[PGT] Flames lose 5-2 to the Sharks due to a terrible 90 second span and snakebit offense

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Are we ever gonna cover Evander Kane or no?

Yeah...

Like with McDavid, for unknown reasons it might take them a couple season of getting walked by Kane until they finally tighten it up against him.

9 goals in 5 games is embarrassingly bad.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I have a hard time believing this team will make much noise in the playoffs with this goaltending. The first line isn't going to be able to score at will in the playoffs and we are starting to find out what happens when they don't overcome mediocre/bad goaltending.

Rittich has one of the best win-loss ratios in the league and gives this team a chance to win every night. I have no problem with Rittich’s 20-4-4 record. I do have an issue with Smith’s 14-11-1 record though. That’s bubble playoff territory whereas Rittich’s record would have the team ahead in the the President’s trophy race. I would agree with you that we need another insurance policy though. Adding a 3rd legitimate goaltending option is a must.


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[Beninho]

Oh boy, some hot takes in here. The Flames looked good last night but had some GG era bad luck. These games happen, they easily could of put up 5-6 goals but they ran into a hot goalie. I would’ve liked to see Rittich given a longer rope in a close game but Peters felt like he wasn’t in the game. The team will be able to get into a rhythm now with many games coming up, some posters need to realize this is a marathon not a sprint and players can’t look like world beaters every game.


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[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Are we ever gonna cover Evander Kane or no?

Fans of other teams say the same of Gaudreau. Good players - even when they are weasels - find ways to get open.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Fans of other teams say the same of Gaudreau. Good players - even when they are weasels - find ways to get open.

Except that Kane is not that good. There is more that the Flames can and should be doing to shut him down.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Bingo

After last night's game Rittich is ranked 1st in the league for goaltenders that have 1100 minutes (starters) in terms of GSAA (Goals Saved Above Average). He used to trail Gibson, who has had more difficulty of late.

In terms of dSV% (differential to expected save percentage) he's 2nd to Greiss (Islanders).

The Flames don't have a goaltending issue. They have one of the best starters, and one of the worst backups which gives them middling team save percentage.

Which is why Peters had a Gulutzan moment when he pulled Rittich with 6 minutes left in the 1st period and down only 2 goals. It was still winnable, but not when you put in the league's worst backup.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Which is why Peters had a Gulutzan moment when he pulled Rittich with 6 minutes left in the 1st period and down only 2 goals. It was still winnable, but not when you put in the league's worst backup.

As it has been mentioned, he used it as a timeout but the team was still rattled. They discussed putting Rittich back in but kept Smith because he played just fine the rest of the way.

[bax]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Which is why Peters had a Gulutzan moment when he pulled Rittich with 6 minutes left in the 1st period and down only 2 goals. It was still winnable, but not when you put in the league's worst backup.

Mike Smith isn't why they lost that game. I have a hard time understanding how you came to that conclusion

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Except that Kane is not that good. There is more that the Flames can and should be doing to shut him down.

I don’t like him either, but I’d be happy with having his combination of skill and toughness on our side. I was hoping to see that from Tkachuk, but didn’t see it last night.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

but not when you put in the league's worst backup.

No, it was still winnable. If they could come back to beat Columbus with Smith in net they could do the same with San Jose. And very well would have if Jones didn't have a horseshoe stuck up his ass.

And as it was previously stated. Peters used it as a timeout without using his timeout and thought about putting Rittich back in for the second but decided to stick with Smith.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Steve Bozek

I don’t like him either, but I’d be happy with having his combination of skill and toughness on our side. I was hoping to see that from Tkachuk, but didn’t see it last night.

Tkachuk has been off for a few games now, and I had hoped he would assert himself last night. But he is twice the player that Kane is despite recent results. Tkachuk had a four point night the last time the Flames played SJ. I don't expect last night to be a harbinger of things to come.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Except that Kane is not that good. There is more that the Flames can and should be doing to shut him down.

Not really. He has had a few big games against us but he isn’t even a top 5 player on his own team. I don’t mean leave him wide open in front of the net but he isn’t the straw that stirs their offensive drink by any means.

