I hear ya. They seem to struggle to score at times, which is why we need to target help in the top 6.
Is it an issue that stems from coaching? I don’t know, maybe. Could be personnel, could be adjustments teams are making to play them. I do know that the record under Ward has been impressive and I’m not going to sit here and say it’s solely due to the goaltending
I think some nights the goaltending is the beneficiary of solid D. Then some nights like last night, the goalie makes a few 10 bell saves that truly make a difference.
I pretty firmly believe the example I cited, which I see more than once every game, can only be rectified by coaching.
You can not tell me that when it is Gio and Brodie on the back end, and either the Monahan / Gaudreau or Lindholm / Tkachuk based lines up front, that it is a personnel issue.
This team is deciding not to move as a 5 man unit with speed. This D to D thing appears to be deliberate, and I don’t know if Gelinas is bringing it back from the old times with Sutters who believe that dump and chase and a cycle game is the only way to win
When the Flames were outscoring their defensive issues early last year, they were moving the puck quickly. Now the only guy I see even somewhat regularly doing touch passes and having the puck as quickly off his stick as it arrived is Tkachuk
I love good goaltending and the W, but that’s not a game you win more than 50 percent of the time, playing that way
Is he the one telling them to pass D to D inside their own zone, wait until all the forwards are stationary at the far blue line, and then just turn the puck over?
No wonder the team isn’t scoring
Goalies are excellent. Team O is abysmal
What's enough scoring? Since Ward took over the Flames 21 games ago, they've have scored 4 or more 10 times. Plus 4 more with 3 goals. That's pretty high in the league, according to a stat I saw in the Montreal game broadcast.
TBF, the last 5 games the goals have dried outside of the Oilers game. One of those was a crap effort by the players in Montreal. Against Minnie they put 37 shots on Stalock, who played great (not as good as Talbot though), so I'm not sure if you can say that was a poor offensive showing versus a good goalie performance. Though fancy stats say they sucked in that game, TBF.
What's enough scoring? Since Ward took over the Flames 21 games ago, they've have scored 4 or more 10 times. Plus 4 more with 3 goals. That's pretty high in the league, according to a stat I saw in the Montreal game broadcast.
TBF, the last 5 games the goals have dried outside of the Oilers game. One of those was a crap effort by the players in Montreal. Against Minnie they put 37 shots on Stalock, who played great (not as good as Talbot though), so I'm not sure if you can say that was a poor offensive showing versus a good goalie performance. Though fancy stats say they sucked in that game, TBF.
Yes it is the last 5 games, in which they have scored 9 goals, of which 4 were against the Oilers.
They have scored once in the past two games, and Toronto is not a good defensive team
Yes it is the last 5 games, in which they have scored 9 goals, of which 4 were against the Oilers.
They have scored once in the past two games, and Toronto is not a good defensive team
So you are judging Ward's overall coaching by his last 5 games? Slumps happen - the Lightning have scored 8 goals in their last 4, and one of those was a four goal game. And they were playing terrible teams in all 4.
I think the offence could use more pop for sure and the top line needs someone more compatible on the wing to make it happen, and to be less predictable. I think Backlund is struggling with wing positioning, which surprises me. The second line could use someone a little more gifted than Mangiapane. But I don't think it's coaching. The D to D thing I think is situational. They do it sometimes, but you never see what's going on up ice because of camera shots. If teams sit back, it's not easy to push up the ice quickly - you need to take it a bit more methodically.
What's enough scoring? Since Ward took over the Flames 21 games ago, they've have scored 4 or more 10 times. Plus 4 more with 3 goals. That's pretty high in the league, according to a stat I saw in the Montreal game broadcast.
TBF, the last 5 games the goals have dried outside of the Oilers game. One of those was a crap effort by the players in Montreal. Against Minnie they put 37 shots on Stalock, who played great (not as good as Talbot though), so I'm not sure if you can say that was a poor offensive showing versus a good goalie performance. Though fancy stats say they sucked in that game, TBF.
