[PGT] Avalanche 5 - Flames 6

[GioforPM]

Random day after thoughts:

I didn't know that Neal liked the one knee shot (like Cammi). But that's a confidence booster right there.
I love the one armed carry of Johnny by Neal.
Valimaki got an assist even though I can't see him touch the puck. Totally deserved but I've never seen that before.
The "top line in hockey" got owned.
"Not ready to play" has been cured.

[Robbob]

It is quite evident that this team is close. From Bennett stepping up to the way they interacted with Smith when the final buzzer went. The players heard the bronx cheers (which I personally don't like), they knew Smith let a couple bad goals in. In the end he fought through it and the team got the win.

I think Smith needs to settle down and just play his game. When he chases the game his head space just isn't right. The game last night was the type of game that just doesn't suit a goalie that is as active as he is. They probably barely needed to scrape the Flames zone during the TV timeouts.

Was a good game in the sense I think it brought the team together. Neal also scoring a meaningful goal was huge, hopefully that gets him going. All in all a great game.

The bonus in all this is they are sitting top of the Pacific and they know they can still improve aspects of their game.

[SuperMatt18]

I was sitting right along ice level on the camera side last night and from that angle it looked like a huge charge and high hit with the way Cole's arm came up - so can see why the refs gave it 5 and a game from ice level.

The replay doesn't look as bad - more shoulder to shoulder than a head hit - but live it looked like it was 4 strides and then launched into Jankowski.

Probably should have just been 2 for charging (personally don't really think his glide was long enough and it was mostly 4 straight strides) but even then I'm not sure the PP really changed momentum that much. That was all the fight by Bennett, even though he may not be as productive offensively as we all hoped I still love that guy.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Shazam

When was the last time a Flames' goalie played terribly and the team still won?

Game two of the season

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I was sitting right along ice level on the camera side last night and from that angle it looked like a huge charge - so can see why the refs gave it 5 and a game from ice level.

The replay doesn't look as bad - but live it looked like it was 4 strides and then launched into Jankowski.

Maybe it should have just been 2 for charging (personally don't really think his glide was long enough and it was mostly 4 straight strides) but even then I'm not sure the PP really changed momentum that much - it was all the fight by Bennett.

If you read the Avs hf board it wasn't the 2 minute power play - it was losing the mighty Cole for 10 minutes that sealed their fate.

[Owen15]

Bennett almost scrapped Cole earlier in the game. Cole gift wrapped an opportunity for Bennett to turn the tide. That's what Avs fans should be annoyed about. Why poke the bear?

[Mr.Coffee]

Missed the game unfortunately but perhaps the best part about the Bennett fight and the Valimaki hit, combined with the good efforts in multiple games now, is that it puts a major dent into my theory that the players don’t care.

If they can consistently bring good efforts they will be just fine. Glad to see me being (hopefully) wrong.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Owen15

Bennett almost scrapped Cole earlier in the game. Cole gift wrapped an opportunity for Bennett to turn the tide. That's what Avs fans should be annoyed about. Why poke the bear?

It really was a perfect turnaround sequence:

a. Big and unnecessary hit that is maybe dirty that makes the Flames mad.
b. Sets up fight that excites the bench.
c. Top 4 defenceman goes off in exchange for a guy on the third line.
d. Period break for Peters to make adjustments, and fire up the room.
e. Power play goal for the Flames in the very early third, putting the game within reach.

Heck, the hit even put Monahan on the fourth line for a goal due to the requirement to rotate the forwards around to make up for Bennett and Jankowski being unavailable.

[BigFlameDog]

Who gives a crap...they called Cole and didn't call Valimaki, not like it hasn't happened the other way before. Avs should't have been in the game regardless...hockey gods adjustment.

Also, while Cole's was at least debatable, Valimaki's was a classic case of keep your head up kid....dude made three strides while looking at the "Made in Czech Republic" line on the puck.

[Robo]

No way valimakis hit was a charge he took like 2 strides then glided into him

[bubbsy]

Saw a tweet that the flames gave up only a single digit amount of high danger scoring chances. Unreal that they still got scored on 5 times...

