[PGT] Flames defeat the Canes 3-1

[3thirty]

Such a smart play by Ferland dragging the Dmans stick on the Gaudreau goal above giving Johnny room to shoot.

[FunkMasterFlame]

Originally Posted by getbak

Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Banana Phone!

[megatron]

Great game by the whole team.

Ferland looks legit on that top line. He has size, speed, the shot and some toughness that really works well. I thought they could have had like 3-4 more goals.

8-2-1 in their last 11.

Hear that? Those are the footsteps of inevitability, Edmonton.

[AC]

Originally Posted by megatron

Great game by the whole team.

Ferland looks legit on that top line. He has size, speed, the shot and some toughness that really works well. I thought they could have had like 3-4 more goals.

8-2-1 in their last 11.

Hear that? Those are the footsteps of inevitability, Edmonton.

9-2-1 in their last 12 even.

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by AC

9-2-1 in their last 12 even.

But we have seen this before. They had a great similiar stretch before only to crash down hard (I believe it was 4 straight games where we were down 4-0 at one point).

It's why I question Gulutzan as a coach. It seems to me he lets the team get complacent when they're doing well. At least, that's my impression.

Although, the team is playing really well lately. Kudos to him. Also, it looks like the team really responded after he called them out that they collapse after letting in a goal. Lately, they've responded very well.

I'm still not convinced he's a great coach, I question his ability to work with young players, but there is no doubt he's better now than at the beginning of the year.

[icarus]

Gulutzan found the answers he was looking for in the magic tablet.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by nemanja2306

But we have seen this before. They had a great similiar stretch before only to crash down hard (I believe it was 4 straight games where we were down 4-0 at one point).

It's why I question Gulutzan as a coach. It seems to me he lets the team get complacent when they're doing well. At least, that's my impression.

Although, the team is playing really well lately. Kudos to him. Also, it looks like the team really responded after he called them out that they collapse after letting in a goal. Lately, they've responded very well.

I'm still not convinced he's a great coach, I question his ability to work with young players, but there is no doubt he's better now than at the beginning of the year.

I have been as critical of Gulutzan as any on these boards, but most of my worries are assuaged.

I was most critical due to the rather concerning nosedive that the young core had statistically across the board, coupled with an inconsistency with the team's performance. However, which player is really playing poorly now?

I am of the opinion that a system is only as good as the coach gets the team to actually play. Darryl Sutter was a master motivator because he forces his team to completely buy in and play the system he lays out - and he usually has a good grasp of his team's strengths are.

I thought Hartley had a firm grasp of what this team's strengths are as well, and he motivated his team extremely well in that playoff year. Last season it seemed lost, and I am not one to think that it was just a fluke that they played so well and got in.

This year, this team took an awful long time to completely buy-in. I haven't seen the team this consistent from top to bottom and from shift to shift since that playoff year under Hartley. Regardless of the system, the most important thing is for the entire team to play within the designated system. Seems to me that this team has really started doing that. Probably for the last 10-14 games or so (which encompasses the win streak). A few hiccup games (like in Arizona), but every cup champ has those too.

I am fine with Gulutzan as a coach now. He has this team playing well, and he seemingly has every player buying-in and contributing - that is what you want to see in a coach first and foremost.

Little things I would rather see at times still - more aggressive D (that is a strength on this team after-all), and a bit more aggressive on the defensive blue-line as well (since most of our D is really mobile). However, there is absolutely no denying this team is on a roll, and they pass the advanced metrics and the eye-test. Most of all, they pass the most important metric - wins and losses.

He may not be the best coach out there, but he is looking like he is a good fit for this team. Still would like to see how the Flames finish off the season. There was no way that this team should have lost every game to Edmonton - that is unforgivable. However, Gulutzan has at this point in the season a more important test coming up - 4 head-to-head match-ups against the Kings and and their aforementioned coach that is known for getting his own troops motivated, and often out-classing opposing coaches on the game-plan. Should be a treat to watch. I would be extremely shocked to see this team go 0-4 against them.

[Enoch Root]

What I loved about Johnny's goals - other than the obvious monkey-exorcism - is the fact that he drove to the middle of the ice into the slot.

He has been far too much of a perimeter player lately. I don't know if Ferland's presence helps in that regard or not, but the fact is that Johnny took the puck into the slot twice last night and was rewarded with two goals.

[Red Ice Player]

Road trip Johnny is now producing more like home ice Johnny. That is bad news for the rest of the league.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Red Ice Player

Road trip Johnny is now producing more like home ice Johnny. That is bad news for the rest of the league.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

What I loved about Johnny's goals - other than the obvious monkey-exorcism - is the fact that he drove to the middle of the ice into the slot.

He has been far too much of a perimeter player lately. I don't know if Ferland's presence helps in that regard or not, but the fact is that Johnny took the puck into the slot twice last night and was rewarded with two goals.

I noticed that too and greatly enjoyed it. Haven't seen him juke and jive, then cut to the middle too much this season. It's the plays like that, that pull people out of their seats. But he was pretty good doing it against the 'Canes.

Who knows, maybe it's part of his master plan. Trick everyone into thinking he longer has that ability and is too scared to do it. Then turn it on in the last 20 games of the season for the final push

[Gaudfather]

With 8 points in his last 4 games, it is interesting to note that Johnny's resurgent confidence coincides perfectly with Brian Burke's interview on Timand Sid a week ago where he talked about how much the organization loves Johnny and there was no need for concern on his production.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by Gaudfather

With 8 points in his last 4 games, it is interesting to note that Johnny's resurgent confidence coincides perfectly with Brian Burke's interview on Timand Sid a week ago where he talked about how much the organization loves Johnny and there was no need for concern on his production.

Perhaps. I'm always hesitant to read too much into those things, as I assume their only communication is not through media. Players are also sometimes resistant to reading media.