[PGT] Flames lose 3-2 to San Jose

[Tinordi]

Vegas is really challenging some strongly held positions that hockey is a strong link game. Vegas demonstrates the importance of depth better than any other team. No they don't have top level players. But they were able to basically choose the tenth best players on every roster in the league. They have a decent top line and then all young hungry third liners. They also clearly show the value of speed because they were meticulous in picking the fastest players.

The thing is that this mix of depth and speed is overwhelming almost every other team in the league. Their record is 20-9-2. That's like contender level play.

And it's where the Flames have completely fell down. Depth is terrible and the franchise is reluctant to develop it, choosing expensive, slow players and loyalty over youth, speed and hunger.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Cheering on a division rival.

Gross.

While I don't cheer for Vegas, the rest of his post is pretty bang on. That team is everything Calgary isn't, they play like every shift is their last, they play with pace, they forecheck, they play smart, everybody is committed, how can a coach get a team to do this when they've never played together prior to this year? You'd think there would be a learning curve no? I think they are the classic example of what happens when you hire the right guy behind the bench.

Engelland looked like hot garbage last year playing under GG, this year he looks like a complete different player, a leader and a reliable Dman. And the only reason i've watched Vegas so much this year to see it for myself is cause I've bet against them in probably 50% of there games, boy has that been a mistake. Surely it can't continue or maybe it can?

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Cheering on a division rival.

Gross.

So what, we should show undying loyalty for an organization that has done nothing but piss on the city and it's fans over the last year with the whole arena debacle? Ken King killed off any faith I had left in this franchise months ago, now I'm just watching for entertainment value. And Vegas is a much more entertaining team to watch than the Flames

[Karl]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

When I see the word "liability", I think defensive liability and that he's causing issues that threaten the flames net.

He's definitely part of the problem. All 5 of them are.

I just mean Brouwer is an offensive liability, that's all. Then again, all the Flames 4th liners this year are big time offensive liabilities. Defensively he's good enough.

Anyway, I'd keep Brouwer on the PK though as he has some good use there. All I'm asking from the coaches is no more 'Brouwerplay Powerplay', that's all.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Vegas is really challenging some strongly held positions that hockey is a strong link game. Vegas demonstrates the importance of depth better than any other team. No they don't have top level players. But they were able to basically choose the tenth best players on every roster in the league. They have a decent top line and then all young hungry third liners. They also clearly show the value of speed because they were meticulous in picking the fastest players.

The thing is that this mix of depth and speed is overwhelming almost every other team in the league. Their record is 20-9-2. That's like contender level play.

And it's where the Flames have completely fell down. Depth is terrible and the franchise is reluctant to develop it, choosing expensive, slow players and loyalty over youth, speed and hunger.

If you don't think they're still riding the expansion team high, you're fooling yourself. They're a feel good story and they have all bought in and all the credit in the world to that. They are also very well coached.

But that roster will not sustain this long term. They've got a good enough start that playoffs are absolutely possible but the lack of top end talent will catch up to them this year or next and they will be a bottom feeder. This season will hurt them long term as they wont get anything elite next June in the draft.

Vegas are the best story right now but it's tough to see that roster as it is now have any kind of long term success.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Brouwer shouldn't be on the PP - he is not an option to pass to in order to gain the zone, and he offers little else other than screening the goalie. I think his foot-speed is too slow to consistently race to pucks behind the net or in the corner to retain possession.

My ideal lineup (with Jagr out) is:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland - Bennett
Hamilton/Giordano

If you are only playing one defencemen, make him a great 2-way defencemen. I would rather have Hamilton over Stone on PP1, as he can create more, while still being a legitimate threat to score from the point. Ferland can be the net-front presence. Bennett is a good option to gain the zone while carrying the puck.

PP2 should be something like:
Jankowski - Tkachuk - Backlund
Giordano-Brodie

The defencemen have a tonne of experience working off one another on the PP, and can set each other for 1-timers, fake one-timers to pass off the boards, etc. Giordano has a legitimate shot too.

Jankowski can be the net front presence. I would rather invest the time in him learning that aspect than keeping Brouwer on the PP who is fairly one dimensional. Tkachuk can be that net front presence and switch-off with Jankowski.

I really do think that the first unit right now suffers from a lack of options at carrying the puck into the zone, suffers from having teams cheating knowing that Brodie is not much of a threat to score from the point so they are more likely to collapse around home-plate, and a lack of foot-speed to get into the corners and dig pucks out.

As for 5vs5, this team either plays well defensively and has their offence neutered, or ends up playing a more shinny-type of game. Way too many defensive breakdowns tonight, and still not generating consistently enough. They did manage to really pressure the Sharks for a while, but that didn't last long.

I liked the change-up in the lines. I thought Bennett and Jankowski were really good tonight. I didn't put that loss on Smith - Gaudreau should have passed the puck sooner, but Braun just did a really good job at trapping Gaudreau anyways. Just a terribly timed goal.

