[PGT] Flames snap Flyers' ten-game losing streak.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Lets get some positive vibes now, Bennett has been our best forward in the past 2 games. I think that's saying something, I am very happy that he is getting hot, we really needed someone to step up while some forwards are somewhat struggling, and Bennett is doing exactly that.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by Joborule

That is odd. I wonder if it has to do with the team that has the possession advantage playing too much perimeter, slower pace hockey? Not really getting high quality chances from danger areas? Are the teams that are winning the games, losing the stats battle getting goals off of rushes?

Don't know. Hard to quantify off the rush without watching every game.

The thing is most of the stats are often quoted 5v5. If you look at special teams it's another story. Calgary is among the worst in the league at giving up high danger chances on the PK. They're good for 9th worst at giving up high danger chances on the PK and they're 8th worst at letting those in the net.

On the PP they've managed to generate the 6th highest number of high danger chances. Yet they're 20th when it comes to scoring from in close.

The Flames can't finish on the PP despite getting good looks. The Flames can't limit chances or keep the puck out of the net on the PK. That's a problem.

[dammage79]

Was Backlund hurt anytime in the last two games? He's missing from practice today. 90% sure its maintenance.

Derek Wills‏Verified account
@Fan960Wills
6m6 minutes ago
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Mikael Backlund missing from #Flames practice.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Lets get some positive vibes now, Bennett has been our best forward in the best 2 games. I think that's saying something, I am very happy that he is getting hot, we really needed someone to step up while some forwards are somewhat struggling, and Bennett is doing exactly that.

Another positive. None of the Flames defensemen scored directly into their own net this game.

[Dion]

[jlh2640]

So when is Flames management going yo step in ? I hate how bad we can look one night vs the next. Even 1 period to the next

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I don't disagree that Babock uses L/L D on his first pairing because that's what he has. But the problem is right now that Treliving worked hard to get even pairs, which in almost all situations works, but supposedly doesn't for Brodie. So now he has a slate of RH Dmen. Which one gets to play off-side because Brodie can't handle the switch? Is putting Stone, Hamonic or Hamilton on the wrong side to appease Brodie just going to make their games worse?

All I know is that Brodie has looked infinitely better with Stone as his partner. That acquisition was a big reason the Flames made the playoffs last season. I even said when Hamonic was acquired that Stone was still the better partner for Brodie. Hero charts and Advanced charts be damned; chemistry triumphs over all of that and Brodie/Stone have that.

And for all the love the Gio/Hamilton pairing gets (supposedly one of the best in the league), in quite often fails the eye test. IMO Hamilton should be move down the lineup, but I can also understand keeping him with Gio as I do think eventually he will get his head together.

I would love to install a creep cam in the meeting room and see exactly what GG's system is. It seems that it works when it's executed properly. But getting 21 guys to buy in all at once is a tough task, especially when the system seems very complicated. Combine that with the coaching staff's love of LD/RD and pooey player personal choices on special teams, and you have the mess we see in front of us now.

The Flames are a team that historically take 1/2 the season to get going, so I don't think they are as bad as they are now. Unfortunately this is one of those slumps every team goes through, with the star power drying up and the goalie looking human again. This was all bound to happen sooner or later, so I really don't see BT having a kneejerk reaction unless he knows for sure that behind the scenes things need to change.

I still do think the answers are in the room. We've seen Brodie, Hamonic and Hamilton be better. It's not like they are historically bad players being asked to play a role they aren't used to. They've all done it before. The scoring depth we lack now did exist last season. It was one of our strengths.

I think the right players are in place to gave a good result at the end of the season. But the coaching staff really has to start adapting and maybe simplifying this seemingly complex playing system they have. They also need to start benching players and moving them up and down the lineups if they aren't playing well. And for God Jesus sake get Brouwer off the PP.

[Otto-matic]

More
Skate city now. Five players at a time -- two skating from hash marks to blueline, one skating face-off dot to face-off dot, and two skating from the boards to net. It was exhausting just typing it out.

[nik-]

Yeah, bag skates, that'll fix it.

[Beninho]

Was hoping I'd wake up to a GG firing, dammit

[Rejean31]

Originally Posted by DynamRyan

Thank you. This. You cannot even imagine how bad Greg Gilbert was unless you lived through it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yet Greg Gilbert had a hell of a lot LESS to work with when he coached, and his teams would beat the frigging Oilers once in a while!!!

[Ragnar]

Not sure if it was mentioned yet, but I thought Hathaway had a hell off a game. He made some nice plays and was in the Flyer's faces all night, absolutely crushed a guy on the boards too. This is what we need to see from our fourth line guys, especially when they're not contributing offensively. Just being there isn't enough and has a negative impact on the flow of the game.

