Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbsy
I didn't think the flames were BAD last night. Didn't give up much, no stupid turnovers, and Rittich made some big stops when there were breakdowns.
The flames just applied zero pressure on the oilers offensively. The flames systems, forecheck, etc, are sorta useless. No pressure, means no mistakes, made it just so easy for the oilers d and goaltending.
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Ward was also happy with how they played last night, because this is how he wants them to play. He wants them to play this passive, safe, low event brand of hockey.
If you hammer players for takings a risk and making a mistake too often this is what you get. A team that lacks any sort of offensive jump or creativity, who are afraid to take a risk to make play because the coach has hammered into their head that any mistake is unacceptable. Players that are reacting on the ice instead of dictating play.
So the only way you’re going to generate offense is through some individual moment of brilliance like Gaudreau had in Anderson’s goal.
It’s passive, defensive, reactive, low risk (id call it scared) hockey that you’d expect the coach of a rebuilding team to play to keep games and scores tight. A team with Stanley Cup aspirations (might not look realistic but that’s still the goal the GM has for this team), who also have an elite goalie, should not be playing this passive of a game.
No team in the modern NHL is winning anything with a system this passive.