Gotta give credit to Dallas. Their best player was gliding all over the ice, creating zone entries and pinching at all the right times. They matched the Flames pugnacity. They got contributions from all 4 lines.
For the flames, fourth line looked pretty good. Great on the forecheck, kept it in the Ozone. Ward did give them an offensive zone start in the first period. To me, that's bad coaching. Your top two lines are struggling for Ozone time. You can't waste an offensive faceoff on the 4th line.
Third line looks great. Their dump and chase forecheck constantly retrieved the puck.
Second line struggles at zone entry.
First line is downright terrible. People blame Gaudreau, but I gotta blame the coach. Monahan dump for Gaudreau to chase is downright stupid. Johnny waiting at the offensive blue line for a perfect stretch pass is stupid. Fail fail fail. Gaudreau needs the puck at his own blue line and to enter with speed, with the option to dump for his other players. Coach them better. Putting Bennett with them is at least a positive sign.
Brodie also needs to stop pinching or communicate better to make sure someone is covering the point.
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Gaudreau > Huberdeau AINEC
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