[Game Takes] Flames 5 Panthers 4 (SO)

[Bingo]

Flames 5 Panthers 4 (SO)

- Tkachuk goal and an assist
- Huberdeau scores in shoot out
- Markstrom with a huge gaff, but solid otherwise
- Flames even up their road trip at 1-1-0

[calgarywinning]

- Playoff style game.
- Big fight from some Gilbert guy
- Someone blind jumps Lucic.
- Flames win a big one they didn't want to lose, Ric Flair style.

*correction for Gilbert

[getoverit]

Adam Ružička 2 goal- 3 pt game. Biggest of his career todate

[Enoch Root]

It's great that Ruzicka is on a heater and the puck is going in (obviously), but the really encouraging thing is the way that he's playing. I always felt that he played far too passively, didn't utilize his size, and didn't bring enough energy. All that has changed, as he is playing on his toes and using his size to create opportunities for himself. If he continues to do those things, he will solidify himself as a permanent fixture and should be able to sustain his good play.

As for the lines, hard to break up Lindholm's line, as it is working. I would like to see them load up another line - I know Backlund is solid and plays the right way, but he is never going to fill the net, nor is he going to get Huberdeau on a heater. I would like to see:

Ruzicka - Lindholm - Toffoli
Huberdeau - Kadri - Mangiapane
Dube - Backlund - Coleman

It would be interesting to see a call-up (or acquisition) get slotted onto the 2nd line:

Ruzicka - Lindholm - Toffoli
Huberdeau - Kadri - call-up
Mangiapane - Backlund - Coleman
Lucic/Lewis - Dube - Ritchie

you could also slide the call-up onto the Lindholm line and put Toffoli with Kadri.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

It's great that Ruzicka is on a heater and the puck is going in (obviously), but the really encouraging thing is the way that he's playing. I always felt that he played far too passively, didn't utilize his size, and didn't bring enough energy. All that has changed, as he is playing on his toes and using his size to create opportunities for himself. If he continues to do those things, he will solidify himself as a permanent fixture and should be able to sustain his good play.

As for the lines, hard to break up Lindholm's line, as it is working. I would like to see them load up another line - I know Backlund is solid and plays the right way, but he is never going to fill the net, nor is he going to get Huberdeau on a heater. I would like to see:

Ruzicka - Lindholm - Toffoli
Huberdeau - Kadri - Mangiapane
Dube - Backlund - Coleman

It would be interesting to see a call-up (or acquisition) get slotted onto the 2nd line:

Ruzicka - Lindholm - Toffoli
Huberdeau - Kadri - call-up
Mangiapane - Backlund - Coleman
Lucic/Lewis - Dube - Ritchie

you could also slide the call-up onto the Lindholm line and put Toffoli with Kadri.

You always gain a lot of perspective on players when they start playing for the team you follow, and in watching Kadri I don't think he's a fit for skilled give and go wingers (like Huberdeau).

He's a play driver, but he doesn't it on his own. He almost never uses his teammates on the rush to dish and then find open ice.

I honestly think he has to be with forecheck and rebound guys.

He will never work with Huberdeau in my mind ... and is probably better suited with the Mangiapanes and Dubes.

[Bingo]

Look at the strength of schedule played visually (quick crudely formatted chart)

Makes it really stand out.

You have an expected slope in terms of the average position in the overall standings of each team's average opponent.

The Flames way out on the end with a huge change in slope.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Look at the strength of schedule played visually (quick crudely formatted chart)

Makes it really stand out.

You have an expected slope in terms of the average position in the overall standings of each team's average opponent.

The Flames way out on the end with a huge change in slope.

Interesting to see the red hot Devils at the polar opposite side...

[robertsfanatic]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I would like to see:

Ruzicka - Lindholm - Toffoli
Huberdeau - Kadri - Mangiapane
Dube - Backlund - Coleman

someone in another thread suggested flipping Coleman and Mang and i love that idea as he has shown he can be the trigger man.

and Coleman is better suited to be the grinder that Bingo talks about to help Kadri.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

Interesting to see the red hot Devils at the polar opposite side...

