[PGT] Bolts 7 Flames 4. Flames blow a third-period lead and lose for the 6th straight game

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Nope but the coaching situation will sort itself out. Either he gets the team rolling again in time to make the playoffs or he won't and will get fired in the offseason. It's win-win either way for fans.

And a huge win for the islanders.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by New Era

The Flames came out to start the third period looking scared and not ready for any push. The damage was done early. The Flames piled up the shots late. And the majority of those shots were poor quality shots. When the Flames actually had really good opportunities to score in close, they blew the shot or missed the net. Number of shots means nothing.

What goals that Tampa scored in the 3rd would be a regular occurance. Smith stops those normally in his sleep. Peca goal shouldn’t have snuck through and we should’ve had a 4-2 lead going into the 2nd. 4th, 5th and 7th goals were soft goals that should’ve been saved as well. We didn’t get the saves tonight, simple as that. It happens. It happened a lot last season and so thank goodness it hasn’t happened as often this season.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by direwolf

On the post game show, Hrudey mentioned that the mental fragility thing is a huge problem right now with the Flames, and the coaches are gonna have to find a positive way to address it with the players without making things worse.

Christ almighty, are these players really that fragile that they have to be treated with kid gloves when things aren't going well? I think another stick throw might be in order for this group...this time from Treliving.

This is the other end of the spectrum from the Hartley approach. At least he got results.

[Toonage]

Sigh. Still only 2 points back of 2nd. This team is driving me nuts. I don't know what to think. So weird.

[868904]

Maybe the flames can trade Backlund to the Islanders for their first round pick in their effort to make the playoffs and they miss and the flames win the lottery with the isles first rounder.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by nik-

I'm not worried. I'm sure month 19 is where it finally clicks and Gulatzan gets this team playing well.

It just takes time for the team to understand the system ^TM

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Had gulutzan pulled Smith after 4, the story would have been "idiot coach pulls all Star goalie known for mental fortitude during tie game in third period."

Well, unfortunately we'll never know and instead the team allowed 4 unanswered goals in the 3rd when they came in with the lead.

[Karl]

Well, the 4th line scored AND had a good game.

Brouwer was tremendous.

And they did have a 2 goal lead.

It's just gone for not though because the wrong 'find a way Flames' have occurred.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by transplant99

He allowed 4 on 29 shots...but was allowed to remain in the game because, you know, he is the best option.

Nothing disingenuous about it.

There was also the small detail that he didn't let in any weak goals, but argue away.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

Ruff. He will use the D properly.

Fair enough...is he interested? Who are his assistants? Are the ownership group willing to pay a coach to not coach?

[btimbit]

I don't know who to blame this loss on. I thought everyone played well except for a goal or two that looked a tad Elliott-ish

But I'm not happy

[Kybb79]

If BT is so in love with GG that he can't or won't fire him then blow it up. Send some of these soft players packing. Get some talent!

[Corral]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

Yup, the opposite excuse was used when they blew a lead against Buffalo. Any team can win.

I'm sick of excuses. The team has to make a move and find out if their roster is maxed out on performance, or if GG sucks.

Wait too long and the Islanders might win the lottery.

yeah and I wasn't one of the folks who was making excuses when it was Buffalo or Edmonton or LA - those 3 losses were far more cause for concern than this one.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

I don’t see anyone in here saying that Smith wasn’t garbage tonight. I see a bunch of people saying that everyone could tell Smith was garbage and that the coach should’ve done something before it got out of hand. This is a one off either there’s a history of this with this coach.

Funny part is outside of the last two months there isn’t that much history there with the coach letting it get out of hand resulting in a blown lead.

This team has actually been automatic in the 3rd under GG, and usually don’t blow leads. If anything the complaint in the past was that they couldn’t come back when down in the third.

Something happened in the last 2 months though (and really the last two weeks) that has just killed the teams confidence in the 3rd when holding a lead.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

I hope Treliving comes out tomorrow and says "Well Glen has taken this team as far as he can take it." "Id like to introduce our new head coach Daryl Sutter".

What a nice dream.

[Jetfire]

Originally Posted by pylon

Wait a sec. Weren’t you a massive glue gun fan boy? So much so you started a thread and tantrumed at anyone who disagreed?

Or am I thinking of someone else?

He was being optimistic. He's been sliding to the fire GG side gradually for like 3 months now.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Corral

Yeah that "any team can win on any night" is a narrative that doesn't hold water for me. The elite teams don't lose very often - games against them are not 50/50 propositions. And Calgary isn't one of them elite teams. Some of us have known that since August - others around here had us winning the division - as you just were laughing about.

I don't know man. When you trade your first round pick, you better be an above average team.

In this case, you would be in the boat of firing Treliving right? Obviously he had too high expectations..

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Corral

Yeah that "any team can win on any night" is a narrative that doesn't hold water for me. The elite teams don't lose very often - games against them are not 50/50 propositions. And Calgary isn't one of them elite teams. Some of us have known that since August - others around here had us winning the division - as you just were laughing about.

Well if not for Vegas who nobody called doing well the Flames would be battling for a division title despite not playing up to snuff for the majority of the season

[delayedreflex]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Frolik last game
Smith this game

Those two were easy

Team is not in the position because they lost to the two best teams in the league this week though.

What makes these last two games so painful is that we were well on our way to WINNING against the two best teams in the league, before absolutely blowing both of them.

I will say though, the Flames did look good even when they were down 3. Nice that they are finally trying Gaudreau on the right side on the PP (which despite his dominance in international play from that area, Calgary has rarely tried), and they were much better with their puck movement during the PP this game. Can't finish to save their lives though.

Agreed that Smith should have been pulled after the 5th goal at the very latest (and most likely the 4th), but with the weak goal that Rittich let in right away it's no guarantee that having him in earlier would have resulted in anything better.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by pylon

Wait a sec. Weren’t you a massive glue gun fan boy? So much so you started a thread and tantrumed at anyone who disagreed?

Or am I thinking of someone else?

I mean, if you want to lynch people for having non-static opinions, then sure -- god, I loved Glue Gun. I referenced in that post how he was coaching rather well earlier in the season, doing a good job of motivating his stars... and the team was playing well. But man oh man has he made this team tough to watch lately.

I would say that your accusation of me having "tantrumed" is a little condescending, though.