[PGT] WCQF Game 1: Flames 2 - Ducks 3

[868904]

Line change was the big momentum changer. Up until that, Flames were in control. They looked faster, younger, more energetic, and were more physical. They can't let something like that get to them.

The bad:

Hamilton was terrible, he needs to get his head out of his ass. The first penalty was just dumb. He just stops playing cause he thinks its too many men? THen he trips the guy. Second penalty he took was another dumb trip. Third penalty was even dumber, it's the playoffs, everyone takes big hits; he never came to a teammates defense all year during the regular season, I don't know why he thought he needed tonight of all nights. He better be the best player on the ice on Saturday.

Brouwer is playing like he really doesn't want to get selected in the expansion draft.

The good:

Versteeg was great, he's a inconsistent player so that might be his best game of the series already though.

Ferland was great, had a couple of bone crushing hits and was dangerous all night.

Monahan was good too. Had a number of scoring chances and really battled for the puck. It was probably the first time that he looked like a "big centre" to me.

Elliot was great, I thought the 3rd goal was a little weak but he more than made up for it with some incredible saves. Watching the game, it didn't seem like the Ducks outshot the Flames that much.

Potential Changes:
Bouma had a big hit on Vatanen which hopefully softens him up for the series. I wish Bouma provided more. He's really only good for two things: hitting and shot blocking. For a 4th line grinder, he is terrible at board play. I'd probably give Bouma another game to try and soften up more of the Ducks defence, but if he doesn't do more out there, I'd consider Freddie Hamilton in his spot for Game 3 or even call up Hathaway.

Chiasson wasn't bad but he wasn't good either. He needs to throw his weight around a lot more. He's a decent skater and he's big. He needs to finish his checks. If he doesn't show well next game, it has to be Lazar in his place for Game 3.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

My goodness, the sheer hatred on this board confuses me. They were ridiculously close to tying a game late in the third in a game they had no business tying.

You don't win or lose a series in Game 1. I dunno, I just can't get my head around jumping off bridges or saying BS like "I refuse to watch Game 2." Get a life.

It's far, far better to lose game one on the road than at home at least.

Oilers are more behind the ball currently than the flames for that reason. And the Canadian teams are 0-5, so there's enough shame to go around. This is way better than the 6-1 loss they started with in '15 at least.

Elliott is in playoff mode. He's gonna bail them out on 97% of chances. All they have to do is put some pucks in the damn net and not give up 3 on 0s, or take penalties 20 seconds in. This should not be that hard. They sure made it look so, though. They are easily capable of better.

And yeah, going full suicide booth in game one is ridiculous and premature. Just like the bailing out on the team and coach in December.

[Manhattanboy]

Why do I constantly make the same mistake of being so invested in this team only to get burned yet again?

Definition of insanity.

[djsFlames]

Need to take a page straight out of the Sharks book and show absolutely relentless pressure on the forcheck. So, so often they were the last ones to the puck (insane how casually they skated tI loose pucks) and was the simple reason for why they didn't possess it a lot of the time. That was often the 3m line this year. Sorely missing their opportunistic north-south play. It's only there in flashes.

[Manhattanboy]

And I preferred Ducks to Oilers. Jesus what was I thinking? I don't think we are ever going to win in that barn ever again.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Why do I constantly make the same mistake of being so invested in this team only to get burned yet again?

Definition of insanity.

See ya

[djsFlames]

Give me Lazar over Brouwer any day though.
What does that guy do?

"Playoff performer"? My ass.

At least the kid is excited to play and it shows on the ice.

[DomeFoam]

Saturday is a must-win

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Honestly how many of u wanted Kessler to be cross checked and slashed heavily when he pulled that crap laying on the puck?

I know I was screaming slash him cross check him all over.

It was a smart play. I don't see anything wrong with it. He got a penalty for delay of game and took a lot of abuse, but he killed a lot of time off the clock when the Flames were pressing.

[ASP#26525]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Maybe you should find a board that's more in line with your emotions then CalgaryPuck.

I'm sure there's an angry prospector board out there but to sign up you probably have to be able to use such words as Fiddlefaddle and Conswarnit.

I refuse to quote animal abuse and show this gif again, but WTF is with people that think this #### is funny? It's disgusting. You can judge a lot about someone's character by how they treat animals. I have reported this post.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by ASP#26525

I refuse to quote animal abuse and show this gif again, but WTF is with people that think this #### is funny? It's disgusting. You can judge a lot about someone's character by how they treat animals. I have reported this post.

Haha it's a clip from a comedy film using a clearly fake dog and spoiler alert the dog in the film survives. So much outrage in this thread...

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

I've defended Gulutzan a lot this year but his personnel decisions have been borderline idiotic. I also feel like his game management has at times been poor. Did a really bad job of settling the team down and refocusing them for the 3rd and the late PP.

