[PGT] Flames fall 3-0. Ducks lead series 2-0

[300 MPH Blues]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Was the 2nd goal scored on an offside? I missed the replay. Not that it matters. You don't get outscored 9-1 in three games because of officiating.

I thought the same thing. I was going to rewind and check it out, but then thought, what the hell would that do?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

so morning after, my thoughts gravitate back to the fact that the western conference has some ultra-elite teams, that frankly have it all. Chicago, Anaheim, St. Louis and Minnesota are just complete teams built for the 7 game playoff layout. In the west, everyone else is just a tier (or two-three) below. I think a flames series against any of these 4 teams would look about the same as what we are seeing so far in the second round.

It's kind of a eye opener to the fact that though we all should be super proud of how far this team has come along, in order to really become an upper echelon team that is in the same group as the above, there is still a lot of work to be done. Need 2 lines that can be counted on for offense, need defense that is 8 deep (having 3rd pairing guys in the playoffs playing under half a dozen mins isn't going to work). On top of that, need the size to be able to play playoff grind hockey throughout the lineup.

Really shouldn't be all that upset about the domination so far. The rebuild is coming around really well and there's plenty to be excited about. This series should be an excellent learning lesson for not only the player's growth, but also a great mechanism for management to get a feel for what is needed to evolve to not just a bubble team but to a contender.

Yeah if we end up losing the series it isn't going to be that painful.

Means management won't be able to overreact to the results this season and make any short term decisions to improve the team that could hurt long term.

Reinforces the need to continue to build for the long term, build through the draft (like these Ducks did), and helps to identify weaknesses that need to be addressed before being competitive with the final 8.

In the end this season is already a victory, and the playoffs are just a learning experience that will benefit everyone (Management and players).

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Backlund also had a bunch of nice turnovers that led to good scoring chances, against.

I thought he looked awful and aside from a couple of games, has looked awful for most of the playoffs.

He's just too soft. Clearing attempts are too soft, passes are too soft, shot is too soft.

I know it goes against the popular narrative, but he just doesn't bring enough offense to make his defense worth it. Too inconsistent, too soft.

It's one of those things advanced statistics don't compensate for: the moment. The moment to put a team away, the moment to go up by a goal early, the moment to scramble a key draw. When I see backlund wiffing on 2-1s, not clearing the puck after an icing, turning the puck over on the half-wall etc, I just cringe.

Calgary is desperate for offense right now and Backlund just doesn't provide enough of it.

IMO Backlund has been hurting the team more than helping and if the Flames had more depth would likely be benched. He does seem like a really good guy so I can see why some fans really like him but he's no more consistent than Glencross who got singled out for it all the time by fans. Also like Glencross he's miscast as a top 6 forward. He simply lacks the offensive skills as he's more of a bottom 6 guy that you move up and down between 3rd and 4th line depending on his play. Bennett can't mature fast enough as a center to get this guy out of the top 6.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by hockey.modern

Just happy with the Flames goalie future. Ortio and Gillies, yet we even have McDonald coming in the long run

They are better than average prospects, for sure, but with goaltenders you never count your chickens before they hatch. Too many variables go into making a successful goaltender. If even one of them is a bonafide NHL starter you would be happy with that. My money is on Gillies, and Ortio looks like a competent backup. I honestly have no clue what McDonald will offer at the pro level until he gets there.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Bonkers post game thread.

[skudr248]

People already talking like the series is over. Come on people.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Yah, people who are heading to the game on Tuesday need to get their head into it and make sure they feel the Flames can still come back. We haven't lost on home ice yet, the last 40 mins of the game last night was a step in the right direction.

Continued learning and improvement from the team, the last change for better match ups and the crazy home crowd might just be enough to get the Flames a win. I've seen worse and far less clutch Flames teams than this one win their 2 home games after dropping the first 2 on the road, so it's very possible.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by skudr248

People already talking like the series is over. Come on people.

