[PGT] Flames lose 4-3

[Phagoof]

We need someone on the second line to play with Backlund and Tkachuk. (Stone, Get er done Tre)

We need some more mussel/grit. (Maroon,Mcleod,Jenner(Drool))

We need a goalie who doesn't have a six-hole. (not sure who would be available just someone cheap.)

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I can only read about 1 page of this thread before I start to roll my eyes at the reactions.

We lost a tough 1 goal game basically on a late powerplay goal for a penalty call that a ref has to make. No complaints other than it was crappy timing.

The Caps were desperate for a win after a prolonged losing streak. I thought they were the slightly better team and had home ice advantage.

Smith was perfectly fine tonight. I wouldn't blink twice if any other goalie let in any of those goals tonight. It's just the way the game goes sometimes.

That was a B+ effort from the Flames. Good in spurts, but not consistently strong all night. It's to be expected after a long break, so hopefully this motivates them to come out flying the next game.

I didn't like the dirt from the Caps in this game. Lots of little chippy and dirty plays from some unlikely characters. Wilson can eat a bag of dicks. I cannot stand that guy. Fake tough guy as far as I'm concerned. Reminds me a lot of Bieksa.

On to the next one. Nothing to bemoan about this game, just have to be a little better in the next one.

[Monahammer]

The need for a Ryan Reaves type player is pretty apparent after tonight. The caps were taking liberties everywhere, and the flames just looked like little punks. Pretty disheartening.

I also disagree with the Smith has to start some games crowd. No he doesnt, unless we are trying to lose them. Time to ride rittich into the sunset

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

The need for a Ryan Reaves type player is pretty apparent after tonight. The caps were taking liberties everywhere, and the flames just looked like little punks. Pretty disheartening.

I also disagree with the Smith has to start some games crowd. No he doesnt, unless we are trying to lose them. Time to ride rittich into the sunset

Yeah I dont get those that say "beat them with a good PP".

Skill is great and all that, but when your team is being pushed around all over the ice, the answer isn't going to be found on the PP, its still a mans game in the NHL and at times you simply have to push back physically. That was never more evident than last night and there are some very heavy teams in the West they will have to get through come the PO's.

And yes, Smith/new backup have to play games. They have 30 of them in the next 61 days. There isn't a G alive that wouldnt burn right out and likely be injured trying to play that kind of workload. G's need a break both mentally and physically, particularly to allow the soft tissues in the groin etc to recover/heal.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yeah I dont get those that say "beat them with a good PP".

Skill is great and all that, but when your team is being pushed around all over the ice, the answer isn't going to be found on the PP, its still a mans game in the NHL and at times you simply have to push back physically. That was never more evident than last night and there are some very heavy teams in the West they will have to get through come the PO's.

And yes, Smith/new backup have to play games. They have 30 of them in the next 61 days. There isn't a G alive that wouldnt burn right out and likely be injured trying to play that kind of workload. G's need a break both mentally and physically, particularly to allow the soft tissues in the groin etc to recover/heal.

Totally agree up top. Perhaps adding crouse and gudas could be in order?

I'd also say if you really believe that then you'd better hope tre can find another option to back up rittich or we are in for a rough ride.

[Phaneuf_Phan]

Originally Posted by troutman

Playoff toughness does not include:

- slashes to the ankles
- boarding small players after the whistle
- punching a prone opponent on the ice

The Caps got away with that crap because of our lack of toughness. The NHL knows the Flames weakness - you can push them around physically. Hopefully the the Flames address this before the playoffs starts or it could be a great regular season and fast post season for us. The playoffs are different and the Cup champs just showed us our weakness. Fix it.

[zarrell]

This team doesn't need to play a style that isn't in their DNA but they do need some more size on the 4th line. Mangiapane needs to be sent down and bring Quine back up.