He adjusts well between games, but does not adjust well within them.

[jg13]

Besides some obvious points a lot of posters have made regarding tonights game... I can't believe how passive this team looked after they look the lead.

They played and acted like since they managed to score a goal and take the lead at the Honda Centre they no longer had to play hockey.

Unbelievable really, i'm sick of using the excuse that this team is inexperienced and blablabla. Time to put up or shut up.

Also Bennett deserves a bit more credit than he's received in this thread tonight. Wouldn't be the least bit opposed to swapping Versteeg and Gaudreau right now.

Versteeg-Monahan-Ferland
M-M-M
Gaudreau-Bennett-Chiasson
HATHAWAY-Stajan-Brouwer

[Jay Random]

On the bright side, the Flames played the Ducks absolutely even on the scoreboard (not so even on the ice, but hey, it's the scoreboard that counts) – except for that one inexplicable brain fart where they vacated the ice and did not play the Ducks at all.

On the dark side, the Flames are capable of having a brain fart so serious that they actually, you know, vacate the ice and fail to play.

I'd like to say they have an excellent chance of correcting their mistakes and going on to win game 2 and possibly the series. But, holy Hanna, I don't know if they have the raw intellectual capacity to correct a mistake at this point. I'd like to find out just when it was that the whole team's brains leaked out of their ears and ran down the drain.

I mean seriously. That line change alone is diagnostic evidence that the elevator does not run all the way to the penthouse. Some people say the Ducks have got into the Flames' heads. I disagree, and counter with the evidence that the Flames have nothing at all in their heads.

Has there ever, in the history of line changes, been an instance where all five skaters on the ice blew a single change that badly? I would honestly like to know, because I've never seen or heard of it at any level of hockey.

[JohnnyB]

This struck me as a good game to recover from. A few ####ty plays that were immediately costly, but for the most part the Flames had good puck control and can play against the Ducks. They should be motivated to play a flawless game next outing and optimistic that they can win it. This game was more on their own screw ups than on the Ducks' performance.

[Par]

There were some positives, in the same, despite all the crap that happened, the Flames played a close game(mostly Elliott) and they lost by just one goal.

There are some players that really need to step up, Johnny, the 3 million line and Dougie Hamilton all need to be better.

Would be really nice to see one of(or both) Brouwer and/or Bouma switched in for Hathaway and/or Lazar. Brouwer has not done much for this team and you just hope that Vegas takes him.

From the the game it is evident that this team is missing that game changer(Johnny can be that and we will see what he can do). If you get another player that is a game changer, it makes the team focus on two lines instead of one.

[bubbsy]

I actually didn't come away too impressed by the flames. The ducks were generating tons of chances (even 5 on 5 if i can recall properly), and on the PP they basically had puck control and positive zone time at will. The flames were terrible in the faceoff dot, the PK and defensive posture in their own zone was just way too passive for my liking. They didn't get the pucks deep and try to pressure the ducks D or try to tire/wear them out.

They had a massive brainfart play to give up the game tying goal. They took stupid penalty after stupid penalty, and had absolutely no poise late in the 3rd when they were gifted the opportunity to tie it.

they look like a better matchup than 2 years ago, but the ducks still run circles around the flames, especially in their building.

[heep223]

The Ducks certainly did not run circles around the flames last night.

Sometimes I feel like I watch a completely different game than some.

[icecube]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

On the bright side, the Flames played the Ducks absolutely even on the scoreboard (not so even on the ice, but hey, it's the scoreboard that counts) – except for that one inexplicable brain fart where they vacated the ice and did not play the Ducks at all.

On the dark side, the Flames are capable of having a brain fart so serious that they actually, you know, vacate the ice and fail to play.

I'd like to say they have an excellent chance of correcting their mistakes and going on to win game 2 and possibly the series. But, holy Hanna, I don't know if they have the raw intellectual capacity to correct a mistake at this point. I'd like to find out just when it was that the whole team's brains leaked out of their ears and ran down the drain.

I mean seriously. That line change alone is diagnostic evidence that the elevator does not run all the way to the penthouse. Some people say the Ducks have got into the Flames' heads. I disagree, and counter with the evidence that the Flames have nothing at all in their heads.

Has there ever, in the history of line changes, been an instance where all five skaters on the ice blew a single change that badly? I would honestly like to know, because I've never seen or heard of it at any level of hockey.

A line change that stupid happens a few times every season. Just never in the Stanley Cup Playoffs! God dammit! ×#%=×%×^

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by heep223

The Ducks certainly did not run circles around the flames last night.

Sometimes I feel like I watch a completely different game than some.

Agreed. I saw a pretty nervous team in the first period that settled down a bit in the 2nd and controlled the play for stretches against the hottest team in the NHL down the stretch. Looking forward to Saturday when they play without the jitters and iron out some of the junk to grab the split.