Nothing a win in game 3 can't cure however given they have been outscored 9-1 in the first two games you can probably excuse some fans for tempering their expectations until the Flames show that they are able to compete with the Ducks in the playoffs. Have to hope that the change in venue charges up the troops as I can't be the only person that thought they lacked jump last night. They just didn't look like they were skating hard as the Ducks looked considerably faster which shouldn't be the case.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

I agree, that is what the flames are missing. Question is, how does Treliving get us our versions of Lindholm/Vatanen/Fowler. We have nothing like them (at that age) on our team or in our system except Brodie. I really hope we see dman taken with our top pick this year. Getting a young, impactful top 4 dman will be crucial to taking the next step as Giordano and Wideman get older.

No doubt our D prospects are lacking. But where does Russell fit into your analysis? Are you forgetting him or do you think he's not a young, impactful top 4 dman?

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Nothing a win in game 3 can't cure however given they have been outscored 9-1 in the first two games you can probably excuse some fans for tempering their expectations until the Flames show that they are able to compete with the Ducks in the playoffs. Have to hope that the change in venue charges up the troops as I can't be the only person that thought they lacked jump last night. They just didn't look like they were skating hard as the Ducks looked considerably faster which shouldn't be the case.

I think expectations were tempered before the series started.

It's the giving up after losing 2 on the road that is odd.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Nothing a win in game 3 can't cure however given they have been outscored 9-1 in the first two games you can probably excuse some fans for tempering their expectations until the Flames show that they are able to compete with the Ducks in the playoffs. Have to hope that the change in venue charges up the troops as I can't be the only person that thought they lacked jump last night. They just didn't look like they were skating hard as the Ducks looked considerably faster which shouldn't be the case.

Two things. One, people shouldn't need to "temper expectations" in a season when any playoff success........scratch that "the playoffs" were simply gravy to begin with.

Two, they showed they could compete for the last 40mins of hockey we saw.

We beat them twice this year on home ice as well. People should have some faith that the team is still in a battle, counting them out before they've even had a chance to hold serve in their own barn is silliness. People need to enjoy the ride instead of walking around like sad donkey's. This is likely the only year we will get to enjoy playoffs with no expectations so lets just have some faith and see what tomorrow brings. Next year, people are going to expect wins, so it's going to be unbearable enough then, why fast forward.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

You're thinking of a different poster.



Anaheim had 8 scoring chances on their first 10 shots, not including the post Kesler hit.

They had 20 shots in the first period.

I watched the game and it was Ugly. Calgary came out on fire in the first 10 or so minutes of the 2nd period, but after that it was men against boys again.

Anaheim may not have taken their foot off the pedal, but they were no longer stomping on it, they had the game firmly in hand inspite of the score.

I'm all about Calgary and their ability to come back from being down in the 3rd period, but they are completely outclassed by Anaheim.

You called it a "blow-out" and that is flat out false. I get that you and a handful of others need to be negative, but there's no need for hyperbolae.

That was a competitive game against a higher rated team.

[foshizzle11]

Cam Fowler is 23, Hampus Lindholm is 21 and Sami Vatanen is 23. Brodie is 24 (25 in June) and Russell is 28. Anaheim will have a solid top 4 for many years to come with those 3 kicking around. I agree that we need to find some guys in this age group who can contribute.

Who is close in our system to becoming NHLers when Smid, Diaz, etc are not injured? Wotherspoon is 21, can he become a top 4 in the next two years? It is possible.

Then in the next few years can we expected players like Hickey, Sieloff, Roy, Mattsson or Rafikov turn into top 6 NHLers? Will anyone in our group make the jump in the next two years?

I can see Wotherspoon being a mainstay in the NHL next season. Why keep Diaz or Schlemko around if a younger guy can play the same role? Something we always talk about.

It looks like at this point Hickey might be the one of the best D prospects we have and he is still only 19. He is 6'2" right now and about 180lbs. Could he get over 200lbs and be a big, skilled guy in our top 4, say 3 or 4 seasons from now (when he is 23) and make a difference like Vatanen and Fowler are? Yes.