This team is not scoring enough. This team still has trouble playing consistent defence. I think the team needs to simplify more as they look slow and predictable out there. I really believe that this is a fairly quick team, and there are two strengths:

Passing and puck-moving offensive defencemen. I think they need to throw that puck around more, start skating and have the defence support the offence more and jump into the play a bit more. Defence is the backbone of this team, but these aren't stay-at-home defensive defencemen. I think the team needs to utilize their strengths more than PERHAPS the system allows (still trying to figure out if it is the system, or the players not playing to the system enough, or just being rattled/confidence issues).

Looking forward to the Nashville game. Maybe Gulutzan will have some epiphany by watching them, and see how Nashville utilizes their D. Flames SHOULD be playing a similar system to them, and arguably being even more successful at it since the forwards are a bit better.

One thing that didn't surprise me is the lack of pressure at the end of the game. This team seems rattled. They have seemed rattled all year.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

So what, we should show undying loyalty for an organization that has done nothing but piss on the city and it's fans over the last year with the whole arena debacle? Ken King killed off any faith I had left in this franchise months ago, now I'm just watching for entertainment value. And Vegas is a much more entertaining team to watch than the Flames

Just playing around champ. Pump the brakes.

[JJFlash]

Originally Posted by Racki

This team under Gulutzan is the definition of average. They're difficult to watch. I enjoy watching Oilers games and cheering for them to lose more than I enjoy Flames games cheering for them to win.

I did that tonight. Went to the Oilers game tonight and thoroughly enjoyed the smell of sadness in the new building.

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

If there was an award for best assistant coach in the NHL, Dave Cameron would not be nominated.

I laughed out loud reading this. Well played! Truer words have not been written.

[calgarywinning]

Tonight was a weird game. The San Jose system was uniquely different to see with 4 men posted at their own blue line frustrating entry and only 1 back in their defensive zone.

Flames were really caught up at the blue line, especially in the second period. Then if they did make the zone they collapsed very quickly. If there was a turn over they were outletting up the ice forcing forward D to be on full return.

Gio had a great game tonight, just made some fantastic plays.

[Bingo]

Sharks 3 Flames 2

- Good first, bad second, solid third but Flames lose
- Smith continues home ice woes
- Gulutzan blenders the line to results

[djsFlames]

Was in the Last Jedi - thankfully.

Geez why can't we eek out these ones at home? Struggling to score more than two without turning it into river hockey. We need another weapon and a change to the PP.

[nemanja2306]

Nothing more needs to be said than what it says in my signature.

Sent from my WAS-LX1A using Tapatalk

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

If you don't think they're still riding the expansion team high, you're fooling yourself. They're a feel good story and they have all bought in and all the credit in the world to that. They are also very well coached.

But that roster will not sustain this long term. They've got a good enough start that playoffs are absolutely possible but the lack of top end talent will catch up to them this year or next and they will be a bottom feeder. This season will hurt them long term as they wont get anything elite next June in the draft.

Vegas are the best story right now but it's tough to see that roster as it is now have any kind of long term success.

They kept winning while playing their 4th string goalie.

Most teams lose their starter for 2 months they are praying they go .500. Let alone an expansion team who prior to the season starting everyone thought they would win games only if their starter could steal some for them.

Leafs or Flames lose their starter for 2 months? I doubt they can put up a record like Vegas.

They have a good team.

[direwolf]

Skipped this game to go see Star Wars tonight. I see our PP continues to be dreadful and we still suck at home. Glad I missed this one.

At least the Oilers lost.

[Love]

Really liked Gaudreau / Janko / Hathaway in the third period. Hope we get to see that combo for at least another game

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Jimdon

I didn't think it was a terrible game really. So much salt in this thread for a one goal game that was competitive until the end.

When every single game you play is a one goal game, you are doing domething wrong. Every game boils down to getting unlikely bounces or hoping our goalie, who is the same age Kipper was when he retired, can hold the opponent to 1 or 0.

[bubbsy]

For a team that went all in this season, sure looking like they are a bubble team that have only a 50/50 chance of making the playoffs.

The utilization of Brodie on the top pp has been ridiculous. He does not use his skating ability to gain the zone ever, cant/won't shoot, avg passer.

Pucks from the point to get a garbage goal has long been the cliché to get a pp out of it's funk. Yet this coaching staff is not smart enough to put a shooter at the point, just sticking with Brodie and Gaudreau (basically).

At this point, the players look dumb, the coach looks dumb, the gm looks dumb.

[Geeoff]

The secret is not taking Brouwer off PP1 but adding Stajan and Lazar to PP1

[Robbob]

I think you can see the players frustrated on the pp. Gaudreau entering the zone on the 5 v3 and just shooting the puck from the near the goal line was uncharacteristic. Just gave up the puck way to easy.