Any extra defensive effort you commit to Kane means less commitment to other Sharks players on the ice (Burns, Hertl, whoever etc). Shadowing a player comes at a pretty big cost which is why it only gets done in the rarest of scenarios anymore.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by bax

Mike Smith isn't why they lost that game. I have a hard time understanding how you came to that conclusion

By watching him give up the next goal on the next shot 30 seconds later...?
The players aren't stupid. They know how the season has went. They can't trust Smith.

[flamesrule_kipper34]

Here are my high-level takes and honestly I was fuming yesterday as the game unfolded but feel better after sitting on this one:

I think we showed up as I saw some references to ourselves not showing up for a big game, but I think we did but getting into a groove and continuing to have odd scheduling played a big factor here in my opinion.

Honestly, the Sharks showed up for all of 5-10 minutes in this game and if it weren't for Jones and frankly our own players just whiffing shots that usually they bury it would have been a totally different game.

I didn't (and still don't think I do) agree with the move to pull Rittich but Peters has the best pulse on these things so I'll leave that be. And honestly, keeping Rittich in in my opinion would not have made us suddenly win the game.

Yes, it sucks that the Sharks now closed the gap on us but if this is indicative of how we were to play against them in a playoff series I'd be very very comfortable with our chances of winning the series.

Onwards and upwards, we need to bury and come out for The Canucks Saturday full stop.

[habernac]

Jones got almost EVERY bounce, especially in the third. He was good, but very lucky, too. How many times would Gaudreau whiff on an open net? Burn the game film, on to the next one.

[bax]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

By watching him give up the next goal on the next shot 30 seconds later...?
The players aren't stupid. They know how the season has went. They can't trust Smith.

That goal was a screen shot from the point that got deflected in front. I'm still not seeing how that goal is Mike Smith's fault. That goes in 9 times out 10.

Smith made some big saves the rest of the way and kept the team in the game. The Flames lost because they whiffed on 3-4 empty nets and couldn't capitalize on the powerplay. No biggie, those games happen, you can't win them all.

You can disagree with the decision to pull Rittich, but to blame the loss on Smith is ridiculous.

[Robbob]

I don't know why there is the need to place the blame on a specific people in a loss. It is a long season and games will be lost. It happens, no need to over analyze and place blame. Move on and make sure that loss doesn't turn into a streak. That is what good teams do.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

By watching him give up the next goal on the next shot 30 seconds later...?
The players aren't stupid. They know how the season has went. They can't trust Smith.

Smith was not the reason why the Flames lost last night.

In fact Smith played quite well and kept the team alive. The team didn't show up to play and SJ pushed the pace which the Flames couldn't keep up with. It could have easily been worse.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

I can't believe some of the Smith comments, but then I also see they are balanced out with some reasonable comments in his defense.

Smith played well in relief, solid, in fact was a positive contributor to the Flames game last night. We lost the game for two reasons as the Flames outplayed the Sharks all night:

- Snake bit / and great goaltending for the Sharks
- Rittich was brutal on their first two goals (it happens)

I agree with an earlier comment I read, Peter's probably pulled Rittich IMO too early and little bit while he was on tilt (not that Smith didn't do great as mentioned above). You could see the way he charged down the bench and told Smith to get ready, 100% emotional decision. I'm guessing it was because goal #2 was a completely preventable puck handling error by Rittich, and he's made more than a few of those over his past few starts. He went for a high risk high reward play on the puck when there really wasn't an option, versus a very easy move it out of danger play. I'm guessing the coaching staff has talked to him, coached him previously on making the safe play when handling the puck (i.e. in this one aspect you aren't Smith, don't try to be) and Peters was just livid with the stupid decision and wanted to make a point.

[868904]

Let's not get carried away about Evander Kane's "dominance" last night. He got all the bounces. The first goal should not have gone in and he was right place right time for his other points.

It's not like he went coast to coast or went 2004 Iginla on the Flames. Most nights, he gets zero points on those 3 plays.

It was just a game where the hockey gods were probably paying the Sharks back for the NYE game where the Flames got all the bounces.