Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
Don't totally agree with that.
They played the same style against Winnipeg but Winnipeg wasn't Dallas.
Against the Jets they gave up the perimeter but were able to keep them from driving the play into the scoring areas, and Calgary had more time to transition to the break out when they won the puck battle against a lesser offensive and forechecking foe.
Against Dallas they set up the same way but then get run over for long shifts, get exhausted and eventually break down.
Agree on Dallas domination, but the game plan is the same with very different results.
The Jets were 53% CF% in the series against Calgary and middle of the pack of the 24 teams for shot attempts for per 60. But near the bottom in xGF and HDCF/60 because they couldn't penetrate the bubble and get shots from the inside.
|
Last year's playoff's finished with a dismal "can't keep up with this team/have no answer for this play" face smash from the Avalanche. Bill Peters had all summer to figure it out, to come up with a game plan
specifically for this type of team. This year comes, game 1, here we go against the Avs, you know it's gonna be amazing... and the Flames simply got crushed again, it was game 6 of a 5 game series.
I didn't realize Dallas had such quality skaiting defensemen, but the truth is, even Blake Comeau is looking dangerous against the Flames. Now I'm not a hockey coach, but there has to be an answer here, whether it's a neutral zone trap, or a really aggressive forecheck (not headhunting, puck hunting) I don't know. But other teams shut Dallas (and Colorado, and Vegas, and ...) down here and there through the season, so there's gotta be a way.
I guess my disappointment this year is that the Flames have a pretty good, not great but pretty good team, but they just have no idea how to win against these big fast groups. So even if they squeak out 2 wins here against Dallas, it'll be Col or Vegas who will both absolutely crush the Flames because that's the game they play.
Is it really a talent issue? Maybe it is, I just don't even know. I don't know enough to judge why the Flames can't get and keep pressure or possession the way Dallas has been doing, or why they are struggling so hard to keep up or break up the play. Reminds me of watching the Sedins playing keepaway with defenders 10 years ago.