They need to get Rittich in more games, smith was a major liability last night.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Saw a tweet that the flames gave up only a single digit amount of high danger scoring chances. Unreal that they still got scored on 5 times...

They need to get Rittich in more games, smith was a major liability last night.

3 of the five goals were not on Smith IMO. Off a flames Dman, the puck doing weird things causing quite the breakdown in the Dzone, and the last PP goal. I still don't know how he isn't interfering with the goalie when he is pushing the pad and you can see the stick flexing. He must have a Gaudreau 55 flex stick.

[redpaint]

Originally Posted by Robbob

3 of the five goals were not on Smith IMO. Off a flames Dman, the puck doing weird things causing quite the breakdown in the Dzone, and the last PP goal. I still don't know how he isn't interfering with the goalie when he is pushing the pad and you can see the stick flexing. He must have a Gaudreau 55 flex stick.

Even with that logic. that's 2 soft goals, not sure how that is any better. In a year where scoring is up, I get you can't blame the goalie for unlucky bounces and high percentage chances resulting in goals. but 2 goals or less is literally the difference in the majority of games in this league.



regularly giving up soft goals = bad goaltending. period.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Robbob

3 of the five goals were not on Smith IMO. Off a flames Dman, the puck doing weird things causing quite the breakdown in the Dzone, and the last PP goal. I still don't know how he isn't interfering with the goalie when he is pushing the pad and you can see the stick flexing. He must have a Gaudreau 55 flex stick.

Totally agree on the interference. Smith's only chance to stop that was to get his pad on it and he couldn't.

I agree that Smith was only directly at fault for 2 goals. But he sure looked shaky on his stops prior to the third. The one that went in late was an example - he'd stop the puck and drop on it with his knees, and he was so far back in that it was always in danger of crossing the line under him. He was also waving kind of wildly at wide shots.

He was better in the third, but not really tested on lateral movement. They were mostly at his crest. He just doesn't look like he did this time last year.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Owen15

Bennett almost scrapped Cole earlier in the game. Cole gift wrapped an opportunity for Bennett to turn the tide. That's what Avs fans should be annoyed about. Why poke the bear?

It's funny -- Adrian Dater was on the Fan960 yesterday and when he mentioned the Bennett hit from last game, he hinted at the possibility of retribution from the Avs.

Instead, Bennett drops the mitts and goes beast mode on another one of their players. I think we're going to have to start a Sam Bennett Friendship Tour pretty soon...

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

The hit on Janko was cleaner than being a 5 minute major, it was primary contact with the chest, was it high chest? sure but still chest. Maybe cole left his feet a little, give him 2 minutes. That hit certainly doesn't warrant a 5 minute major.

At absolute most that should be a 2 minute minor for the charge, but refs are so concerned with missing something physical that they over call it and it's mostly because a small vocal minority of hockey fans believe that hitting is bad. I feel like the refs saw Janko go down the tunnel and they let the result (apparent injury) dictate the penalty. The action, not the result, should dictate the penalty not the other way around.

That hit is not on Cole, that is 100% hanifin's fault for making that pass.

Darian Hatcher and Scott Stevens would be proud of your logic.

No doubt Hanafin is partially responsible and should be smarter, but...

Cole left his feet a little, also took more than 3 strides and targeted the head. Does it merit a suspension? NO, but definitely more than 2 minutes.

The league showed last night that they don't want to take hitting out of the league (ie Valimaki), which is fine by me.

[Robbob]

No doubt Smith is fighting it right now. The benefit of this game is that it allows him to mentally get past the bad goals as it didn't cost the team. I think he knows he can play a lot better, his team mates believe in him, and the coach is still in his corner. All things considered the team is in a good place right now.

[rayne008]

A little late to the party!

[GioforPM]

When was the last time the Flames scored 5 in a period? Especially without an ENG.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

When was the last time the Flames scored 5 in a period? Especially without an ENG.

I believe on the fan960 this morning they said 1976 (70's anyway) Atlanta Flames. Was only the 2nd time in "Flames" history.


I'm also pretty sure after the Bennett scrap he calls the guy a "little bitch" which made me laugh.