Since Ward took over, the Flames are ranked:
22nd in shots/60
22nd in goals/60
10th in scoring chances/60
19th in high danger chances/60
Their offense is well below average
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To be clear, it was a terrible call. This is why an eye in the sky would be better than coaches challenge. Ref in the press box looks quickly and says "you made a mistake" and they wave off the call, and move on.
I've been thinking this recently. Maybe the whole system has to be revamped(likely never going to happen). As I posted earlier, everybody watching the game knew it wasn't even close to a penalty, Even a salty Oiler fan would know, even if they didn't want to admit it. But the guy who makes the decision was the only guy on the planet who got it wrong. Maybe a better viewpoint would improve things.
So you are judging Ward's overall coaching by his last 5 games? Slumps happen - the Lightning have scored 8 goals in their last 4, and one of those was a four goal game. And they were playing terrible teams in all 4.
I think the offence could use more pop for sure and the top line needs someone more compatible on the wing to make it happen, and to be less predictable. I think Backlund is struggling with wing positioning, which surprises me. The second line could use someone a little more gifted than Mangiapane. But I don't think it's coaching. The D to D thing I think is situational. They do it sometimes, but you never see what's going on up ice because of camera shots. If teams sit back, it's not easy to push up the ice quickly - you need to take it a bit more methodically.
Yeah, I know slumps happen but this is systematic
They are giving the team time to set up defensively. You can see what they are doing and there is only so much room missing from the camera shot up to the far blue line.
I watched last night, saw Brodie and Gio at the top of their own circles, no pressure, and said to the person I was watching the game with that the Leafs would have the puck within 3 seconds.
You see the forwards come back and run the routes and then the D still hang on to the puck until the forward has nothing to do but turn around and wait for the D to do something.
It’s like it was with Smith having the puck behind the net where Gio and Hamilton went in to the corners, just starting higher up now. They are giving themselves no room to work with and playing without pace.
I agree with Sarich’s comments on Backlund. He is a centre and as determined as the team is to use Lindholm as a C, they are getting much less out of Backs on the wing
This team has the same basic pieces as the one that was second in the league in scoring last year. There has to be an improvement in strategy available that leverages those strengths
This team has the same basic pieces as the one that was second in the league in scoring last year. There has to be an improvement in strategy available that leverages those strengths
That had a lot to do with Gaudreau being a 100 point player, Monahan, Tkachuk and Lindholm being point per game players and Giordano putting up 70+ from the back end.
None of those things were likely sustainable, and when those players production dropped off back to reality, the team unsurprisingly stopped scoring at will.
In Gaudreau's case, I'd say his production dropped off to below what we should expect of him, because IMO he should be a point per game guy.
They are all still good players, but they need help.
That had a lot to do with Gaudreau being a 100 point player, Monahan, Tkachuk and Lindholm being point per game players and Giordano putting up 70+ from the back end.
None of those things were likely sustainable, and when those players production dropped off back to reality, the team unsurprisingly stopped scoring at will.
In Gaudreau's case, I'd say his production dropped off to below what we should expect of him, because IMO he should be a point per game guy.
They are all still good players, but they need help.
The pace has dropped way off, and I have noticed some things
Structure - as said above, movement out of their own zone is often awful. I mean, if you are not going to have puck support and end up dumping it in, dump with the wingers moving so they have a chance of recovering. This has been the worst of both worlds. It is 100 percent an issue that can be reduced by coaching
Puck support and movement - watch their goals from last year, especially the top line. One touch passes were common. Now only Tkachuk does them with regularity
The help they need should be coming from the coaches
22nd in shots/60
22nd in goals/60
10th in scoring chances/60
19th in high danger chances/60
Their offense is well below average
For sure but it was before Ward too.
There are certainly come concerns when it comes to shot metrics, the Ward Flames take less shot attempts and shots, and give up more.
But their high danger stuff has actually improved.
They were terrible in generating under Peters at 9.14 per game. Now they're at a still weak 10.21. Against they gave up 9.98 under Peters and have improved to 9.74.
The overall split went from 47.8% to 51.2% so an improvement.
But why are they generating so little across both coaches? It is the same players.
Both shooting percentage and save percentage is up under Ward, as was likely considering how little luck/bounces the team was getting to start the season.
