[Game Takes] Flyers 5 Flames 2

[Bingo]

Flyers 5 Flames 2

- They made their bed against Toronto and Edmonton, tonight literally zero bounces.

[Loyal and True]

Thanks for bringing some balance and rational discussion to CP tonight. It's becoming more difficult to find.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Tkachuk said they had a lot of shots but few grade A chances. I agree, Elliott was busy but not overly tested (like Smith said after first against ARZ).

They did some things well and PHI did get the bounces but CGY didn't have the feel of being dangerous or dominating stretches. The blunders in their end are biting big time of late.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Classic example of fancy stats being overrated without context

[Itse]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Classic example of fancy stats being overrated without context

I would agree. Philly deserved to win that game, they had by far the better chances.

[LChoy]

Just wanted to say I appreciate your write ups. For games like Edmonton and last night, I much rather come here to read your takes than to brave the PGT threads for a sense of what happened

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Classic example of fancy stats being overrated without context

Not at all.

I think you have to take them for what it was.

Pretty much all Calgary tonight and not due to score effects. The Flames led the five on five shot attempts by a 65-30 margin (66%), and overall had a 80-39 edge for 67%. Scoring chances were even in all situations however as the Flames certainly broke down when they broke down.

All that is true. The Flames had the puck the lion's share of the game, but scoring chances were dead even, and the Flames mistakes were magnified.

A team doing a lot right will get shot attempts, a team feeling it will convert them into scoring chances. Good teams turn scoring chances into goals. The Flames were in full control until the Flyer's second goal, up in shot attempts and up in scoring chances. Puck goes post - skate - in and they were lost for four minutes.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Puck goes post - skate - in and they were lost for four minutes.

Would you say that a break in the action to collect themselves and reset would have been helpful at that moment?

People get made fun of for saying Gulutzan never takes time outs, seems this could have been beneficial?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Would you say that a break in the action to collect themselves and reset would have been helpful at that moment?

People get made fun of for saying Gulutzan never takes time outs, seems this could have been beneficial?

With the team playing well and now down 2-1 with over half the game to go I don't know if I would have assumed they'd go in the tank and give up another two in the next 100 seconds.

[bubbsy]

corsi, shots, all dont' tell enough of the story.

What were the High-danger scoring chances for/against?

[Strange Brew]

Its hard to really analyze a team's play when they fall behind in a quick span like that. Yeah the Flames really applied the pressure and dominated play for long stretches, but game was never in doubt and Philly scored that last goal when they needed it.

We would have learned a lot more about the team if it had gone into the 3rd tied at 2.

[bubbsy]

Also, great callout on Bennett's play in your article.

Kid is definitely turning it up as of late. Team success aside, hope he keeps this up. Finally seeing him try/make more and more skilled plays, which is something that disappears when his confidence is down.

[Toonage]

Bennett was absolutely a positive last night. Playoff Bennett was out there. Love playoff Bennett.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

corsi, shots, all dont' tell enough of the story.

What were the High-danger scoring chances for/against?

As I said in the article. Even.

9-9 at even strength, 11-11 all situations.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

corsi, shots, all dont' tell enough of the story.

What were the High-danger scoring chances for/against?

High danger scoring chances were even, at 9 a piece. So for all those shots and possession, both teams had the same amount of high quality chances generated/given up.

That seems more telling than corsi/shot totals for me. It was generally an even game where one team was able to capatilize more. Can't really say that one team earned the game more than the other based on that.

That feels like what the eye test told me also (i only watched till the end of the second).

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Its hard to really analyze a team's play when they fall behind in a quick span like that. Yeah the Flames really applied the pressure and dominated play for long stretches, but game was never in doubt and Philly scored that last goal when they needed it.

We would have learned a lot more about the team if it had gone into the 3rd tied at 2.

For sure but this wasn't a score effects corsi run up. The Flames were running the table midway through the second with the scored tied at one. Then they folded four about four minutes before turning it up again.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

High danger scoring chances were even, at 9 a piece. So for all those shots and possession, both teams had the same amount of high quality chances generated/given up.

That seems more telling than corsi/shot totals for me. It was generally an even game where one team was able to capatilize more. Can't really say that one team earned the game more than the other based on that.

That feels like what the eye test told me also (i only watched till the end of the second).

With breakaways and break downs they certainly gifted the Flyers about 5 unnecessary scoring chances but I still wouldn't call it even.

When one team has the puck most of the night and is generating their own scoring chances, but has break downs that result in blue chip chances they certainly get what they deserve but I wouldn't call it even.

[ricardodw]

They’re a young team, a statement that is hard to quantify when you have a 35 year old goaltender and a 45 year old third liner, but still true when you think of the nucleus of players trusted with the most ice time. So are they lacking leadership or do they care too much?

Nucleus of young trusted players:

Gaudreau 24.3
Monahan 23.1
Tkachuk 20.0
Hamilton 24.5
Bennett 21.5

jankowski 23.2
Kulak 23.9
Lazar 22.8


Of the top 5 Bennett and Tkachuk plays hard although Tkachuk is becoming Burrows... dirty but not physical.... .7 hits / game.


The other 3 play like they want to win the Lady Byng.


Last night they are getting it handed to them for the 2nd home game in a row to non-playoff teams and they dish out 7 hits!!!

A couple of shifts where everyone hits is far more likely to inspire better play than a few lobbed in pre-game warm up style SOG.

It seems that the Flames are actually paying attention to CORSI stats and padding their stats with harmless shots.

The Flames should have signed Iginla rather than Jagr or even better Hendricks.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

For sure but this wasn't a score effects corsi run up. The Flames were running the table midway through the second with the scored tied at one. Then they folded four about four minutes before turning it up again.

Yeah they played with energy and carried the play overall. But to your point they folded and gave away the game in a short stretch. Arguably what happened after that isn't overly relevant.

In isolation, you look at that game and say that happens some of the time. In the bigger picture feels like things are starting to snowball. Isn't this basically what happened last year until team turned it around after the "train ride". This might not be a pattern you want to repeat.

[jlh2640]

Late goal in the first was a momentum changer. Early 2nd they got killed. Fake penalty call was a joke.