Should we draft a dman with our 1st rounder this year, yes. Should we use a few more of our 2nd and 3rd round picks on dman, yes. We need to stack that cupboard.

[cannon7]

The Flames give this Ducks squad too much respect. Yes, they're big. But they're not nearly as deep with talent as many claim. They've had a lot of success largely due to a grinding game and some surprise goaltending. The past couple games I've watched a Flames team that is trying too hard to not make a mistake and as a result are generating few legitimate scoring chances. They're not the first man in the corners, they're not winning the battles in the offensive zone, they're not being aggressive enough on the forecheck/backcheck. Instead they're trying to play a positional game and "contain" the Ducks as best they can -- which is failing because the Ducks keep all the momentum and the Flames are expending all their energy in the wrong places.

In game three I hope to see a Flames team inspired by their rabid fanbase. I hope they stop holding back past the redline. At some point they need to realize that not only is this a team that is big and slow -- but beatably so. And they have beaten them. Hell, they've humiliated them.

I expect the Flames team we all know. The one that is on the giving end of humility -- not the other way around.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by heep223

No doubt our D prospects are lacking. But where does Russell fit into your analysis? Are you forgetting him or do you think he's not a young, impactful top 4 dman?

I love Russell, and he's still young enough on be on this team for the foreseeable future. I used Brodie as a comparable to the Ducks big 3, as Russell is a few years older, I didn't mean to dismiss him at all.

However, he and Brodie are the only dmen in our system/on our team that are top 4 material AND are under 30 y.o. This absolutely must change, and soon as it can take several years for them to develop. I suppose you never know, a guy like Culkin could go all Giordano/Brodie/Russell on us, but I don't think that can be counted on at all. We need a high end, young dman that has bonafide top 4 potential in a bad way. Someone with some size wouldn't hurt either, after watching the ducks big bodies cream our big 3 over and over.

I think Granlund/Klimchuk/Poirier gets packaged with another prospect or picks to land such a defenseman or to move up in the draft in order to acquire one that way. We are all in love with these young prospects but something has to give as the forwards are stacked and the defense is really lacking (as far as prospects go).

[GioforPM]

Someone said you're never in trouble in a series until you lose at home. So there!

Stiff upper lip folks.

[jayswin]

Or as the cliche media loves to say "you're never in trouble until you lose a game at home."

Not sure where that myth started but I'd love to see the actual stats on teams who lose the first two games and see how not in trouble they statistically are.

Edit: that was a response to caged greats post stating the ducks have an 87% chance to move on now. It didn't quote for some reason.

[Rollin22x]

We beat the Canucks by winning most of the races to the puck. The Ducks have had it pretty easy so far. Not much pressure from the Flames. They are able to execute their breakout exactly like they practice it.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Rollin22x

We beat the Canucks by winning most of the races to the puck. The Ducks have had it pretty easy so far. Not much pressure from the Flames. They are able to execute their breakout exactly like they practice it.

In the offesnive zone, yes. In the D zone the Canucks tended to get to the pucks deflected to the boards first because the Flames were collapsing to the net. The difference is that the Perry and Getzlaf can not only cycle like the Sedins, but also shoot better and go to the front of the net hard.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Or as the cliche media loves to say "you're never in trouble until you lose a game at home."

Not sure where that myth started but I'd love to see the actual stats on teams who lose the first two games and see how not in trouble they statistically are.

Edit: that was a response to caged greats post stating the ducks have an 87% chance to move on now. It didn't quote for some reason.

There's two sets of odds (going down 2-0 as the lower seed vs higher seed). I don't have the data, but I'm sure that 87% is an average number between both scenarios. There must be a HUGE difference between dropping the first two at home vs dropping them on the road.

Losing the first two in Anaheim is not the end of the world for the Flames. It's hardly ideal, but it's too soon to write them off, they just need to win the games at the dome and it's a best of 3. At least we're not Montreal who dropped the first two at home. They are done like dinner.