Quote:
Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy
I don't like the new D pairings, I'm just saying in my eyes there were bigger reasons for the loss tonight.
..and yes I think the Flames were the better team in this game after the first period by quite a bit.
Reffing was just terrible, and so was Elliot.
those are reasons #1 and #2 for the loss as far as I'm concerned.
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I agree with you that the problem wasn't really the pairings.
The first goal against, bad giveaway by Grossman. That's not a problem with the pairing, that was just a bad play by Grossman. Believe it or not, Gio or Brodie or Hamilton have done that before too and they will do it again this year. Not a pairing or mismatch issue in the defensive end, just a bad play.
The second goal, sure you could say Grossman should have just put it on net, but the real culprit was that no forward was covering for him. If that was Brodie or Gio, no one complains about them doing that. Also, Elliot should have had that. Not a pairing or mismatch issue, failure by forwards to cover.
The third goal, bad line change, who's at fault for that? Not really a pairing or mismatch issue in the defensive end.
4th goal, bad bounce. Not a pairing or mismatch issue.
5th goal, paid off officials instructed to guarantee Oilers win. Not a pairing or mismatch issue.
6th goal, nice block and redirection by official to Oiler forward. Another crappy goal by Elliot. Again, not a pairing or mismatch issue.
The Flames really weren't hemmed in their zone much at all relative to last year. That suggests to me that the pairings and defensive coverage were not that bad.
Could those analytic folks tell us all about the possession stats? I would think the Flames won all those things.