[PGT] Flames lose another season opener

[You Need a Thneed]

The Oilers aren’t going to do so well once team defenders gel a bit.

The commentators after the game said it right - “one man offense”.

I don’t think a single other Oiler generated anything dangerous, in the 2 and a bit periods that I watched.

The Flames need to be better, yes. But that was a close game for most of it. The Oilers got a few more bounces. A few roster tweaks required too.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by theinfinitejar

Jesus. I know it's one game and all but that's pretty ####ing stark.

How Backlund had a positive corsi differential against McDavid is unreal in itself.

[jayswin]

Our centre situation is quickly becoming the death of us. "He's a centre, he will be groomed that way and we won't deviate".

Okay great, but you're also saying we're going for it now, while Bennett and Jankowski aren't able to serve us because you won't let them see the light of a top six role while bringing them along properly.

Meanwhile other teams make the decision to move centres to wing all the time. Trust me, I get the reasoning, but you have to have the flexibility when you have a possible four top six centres just kind of sitting there at the same time as you scratch your head trying to fill top six wing positions.

It's utterly frustrating to watch.

[flame4life]

Came for the over reaction .... left satisfied.

I get it was a stinky game in all aspects, but I thought our goaltending was solid. I certainly didn't expect to go undefeated. I will give it a few more games before I pull out the pitchforks.

I trust we have not seen the last of the roster moves, and Jagr's timeline for getting in the game may well be accelerated. He probably would have been the best player tonight for us I feel he had played, which is a disappointment on our core players.

I am looking for a lot better showing on Saturday,to ring in our home schedule,

[DropIt]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Wow, Brouwer spent more time against McDavid than Backlund did?
Whoops

You realize that Edmonton was at home, and had last change right?

[azzarish]

Expected a loss and received a loss.

Hate to say it but they are a superior team to us. The difference was clear as day. They walked in all night and we never looked like scoring once.

[FireGilbert]

The game was in Edmonton so Gulutzan couldn't line match. No clue why Brouwer was getting so much ice time though especially to start periods and at the end of the game. Stick him on the 4th line and leave him there.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I thought Bennett played really well. If put in the right position he could have a great year. I know the thought is Jagr will play with him but I don't think a slow puch possession guy is good for him. I'd put him 1RW personally.

This, a million times this. Let's end this "centres will only play centre" madness and create one strong top line. Ferland is a neat story, but he's simply not a top line winger.

[mikeecho]

I can't wait for Burke to go ape#### on Gulutzans system forcing him to simplify it. I'll know when it happens because the team will talk about how a few beers on a train ride is what actually happened.

[dustygoon]

Well...let's see how they change things up. Top players didn't do their thing. But bottom guys need to at least hold their own. Stajan was working his tail off in the corners. But Brouwer. I've seen enough of him. Brouwer knows he is about to be demoted to the 4th line and he plays like that?

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

I'm not calling for GG's head. He got the team into the playoffs last year and it's only one game in but he has to change tactics.

Flames are not a chip and chase team (of course you have to do it sometimes) they need to carry the puck in. Gaudreau is not going to retrieve pucks on the dump, he has to carry it into the zone and be creative.

I feel GG has taken the creativity out because he's afraid of turnovers at the blue line. Backlund's line may have been one of the better lines tonight but it wasn't a great game by them. Backlund can execute zone entries- that's when you see Tkachuk gaining possession down low.

It was so easy on Talbot because CGY was never dangerous. They kept doing the same stuff and it doesn't work.

EDM walked into the offensive zone all night, they rarely dumped it. CGY could not breakout to save their lives.

Smith was the only positive. GG won't change tactics but it's clear this team won't play to make plays but instead play afraid to make mistakes.

Jagr rarely dumps the puck but he might get coached into it. Hopefully the opposite happens and the rest oft the players take after him and some creativity spreads through the lineup.

the thing is- and it's been mentioned already but after watching that it should be repeated... if you're intention is to play a dump and chase game, then you have to hit or get hit.

But you can't dump it in and then hope the other team won't go near the puck.

[theinfinitejar]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

How Backlund had a positive corsi differential against McDavid is unreal in itself.

Mikael Backlund is very good.

Troy Brouwer is a ####ing bum.

[Kybb79]

Brouwer=Brodie

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Love

Some of it has to do with coaching schemes. We sit back in the neutral zone and allow McDavid or whoever to catch us flatfooted as they blow by us and gain the zone. While on the other hand, they forecheck us into oblivion and force us to ice the puck and make bad passes which lead to turnovers.

GG has us trying to play a rough and tumble dump and chase game like our weak and slow forwards have a chance at retrieving the puck.

I hate to say it, but I still see as many defensive breakdowns as there were when Hartley was coaching, and this defensive core is way more mobile and (on paper) superior defensively. They also look neutered on the offensive side of things. I thought this way through the majority of last season as well - way too many high danger chances.

You look at the Oilers with their (on paper) lousier defensive core, and they allowed less chances and less high danger chances than the Flames did last season. I am hoping that a chunk of that difference was due to the terrible start.

This team is built to be a strong defensive and a strong transitioning team. I see way too many breakdowns (tonight and for a lot of last season) as well as too much time getting hemmed in their own zone.

Execution is not there regularly enough, or the system isn't quite right (don't know which). Not to be misunderstood here - not clamoring for coaching change, but the coaches need to sit down and figure out why breakdowns are happening so often.

In what world does THAT Oilers' defence perform better than the Flames'? Even throughout last season? Something needs adjusting. The Oilers dominated the Flames defensively, and that is (for me) the most disappointing part of the loss.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Earth to Gulutzan:

Caleb‏ @CLIB542
McDavid vs Brouwer
TOI - 4:01
CF - 20
CA - 4

McDavid vs Backlund
TOI - 3:06
CF - 2
CA - 5

That line iced it a number of times and everytime McDavid's line came over and this is the result. Nothing GG can do about that.

[memphusk]

Ok. I'm on board. Bring him back. Hello Viking, we're looking for Darryl.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

The game was in Edmonton so Gulutzan couldn't line match. No clue why Brouwer was getting so much ice time though especially to start periods and at the end of the game. Stick him on the 4th line and leave him there.

My only hope is that there truly is a Brouwer trade in the works and we were trying to pretend he's a big minute guy for us.

[---Hatrick---]

Originally Posted by zamler

Glen Gulutzan is a ####ing moron. There was no way the Flames were coming back or even scoring a goal but he proceeds to gift wrap the hat trick to tank boy. ####. Does Gully have a pulse on the game at all??????

What a complete jackass.

You actually think that Gulutzan shouldn't have pulled the goalie and they shouldn't have atleast made a last ditch attempt to score a couple late goals?
I know the team played like s*** but what kind of message would that have sent to the team?

[Muta]

Man... the Oilers' nut gargling from the Sportsnet broadcasters was especially bad tonight. How come a regi9nal station that is supposed to cater to both teams only likes blowing one of them?

[united]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Earth to Gulutzan:

Caleb‏ @CLIB542
McDavid vs Brouwer
TOI - 4:01
CF - 20
CA - 4

McDavid vs Backlund
TOI - 3:06
CF - 2
CA - 5

And like two of those minutes were because of Gulutzan's bizarre obsession with constantly rolling out whatever line Brouwer is on to start road periods. Did it all last year, too - the other coach immediately matches with their best line.
Did it to start two periods tonight and both resulted in icings followed by McDavid's line battering them.