[PGT] Flames lay another egg. Drop 4-2 to the Wild

[UKflames]

Posting without reading through the thread. Just watched the game back on pvr and that is a game that we did not deserve to lose. We generated a lot of chances and could have scored a few more had Stalock not had a hot hand. A couple of observations:

Powere Play - I actually thought this got better once Jagr had gone to the dressing room. The first four opportunities we had, they kept trying to force everything to Jagr in the slot and the Wild were just collapsing and closing everything out. It was almost as though they refused to take any shots from elsewhere, just keep forcing it to the slot. Once Jagr was gone, they started to shoot from the blue line, drawing the Wild defence out, opening up lanes for plays like the one Versteeg scored on. Also, why isn't hamilton seeing much pp time, he was the best D on the PP for the 2nd half of last season.

Monahan & Gaudreau - I am just not seeing the chemistry that they have had in previous seasons. I know this will be an unpopular idea but I really think that they need splitting up 5-ON-5. If the flames insist on keeping Benett at C, move him with Gaudreau and put Monahan with Versteeg, or something along those lines. Put them back together for the PP if you wish but I think they would be better served apart.

Kulak - Looked way better than Bart, please keep him in.

Smith - Is a fantastic keeper and just what we needed but we can't keep riding him every game. the shots were down this game but still too many, he is going to wear down real quick if we don't get the shots down more and get Lack into some games, not sure why he hasn't been used at all yet.

Any way, rough one to lose but at least the oilers lost as well.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Man, I can't even make it 10 posts into the PGT anymore without wanting to throw my computer in the garbage.

There is some serious confirmation bias on this board. Every time we lose, the same tropes get pulled out without any serious analysis of the game we just watched. GG sucks, his system sucks, Bennett sucks, this team is overrated, they have no offense, Smith saved us tonight....except that NONE of those were true tonight. This game is one of those losses that you build off for next game. They played their game, they played it the right way, and they were unlucky. They thoroughly dominated Minnesota for most of this game, and outside a couple of perfect shots under the bar and the ridiculous shot Stewart made off a rebound in the air, the Flames controlled almost every aspect of this game. I don't know how anybody could objectively watch that game and say the Flames were bad. This was in stark contrast to the game against Carolina were they were legitimately bad and narrowly lost. Tonight they narrowly lost but had full marks for their play. They just have to bear down on their chances near the net like Versteeg did on his power play goal. That would have been the difference tonight.

Nobody played poorly. Everybody played their role quite well. Kulak looked solid. Familton made some nice plays. Lazar looked energized.

There's zero to complain about outside of the final score.

[Erick Estrada]

The end result is frustrating but clearly the better team lost. If one of those shots that hit the goal post go in it's a different game and then you have the Wild scoring off some of the most perfect shots you will ever see. The better team simply didn't get the breaks. Treliving needs to quit messing around and get Jankowski in the lineup. Not exactly sure why this team is so adverse to burying players in the AHL.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Kulak looked solid.

Watching Kulak's game the other night made me start to wish Brodie and Hamonic would take a few cues from Kulak's aggressive gap control. Those two have been Russell-esque at times and there's no reason for that with their mobility. Kulak cut off multiple plays on his side well before they could develop.

[Flames89]

I thought Lazar looked pretty darn good last night. Almost like a Sean Donovan wheels. Had some good hits.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by AC

Well Jagr got hurt, so you kinda have to mix up the lines.


Stone and Kulak didn't play a second of PP time.


Which goal? Brouwer wasn't on the ice for any goal against, only the goal he set up.

Cant fool the video coach.

[blender]

Posting without ready the thread, but obviously the Flames were the better team, but mistakes will kill them if they keep making them.

Case in point, JG's neutral zone turnover when he tried to thread it through 2 wild players and it ends up in the Flames net. Gotta be more careful of that type of thing.

Move on.

[Heavy Jack]

We are without question getting closer to playing the full 60 minutes and without question that's our best start of the season especially at home. If we scored on at least one of those first 3 PP in the first I think it's a completely different game but we played extremely well in the 2nd period when trailing and muscled out a tie game going into the third. Lots to like about last night just a couple brain farts killed the game near the end.

[FBI]

We didn't take that many penalties!

[puckedoff]

At this point in the season I would rather they play well and lose than play like garbage and win.

