[Game Takes] Habs 3 Flames 2

[Bingo]

Game Takes:
Habs 3 Flames 2

Not feeling great guys, not my best work.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Thanks for the balanced perspective contrasting some of the hysteria from the GT and PGT.

Man did Hanifin look bad today. Neal looks way too slow and unengaged out there. Not enough from a lot of the rest.

Wish we had more Tkachuks

[heep223]

Surprised how even the fancy stats were.

[Strange Brew]

That is a good write up. If only the Flames put in that kind of consistent effort.

[nieuwy-89]

Don’t be hard on yourself Bingo. Great game take as usual. You deserve a tonne of credit for pumping these out with the usual high quality after every game. Take care man.

[Erick Estrada]

Special teams have not been good enough but hopefully it's just a matter of new systems taking some time. That said I do think this team misses Hamilton on the point as none of the current defensemen seem to be a thread to score from the point.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Special teams have not been good enough but hopefully it's just a matter of new systems taking some time. That said I do think this team misses Hamilton on the point as none of the current defensemen seem to be a thread to score from the point.

There was a poster last year that warned about trading Hamilton, because the organization would spend years trying to find another player like him. Kind of like Chasing Amy.

I’m not regretting the trade but you are right. The PP is missing a point shot.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Good job, Bingo. I have a tremendous amount of respect for your thoughtful and respectful perspective.

The better coached team won. Full stop.

Peters is less than 10 games in so that’s not an indictment as of now. He is finding his way with the team and there are many positives. But Julien has Montreal playing as a team (I saw them in person last week and noted as much earlier today here). Habs play fast and the Flames were comparatively slow.

The knitting circle stuff I don’t get. Teams are well known for having curfews on the road on game nights. And it wasn’t the Flames being terribly off in my mind, they weren’t ready for Montreal, because Montreal plays fast and cohesively as a team.

Brodie tonight, you are right, was very good.

A lot of knuckleheads here took some odd bounces one game and then that attempted pass last game where a bad decision, and a guy with a good stick, resulted in no eventual harm due to Rittich, and created the narrative of a problem. Somehow, all of Andersson, Hanifin and Valimaki have had gaffes and pucks hopping over sticks, and in a lot of cases there is no harm done as well.

Brodie is good, and the hamhanded overwrought drama here about him has been like, oh.. I know - Jonathan Drouin. I saw him hit the deck against Detroit like he did when Brodie hit him and he looks like that weasel Ribeiro. Greasy and disgusting.

Refs were terrible.

Flames PP stunk.

Rittich was awesome.

[Mike F]

I've been beating this drum seemingly forever, with so many answers to the struggles with the power play would come from putting Neal on the right side half boards. He seems to be the only forward with a powerful shot that could beat the goalie from outside, as Petry did tonight, and it probably gets him more engaged in the game. It also somewhat eliminates the big detriment of having a defenseman who can score from the point

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

There was a poster last year that warned about trading Hamilton, because the organization would spend years trying to find another player like him. Kind of like Chasing Amy.

I’m not regretting the trade but you are right. The PP is missing a point shot.

Yeah. I’m not lamenting the loss of Hamilton but it’s more the loss of a defenseman that could beat goaltenders from the point and had a knack for getting in position to score. Flames ave largely a group of good skating defensemen with muffin shots.

[Split98]

Very similar to the NYR game in a lot of respects, but they scored 3.

Not a lot of compete out there tonight especially for loose pucks, which I'm sure we'll see alleviated when we play better teams. MTL has a great record so far, but if last night was any indication - they're just very good at attacking when you allow space. That'll be tough to maintain when teams start game playing you more, which I doubt any coach planned on doing this early in the season TBH.

Brodie was good outside of a costly penalty, but it was good to see some positive moves from Brodie last night. It was a small play, but in the 3rd I saw him stop up from a D-D pass and reversed up the boards instead. It was a quick, but very well read play that prevented a sure turnover - but is the kind of trap we've seen Brodie fall into all season so far. He's been outsmarted, even if his hands and feet have looked up to the task. Good to see him win a mind-battle there.