I also hate to criticize our MVP so far, but Johnny needs to move his feet when he doesn't have the puck in the offensive zone. Way too much puck watching from a guy of his level.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Sutter creates an identity though and I don’t think you will see this team wilt like they do now when things don’t go their way

I'll tell you one thing Sutter would never have put up with was the way Gaudreau got beat up on last year. Brouwer would have received orders to be a man and defend his best teammate.

There's just so many instances of the Flames getting pushed around and there is never a response from anyone. Yesterday it was the refs pushing the Flames around. Sutter would have made Playfair look calm and collected after those bogus penalties.

Sutter might not be the ultimate answer, but he'd be a huge upgrade on Gulutzan. I think the first thing he would do is rip the A off of Brouwer's jersey and stick it on the dressing room wall, and tell the team that whoever earns it, gets extra legroom on all flights for the rest of the year.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I'll tell you one thing Sutter would never have put up with was the way Gaudreau got beat up on last year. Brouwer would have received orders to be a man and defend his best teammate.

There's just so many instances of the Flames getting pushed around and there is never a response from anyone. Yesterday it was the refs pushing the Flames around. Sutter would have made Playfair look calm and collected after those bogus penalties.

Sutter might not be the ultimate answer, but he'd be a huge upgrade on Gulutzan. I think the first thing he would do is rip the A off of Brouwer's jersey and stick it on the dressing room wall, and tell the team that whoever earns it, gets extra legroom on all flights for the rest of the year.

This is such a great post it deserves to be bumped, well said!

[djsFlames]

Let's see how GG adjusts, or if he does anything to try and rectify the awful home ice performances and criticism put his way. If he maintains a 'stick with it' attitude then I think we can rest assured this isn't the guy to elevate this club.

Bag skating and getting mad alone isn't the answer either, as he has done it before too and it's only bought weeks of improved play in the past. The steps taken have to be more effective and lasting. It's the combinations, PP lines, defensive strategies, and his approach to games while they are happening. Adjusting only after/between games does nothing to spark a team when they are in an early hole in a game etc. This is why our regulation losses have gone up. We're not really adjusting mid game and finding ways to pull even. Even just showing emotion might inspire the team more. Hard to think the lack of pulse and the team going out with a whimper in front of their own fans a number of times this season are not somewhat correlated.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Let's see how GG adjusts, or if he does anything to try and rectify the awful home ice performances and criticism put his way. If he maintains a 'stick with it' attitude then I think we can rest assured this isn't the guy to elevate this club.

Bag skating and getting mad alone isn't the answer either, as he has done it before too and it's only bought weeks of improved play in the past. The steps taken have to be more effective and lasting. It's the combinations, PP lines, defensive strategies, and his approach to games while they are happening. Adjusting only after/between games does nothing to spark a team when they are in an early hole in a game etc. This is why our regulation losses have gone up. We're not really adjusting mid game and finding ways to pull even. Even just showing emotion might inspire the team more. Hard to think the lack of pulse and the team going out with a whimper in front of their own fans a number of times this season are not somewhat correlated.

He was willing to do it last year. Simplified the breakouts; made some changes to the special teams; changed up the lines and d-pairings. The problem is that other teams have watched the video and know the areas they can exploit. Gulutzan has not adapted this year, save for puck retrieval (thanks to Mike Smith) and reverting back to the outlet pass off the boards to centre ice (because, you know, we don't have any puck moving defencemen).

I also think the lack of emotion is a problem -- Tkachuk is probably the only one willing to show some fire and he's the youngest guy on the team. Unacceptable.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

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Skate city now. Five players at a time -- two skating from hash marks to blueline, one skating face-off dot to face-off dot, and two skating from the boards to net. It was exhausting just typing it out.

I don't understand the rationale for a bag skate at all. If it was puck luck for the Flyers with the Flames dominating the shot clock - what did they do to deserve the punishment? Be unlucky?

There must be something else to it.

[red sky]

It wasn't puck luck against the Flames. It was terrible coverage in front of their own net.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

I don't understand the rationale for a bag skate at all. If it was puck luck for the Flyers with the Flames dominating the shot clock - what did they do to deserve the punishment? Be unlucky?

There must be something else to it.

Usually the logic behind a bag skate is "you didn't work in the game, so you're going to work out here." Kind of a way to not let them off the hook for missing work. For the Flames I suspect it's more of a cumulative thing than solely based on last night.

When we were coaching we always found it more effective to have a hard paced practice that included continuous drills that exhausted the players (with the threat that if they weren't moving at 100% it would turn into a bag skate fast), rather than just aimless skating.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

I don't understand the rationale for a bag skate at all. If it was puck luck for the Flyers with the Flames dominating the shot clock - what did they do to deserve the punishment? Be unlucky?

There must be something else to it.

GG didn't cite puck luck - that was Brouwer, no? GG said they weren't executing very well and had to get back to the right way to play. In other words, they are taking shortcuts and being lazy. That's a bag skate to me.