Hockey

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Flames' Conroy fires back at his coach

By: Vicki Hall

21/11/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

CALGARY -- So Brent Sutter finds the corporate culture inside the Calgary Flames dressing room too casual for his liking.

Craig Conroy takes exception.

"I have a big problem with that," the alternate captain told reporters Friday before the Flames boarded a charter flight for Los Angeles to prepare for an afternoon game today with the Kings. "I'd like to know what people want us to do inside that locker-room. We're trying to lead the best we can and do it and be positive.

"It's not always positive. There are times when there's yelling, and guys are on each other."

Maybe so, but Calgary's coach wants his charges to show more outward disgust and loathing in the aftermath of a defeat as humiliating as the 7-1 spanking Thursday administered by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Conroy, for one, is plenty disgusted.

"You don't sleep at night," said Conroy, who has no goals through his first 20 games. "I mean, this is your job. It's embarrassing. I take my kids to school in the morning, and the teacher, she feels bad for me."

Conroy surveyed the throng of reporters and grimaced.

"I mean, it's not like you guys have a bad day," he said. "Everybody knows. They're going to write about it. It's on TV. It's embarrassing. We're pissed."

Sutter likely hurt some feelings in his post-game news conference Thursday with a sober assessment of his hockey club.

The Flames (12-6-2) skid into Southern California on a two-game losing streak.

"At some point as individuals they've got to want to take it," Sutter said. "They gotta want to take it and say, 'Let's start holding ourselves accountable. Let's start being accountable to one another. Let's start getting a little upset with each other when guys aren't playing well. Let's start pushing them.'

"I don't like that it's too casual. I'm not used to it to be quite honest. I'm not used to a casual atmosphere. There needs to be a lot more emotion throughout, on a consistent basis, to want to succeed. And get upset about stuff. Don't just take it in stride like there's another day tomorrow."

Captain Jarome Iginla said people have the wrong idea if they think the Flames don't despise losing.

"We do know we're capable of more," he said. "We're not satisfied. Definitely get that across. We're not satisfied.'"

Most telling was Sutter's response when asked if there was a problem with leadership in the dressing room.

"It starts with your top players and works on down," he said.

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 21, 2009 D7

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