Quote:
Originally Posted by FireGilbert
I thought if I smoked enough weed and drank enough absinthe last night I’d wake up forgetting about my 28 years of Flames fandom. Nope I’m still a jaded depressed Flames fan coping with the aftermath of yet another playoff choke.
I’m think the problem this year is the team is playing too safe. When they were successful early in the year the team was flying with a hard forecheck and quick transitions. Later in the year when the games got tighter it seems like their style was adjusted to try and grind out low scoring playoff style wins. Things like resting players down the stretch, playing Fantenberg over Valimaki, going to a 1 man forcheck, and zero changes after game 2 point towards a team playing to not lose.
Hopefully with the season on the line the Flames can start playing aggressive again. 5 playoff games is not enough.
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Yep, and their game does not work without creativity. There's no creativity without confidence and letting things go a bit loose. They're playing to the weakest aspects of their nature as a team right now, making them a bad team.
If being fully backed into the corner now allows them to let loose and play their game with creativity, fun and confidence the series could be back on. If they get back to that state of mind I think they could still turn this series around and win it. That's a big 'if' though based on the mental response they've shown so far and the lack of fire on display from the coaches on down.