Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post

CN10 · 04-18-2019, 12:39 PM

Positives:
1. Valimaki looks like he's going to be a really steady player for the Flames moving forward. I'm glad we didn't move him for a rental of Mark Stone or Mark Stone + cap hell.
2. Mike Smith may have just earned himself another year in the NHL with this playoff performance. Not sure if he will be back with the Flames next year but I think if he retires it will be his choice rather than the choice being made for him like it looked like it would be earlier this season.
3. Who would have thought that the Flames PP would have goals in each game this series given how it ended the year on one of the worst runs in the league.
4. The video / meeting session seemed to work to reduce the Avs speed through the zones at points in the game. I think as the game wore on and fatigue set it the Flames reverted to the bad habits that are getting them killed this series (giving up the blue lines easily and have a lack of back pressure from the forwards).

Negatives:
1. Top line is stuck in their post ASG break funk. Where is the December/January version of these guys? If that kind of play returns, I absolutely think we can beat the Avs in three straight. They need to find the same switch the Avs top guys flipped after game 1.
2. Jankowski, and Neal should not be on the same line as the Avs are exposing their lack of foot speed. Peters needs to adjust something with this forward group in order to start out chancing the Avalanche. I would look at putting someone with decent speed on each line and would not be opposed to see what we have in Dube and hope he has as good of a debut as Valimaki:
Gaudreau - Backlund - Tkachuk
Bennett - Monahan - Lindholm
Frolik - Dube - Neal
Mangiapane - Ryan - Hathaway
or
Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Bennett - Ryan - Neal
Mangiapane - Jankowski - Hathaway
3. Complete lack of clutch by this team holding leads or capitalizing in OT. We could be undeservedly up 3-1 in the series if not for late penalties and flubbed overtime scoring chances.

Heartbreaking loss, but overall the Avs have been the better team for the three games they've won. Would have been nice to have a bit better luck in either game 2 or 4 and have held on for the win or have scored on the OT chance (Frolik or Backlund lift their shot attempt in either of these games a bit higher and the series is tied) but it seems that the Flames don't get these types of breaks. They will have to work harder and make their own puck luck if they want to go on a three game winning streak of their own. Hoping for an early Flames goal on Friday and the Dome crowd to urge them on to a dismantling of the Avalanche. Just have to find the answers like the Avs did after game 1 and go on a three game streak of our own. It starts with one game, GFG!

04-18-2019, 12:39 PM	#797
CN10 Backup Goalie Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Calgary Exp:	Positives: 1. Valimaki looks like he's going to be a really steady player for the Flames moving forward. I'm glad we didn't move him for a rental of Mark Stone or Mark Stone + cap hell. 2. Mike Smith may have just earned himself another year in the NHL with this playoff performance. Not sure if he will be back with the Flames next year but I think if he retires it will be his choice rather than the choice being made for him like it looked like it would be earlier this season. 3. Who would have thought that the Flames PP would have goals in each game this series given how it ended the year on one of the worst runs in the league. 4. The video / meeting session seemed to work to reduce the Avs speed through the zones at points in the game. I think as the game wore on and fatigue set it the Flames reverted to the bad habits that are getting them killed this series (giving up the blue lines easily and have a lack of back pressure from the forwards). Negatives: 1. Top line is stuck in their post ASG break funk. Where is the December/January version of these guys? If that kind of play returns, I absolutely think we can beat the Avs in three straight. They need to find the same switch the Avs top guys flipped after game 1. 2. Jankowski, and Neal should not be on the same line as the Avs are exposing their lack of foot speed. Peters needs to adjust something with this forward group in order to start out chancing the Avalanche. I would look at putting someone with decent speed on each line and would not be opposed to see what we have in Dube and hope he has as good of a debut as Valimaki: Gaudreau - Backlund - Tkachuk Bennett - Monahan - Lindholm Frolik - Dube - Neal Mangiapane - Ryan - Hathaway or Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik Bennett - Ryan - Neal Mangiapane - Jankowski - Hathaway 3. Complete lack of clutch by this team holding leads or capitalizing in OT. We could be undeservedly up 3-1 in the series if not for late penalties and flubbed overtime scoring chances. Heartbreaking loss, but overall the Avs have been the better team for the three games they've won. Would have been nice to have a bit better luck in either game 2 or 4 and have held on for the win or have scored on the OT chance (Frolik or Backlund lift their shot attempt in either of these games a bit higher and the series is tied) but it seems that the Flames don't get these types of breaks. They will have to work harder and make their own puck luck if they want to go on a three game winning streak of their own. Hoping for an early Flames goal on Friday and the Dome crowd to urge them on to a dismantling of the Avalanche. Just have to find the answers like the Avs did after game 1 and go on a three game streak of our own. It starts with one game, GFG!