10th.
Two final things:
1) I will be looking to start interviewing players to contribute to my blog, whether it be game talk, or life talk, So in honour of that, I want you to help pick the first person to come on the blog. To make it more fun let`s integrate social media. To pick who you want to be in, tweet the players number with the hashtag #flamesblog to the flames official twitter account and I will tally them up by the end of the week.
(Example: 99 #flamesblog @flamesjunior)
Full Flames roster at ridgemeadowsflames.com
2) The Flames are giving away a trip for two to VIVA LAS VEGAS! Make sure you fill out your ballots at the Flames home games . Winner will be drawn on Friday, February 13th 2015. (Must be 21 years old to enter)
Adding Fuel to the Flames,
Tyler Lippingwell
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