Few other quick points:

• Rittich - I'm very confident when he's back there. Like, grab another beer real quick while they're on the PK confident.
• Jankowski - Played with the most jam I've seen tonight. Took a couple lumps in the process, but didn't seem fazed. Really doesn't want to be the guy out again
• Andersson - He was the most versatile D tonight trying to get the offence moving. Gio and Hanifin seemed inspired and jumped in as well, but I noticed Andersson quite a bit when we needed to start changing the momentum
• Neal - What on Earth is going on here? You get the feeling that when they go in, they'll come in bunches but at the same time it also looks like he's lucky to even have had the scoring chances he's had. He came in wide open off the wing with a chance to turn the game around completely... and he shot wide. This well-paid vet needs to start helping this team win soon.

If I'm being honest, I'm happy we are coming out of NYR/MTL with 2 points and something to prove with PITT/WAS/TOR ahead of us.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yeah. I’m not lamenting the loss of Hamilton but it’s more the loss of a defenseman that could beat goaltenders from the point and had a knack for getting in position to score. Flames ave largely a group of good skating defensemen with muffin shots.

One D-man that doesn't have a muffin is Stone. We laugh at home with a caveman "here comes the booooo-oommmm!" whenever Stone winds up.

GG didn't seem to want to utilize this weapon, but a PP with Stone from the point could be very effective. Hamilton was good at finding his own lanes and then slapping a strike, but the Stone shot can be enough of a wrecking ball that you make room for it.

[Bingo]

It's not the shot they need, it's the guy that will set up the one timers smoothly, or at very least just not make the decision to shoot far too often when the goaltender is set.

Hamilton was on the powerplay a lot last year and they were terrible. He didn't have a cannon, but he got pucks through ... but honestly that's what I'm saying they don't need. Modern NHL goalies make themselves big and face the shooters, so what Giordano is doing isn't going to get it done.

They have to get Gaudreau off the left half wall and either over to the right, or the guy to set it up from behind the net.

The best the PP looked last night was unit two and Rasmus Andersson teeing them up.

[GioforPM]

Hamilton didn't have a big point shot. He had a wicked wrister when he slid into the RW position.

I agree Gaudreau can look good on the right side once they establish (but Lindholm has looked okay there too). What I think they should be doing is rotating, switching and generally moving a lot more. Static positions make it easy on the goalie and allow the PK to collapse.

[Toonage]

Don't more analytically inclined coaches hate guys firing it at the net for fear that it misses and they end up chasing it down to their end? Thought that was why GG didn't like Stone out there, period. Not just on the PP.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Don't more analytically inclined coaches hate guys firing it at the net for fear that it misses and they end up chasing it down to their end? Thought that was why GG didn't like Stone out there, period. Not just on the PP.

People remember the rare times Stone gets it on net or (even rarer) scores. It's usually blocked high because it takes so long, or misses and creates the self-exit.

Plus he can't pass the puck well, or move his feet to keep the puck in, which is a must for a point man. If the puck gets out he's not exactly speedy, so as to win a race with the high PK forward.

[Toonage]

Makes sense. You have a greater chance of keeping it in the zone, getting it on net, attacking the rebound, creating chances etc.

Plus like you said, he isn't quick so you burn half your PP chasing it down.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Bingo

It's not the shot they need, it's the guy that will set up the one timers smoothly, or at very least just not make the decision to shoot far too often when the goaltender is set.

Hamilton was on the powerplay a lot last year and they were terrible. He didn't have a cannon, but he got pucks through ... but honestly that's what I'm saying they don't need. Modern NHL goalies make themselves big and face the shooters, so what Giordano is doing isn't going to get it done.

They have to get Gaudreau off the left half wall and either over to the right, or the guy to set it up from behind the net.

The best the PP looked last night was unit two and Rasmus Andersson teeing them up.

Please talk with my dad. All he does is yell SHOOT!!! when we are on the powerplay. I'm like man, you need some east-west passing to try and catch the goalie moving for a quick shot. He thinks they should put pucks on net and crash and bang. Maybe Gio thinks the same? They are both old men I suppose

[GioforPM]

You need shots to keep 'em honest and create rebounds, you need fast passing to keep 'em moving, you need player movement to keep 'em guessing where the shots will come from. And you need to get the puck - their battles and puck races leave something to be desired.

[BigFlameDog]

I told myself to not pay too much attention until the 25 game mark so I am going to stick to that. Lots of changes over the off season so IMO this soup needs time to cook.