[Jore]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf_Phan

The Caps got away with that crap because of our lack of toughness. The NHL knows the Flames weakness - you can push them around physically. Hopefully the the Flames address this before the playoffs starts or it could be a great regular season and fast post season for us. The playoffs are different and the Cup champs just showed us our weakness. Fix it.

this was the first regulation loss since january 3rd, when smith also took a dump on the ice and the flames couldn't outscore his awfulness. that's 11 games, that doesn't show me how the nhl knows the flames' weakness and can exploit it.

i don't see why people think the flames lost because of toughness. flames lost because they couldn't overcome the refs and smith in the same game against a good team.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

.....
I also disagree with the Smith has to start some games crowd. No he doesnt, unless we are trying to lose them. Time to ride rittich into the sunset

Yeah. That's a great plan.
Burn out your #1 before the playoffs.
Excellent idea

[Flames fan 4 life]

Originally Posted by AC

https://gfycat.com/caninebigheartedcolt

Not interference somehow...

I think this ref was in New Orleans a couple weeks ago...

[keenan87]

I just woke up and still very annoyed that the Flames couldn't even pick up 1 point last night. I have said it before and will say it again, I have never disliked a player as much as Smith.

Cant making a ####ing save at all when it counts. At least 3 od those goals.. he could have stopped at least 1. How the hell does someone continue to allow goals to squeak in from the same spot so often. Get this trash off the team.

As for Backlund, he needs to stop taking ####ty penalties at the wrong times. He is becoming increasingly frustrating. Everytime there is a dumb penalty with a few minutes remaining, its seems to be either him or Bennett .. although, Bennett has been much better this year.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I just woke up and still very annoyed that the Flames couldn't even pick up 1 point last night. I have said it before and will say it again, I have never disliked a player as much as Smith.

Cant making a ####ing save at all when it counts. At least 3 od those goals.. he could have stopped at least 1. How the hell does someone continue to allow goals to squeak in from the same spot so often. Get this trash off the team.

As for Backlund, he needs to stop taking ####ty penalties at the wrong times. He is becoming increasingly frustrating. Everytime there is a dumb penalty with a few minutes remaining, its seems to be either him or Bennett .. although, Bennett has been much better this year.

Has Bennett taken dumb penalties late in a game at all this season? Bennett has definitely improved this part of his game.

I'm with you on Smith. I figured I'd never hate a Flames player the same way I did with Brian Elliott and Troy Brouwer...but here we are. A team worthy of being 1st in the league, and we're not because we have the worst active goaltender in the league. It's every damn game with Smith.

[flambers]

This type of a style of a game is something the Flames are extremely poor at...

Flames power-play has to shine in a game like last night

[Brouhaha]

Originally Posted by AC

https://gfycat.com/caninebigheartedcolt

Not interference somehow...

After watching the blown call in the Saints and Rams game a few weeks ago, that is as obvious and blatant a PI call as you could see in a football game. I am not going to debate that particular gaff by a reffing crew. However, that level of a blown call happens in every NHL game. NHL officials are not there to enforce the rules. They're on the ice to manage a game. How else can anyone explain what goes on out there night after night? They are the dumbest people on the planet? Hmmm...

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Overall thoughts on the game. Flames were sloppy. Smith didn’t let in any lower quality goals than we’ve seen Rittich let in lately. Goaltending didn’t save us last night but it also wasn’t why we lost.....Smith’s kind of earned this, but it’s clear for many Flames fans he needs to be flawless on every play or the goal will be deemed 100% his fault. An impossible standard that every goalie in this league would fail if held to the same standard.

As for the toughness. Completely disagree with the we get pushed around comment. The Flames aren’t a tough team, but they’ve shown all season long they won’t be pushed around or intimidated. I’d like us to add a little toughness, but we aren’t losing games due to the lack of it.

On to the next game. So nice to not have to panic about every single loss this year and evaluate this team properly over reasonable sample sizes.

[IliketoPuck]

I disagree that Smith didn’t let in any soft goals.

The third goal is an easy stop if Smith challenges the shooter and is out at the top of his crease. The fourth goal is a nice shot, sure, but that is all Kuznetsov had to shoot at, since the Flames defender was laid out on the ice taking away the low shot. If smith is square to the shooter and just stands up that’s off his shoulder into the corner. Instead he’s down early, deep in his net, and hugging his post awkwardly at a poor angle.