[dammage79]

Smith was excellent, he was choked at himself for one goal.
The snakebitten line of Lazar, Bennett and Ferland were creating a lot of opportunities, but when you're gripping your stick too tight, thing don't always work out.
I don't know people are getting Bennett was awful, he was doing good from my POV
And Lazar was excellent last night, did everything but score.
Ferland had a surprisingly good game, maybe he's coming out of one of hi streaks.

Has anyone pointed out the Goat last nght was Hamonic? Just brutal turn overs constantly in the third, he knew it, the rest of us in the arena knew it. Broke his stick on the way back to the bench too.

[GranteedEV]

by the way, anyone else thinking Lazar is more suited to LW than RW? His most dangerous scoring opportunities have all come on that side and I think he sets himself up well for open shots there, whereas on RW he kind of just gets lost in the mix along the walls.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by Flames89

I thought Lazar looked pretty darn good last night. Almost like a Sean Donovan wheels. Had some good hits.

Lazar had some very solid hits. He absolutely crushed Brodin in the corner in the second period at 14.07 .
He was also 50% on faceoff %

I don't get the Bennett hate anymore.

He was 80% !!! On face off last night.

He also leads the team in FO% at 55.12%.

Monahan is at 49.18 %
Backlund is next at 45.80 %

Seems like he is showing signs of improving at centre.
Remember he is only 21 years old !!!!

[colbym72]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Lazar had some very solid hits. He absolutely crushed Brodin in the corner in the second period at 14.07 .
He was also 50% on faceoff %

I don't get the Bennett hate anymore.

He was 80% !!! On face off last night.

He also leads the team in FO% at 55.12%.

Monahan is at 49.18 %
Backlund is next at 45.80 %

Seems like he is showing signs of improving at centre.
Remember he is only 21 years old !!!!

0 points in 8 games is something though and I think it is fair to talk about it

[flambers]

Originally Posted by FBI

We didn't take that many penalties!

Not sure that was ever the problem, its more of a symptom.

Flames at times are chasing and they spent lots of time in their own zones

This leads to penalties,,,,

Good news, they were skating... 1st period was really positive

However the slow starts from this team is a serious problem.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Lazar had some very solid hits. He absolutely crushed Brodin in the corner in the second period at 14.07 .
He was also 50% on faceoff %

I don't get the Bennett hate anymore.

He was 80% !!! On face off last night.

He also leads the team in FO% at 55.12%.

Monahan is at 49.18 %
Backlund is next at 45.80 %

Seems like he is showing signs of improving at centre.
Remember he is only 21 years old !!!!

Monahan had a goal, 7 shots and was a -1 in almost 20 minutes of ice.

Bennett was a -1, no shots, no points, with about half the icetime.

Monahan has 8 points on the season, +3 with 2 pims.

Bennett has 0 points, is -3 with 12 PIMs on the season.



Still not seeing the frustration with Bennett?

[indes]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Fair point.

I still feel Gaudreau is the driver of the entire offence. Credit to Monahan on having the skills to be in the right spots and the hands to finish.

This has become quite the CP meme these days. Do people even watch Monahan out there? Or just assume because he scores he does nothing else? He had a great game, won lots of board battles, made lots of nice passes and got plenty of shots.

Not sure what else anyone wants from the guy.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by colbym72

0 points in 8 games is something though and I think it is fair to talk about it

It is a fair point but the points will come if he continues to work and improve on the other areas of his game.

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by colbym72

0 points in 8 games is something though and I think it is fair to talk about it

But he's been a beast in his own end, winning puck battles, stick always in the right place to break up the pass, winning the majority of face offs, clearing the puck out of the zone, coming back and supporting the D when they are hemmed in..

But he has no points so he's trash... he's a 3rd line Center who is rounding out his defensive game at 21 years old. That's a win in my books.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Monahan had a goal, 7 shots and was a -1 in almost 20 minutes of ice.

Bennett was a -1, no shots, no points, with about half the icetime.

Monahan has 8 points on the season, +3 with 2 pims.

Bennett has 0 points, is -3 with 12 PIMs on the season.



Still not seeing the frustration with Bennett?

Frustration yes. The blind hate some posters have ..no.

Seems he has better games with players that have a lottle more Jam to their game. With Lazar and Ferland last night they created some pretty good chances.

It is only 8 games in . Still early to hit the panic button for any player yet . lets get at least 30 games in before looking for the nearest suicide booth .