But wait the Flames were part of the opposition.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

Interesting to see the red hot Devils at the polar opposite side...

This early in the season wouldn’t you expect teams with the best record to have easier strength of schedule. Since their opponents are losing.

I’m just not super convinced NHL strength of schedule is meaningful but maybe I’m wrong. Wonder if anyone has looked at correlation of this metric earlier in the season and expected improvement or worsening.

It also seems to ignore home/away. Seems like home teams win about 55% of the time.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Look at the strength of schedule played visually (quick crudely formatted chart)

Makes it really stand out.

You have an expected slope in terms of the average position in the overall standings of each team's average opponent.

The Flames way out on the end with a huge change in slope.

this is actually insane...like its not even close to anyone else. Thanks for doing this, people keep downplaying how massive a factor this is.

Even if the Flames keep putting the same game on the ice (I hope they improve) their record and all their stats will improve greatly

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bingo

You always gain a lot of perspective on players when they start playing for the team you follow, and in watching Kadri I don't think he's a fit for skilled give and go wingers (like Huberdeau).

He's a play driver, but he doesn't it on his own. He almost never uses his teammates on the rush to dish and then find open ice.

I honestly think he has to be with forecheck and rebound guys.

He will never work with Huberdeau in my mind ... and is probably better suited with the Mangiapanes and Dubes.

Agreed with Kadri that's why when people keep proposing Kadri and Huberdeau it's insane.

Kadri doesn't look too pass ever he carries the puck in.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Agreed with Kadri that's why when people keep proposing Kadri and Huberdeau it's insane.



Kadri doesn't look too pass ever he carries the puck in.

Well, no. The suggestion is not "insane." It may not be a good one, but dressing it up in thus sort of hyperbole doesn't help.

Sent from my SM-G986W using Tapatalk

[Enoch Root]

Not sure I agree with Bingo's take on Kadri. Yes, he has been trying to do it all himself lately, but is that because that's the type of player he is, or he's just forcing it right now? Nothing from his past says he tries to do it himself all the time.

Last year, he and Nichushkin blossomed together, and Nichushkin had a career year. I think it's simply the case that he signed a huge contract on a new team, and he is trying to live up to it. He'll be fine. And he and Huberdeau are both high IQ players, they can figure it out together.

I mean, he had 59 assists last year.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Not sure I agree with Bingo's take on Kadri. Yes, he has been trying to do it all himself lately, but is that because that's the type of player he is, or he's just forcing it right now? Nothing from his past says he tries to do it himself all the time.

Last year, he and Nichushkin blossomed together, and Nichushkin had a career year. I think it's simply the case that he signed a huge contract on a new team, and he is trying to live up to it. He'll be fine. And he and Huberdeau are both high IQ players, they can figure it out together.

I mean, he had 59 assists last year.

Certainly possible absolutely.

But from what I'm seeing he's a take the line himself guy. Guy cashing in on those rebounds would give him assists though.

Any Avalanche fans on here?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Certainly possible absolutely.

But from what I'm seeing he's a take the line himself guy. Guy cashing in on those rebounds would give him assists though.

Any Avalanche fans on here?

Getting 28 goals and 59 assists, as a 'do it yourself guy' and hoping your line-mates bang in rebounds seems... unlikely to me.

[Enoch Root]

Also, I don't mind him carrying it into the zone, because Huberdeau doesn't seem to much

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Damn, I know I'm not real bright but I've been staring at this for five mins trying to figure out what the the y axis numbers are.

[FlamesAddiction]

Huberdeau is actually really good at jumping on rebounds and loose pucks in front of the net. Playing with a puck carrier who can gain the zone so he can get into position and find open areas would probably be great for Huberdeau.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

Damn, I know I'm not real bright but I've been staring at this for five mins trying to figure out what the the y axis numbers are.

League-wide standings rank, and the average of that stat for the teams you have played.

So if you played 3 games and faced the 30th, 31st, and 32nd ranked teams, this number would be 31

The Flames have played teams that, on average, rank 12th in the league. NJD has played teams that on average, rank 20th