Quote:
Originally Posted by GullFoss
Whats the answer?
(1) Coaching - Flames has to respond to what the Avs are doing. If the Avs are scoring on transition, then flames need to play more passive and have the center play more defensively. The flames have to play more patient. Slow down the Avs - don't let them transition by ensuring a tighter gap between offence-defence by having a less aggressive offence. Clog up the neutral zone to limit the ability for Avs to go North-South
(2) Players have to dial in - Stop making mistakes. Play with more intensity. Play with more focus.
Come on guys - this isn't rocket science why the Avs looks so good. The Avs didn't turn into the Harlem Globetrotters. The answers for the flames are within the room and Avs are solvable.
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I agree with your observations, but not entirely with your answer. To me, the problem is that the Flames are trying too hard to “respond”, to both the Avs and the situation. I think they let it get in their heads that the playoffs require more gritty and physical play. The problem is they’re not those things - these Flames are fast and skilled. If you take a skill player and tell him (or if he tells himself) that he needs to play physical, he’s going to be lost and slow on the ice because instead of just playing his game, he’s overthinking everything. Elite athletes should not really be thinking about their game while they play it - they should react instinctively.
I also think that the times they’ve looked best in the series (second half of game 1 and overtime in game 2) they managed to get back to their skill and speed game, and they largely took over the game when they did.
To me, if they can get back to playing their game (which got them second place overall), they can get back in the series. If they keep trying to play this “playoff style” hockey, they’re toast.