Smith let in four goals. Two were stoppable and one occurred because he went out to play the puck and caused a scramble. Let’s call a spade a spade. The guy isn’t an nhl caliber goalie anymore. Full stop. This you need both your goalies going to be successful narrative is bs and keeps giving smith opportunities that he hasn’t earned. If you want a second competent goalie, fine. But it isn’t going to be smith. He’s shown over the course of an entire calendar year that he is what he is at this point.

Smith needs to be on the pine for the foreseeable future. And the Flames should trade for mcElhinney or someone else who is reasonably competent to backup rittich.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

I disagree that Smith didn’t let in any soft goals.

The third goal is an easy stop if Smith challenges the shooter and is out at the top of his crease. The fourth goal is a nice shot, sure, but that is all Kuznetsov had to shoot at, since the Flames defender was laid out on the ice taking away the low shot. If smith is square to the shooter and just stands up that’s off his shoulder into the corner. Instead he’s down early, deep in his net, and hugging his post awkwardly at a poor angle.

Smith let in four goals. Two were stoppable and one occurred because he went out to play the puck and caused a scramble. Let’s call a spade a spade. The guy isn’t an nhl caliber goalie anymore. Full stop. This you need both your goalies going to be successful narrative is bs and keeps giving smith opportunities that he hasn’t earned. If you want a second competent goalie, fine. But it isn’t going to be smith. He’s shown over the course of an entire calendar year that he is what he is at this point.

Smith needs to be on the pine for the foreseeable future. And the Flames should trade for mcElhinney or someone else who is reasonably competent to backup rittich.

Even your first example, the explanation you needed to get into to sell it as a weak goal shows that it wasn’t that bad. And for the 4th PP goal, where the Flames completely broke down and Smith gave the shooter nothing but the toughest spot to hit and the shooter pulled of the great shot is his fault. If you think that goal means Smith isn’t NHL caliber then you must really hate Rittich’s game cause he’s been letting in that sane goal but way worse in almost every single start he’s had prior to the break.

The problem is hyperbole. Is Smith playing great...no. Is he a tire fire right now and not even an NHL caliber backup...no. If he was our starter, we’d need a different option. I think it’s at the very least debatable on whether we need a new back up, cause I’m not convinced an upgrade is out there that doesn’t cost to much. I’m very open to getting one, but the “we must get rid of him at any cost narrative” is just so dumb. He still wins more than he loses and if he remains our backup he still gives us a chance to win must nights abd we shoukd still leverage him to rest Rittich appropriately.

[SportsJunky]

“(Kuznetsov) just ripped it off the bar,” said Flames netminder Mike Smith, who has been relegated to mostly backup duties this season but was between the pipes for a surprise start against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
“Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap. It’s one of the best players in the league in a really dangerous spot. Obviously, you’d like to make that save, but I’m not going to beat myself up about this game. I thought I battled hard.”
Indeed, you can’t pin this loss on Smith, who racked up 36 saves

https://calgaryherald.com/sports/hoc...6-74e1c7538af7

[868904]

Not sure what the uproar is over Wilson. He's a very good player and I wish we had a guy like him. He threw his weight around, nothing wrong with that.

As for wrestling with Andersson, we all know Rasmus is a chirper. He no doubt was talking trash the whole game and while in the scrum with Wilson. Good on Andersson for not backing down, I love that kid. He doesn't have to fight, but he won't just cower away.

Flames do need some size and toughness and there's actually a few options.

The expensive options are obviously Simmonds and Ferland. They will cost at least a 1st round pick. The other thing with Ferland is that he rarely showed up when the other team had big tough players. Simmonds is a gamer though. He'll fight anyone.

But there are cheaper options that might work too.

Kyle Clifford has multiple Stanley Cup rings, is a servicable player and is tough. This guy played throughout the Kings playoff runs and he's actually having a pretty good season offensively.

Brett Ritchie is in the dog house in Dallas. He's a big bodied and has some skill. He scored 17 goals before and can crash and bang. He can fight too, layed a beating on Wilson before. His problem is consistency, he needs to show up every game, and especially show up physically. He has the tools to be a physical force, a poor man's Wilson, but he needs a coach to get it out of him.

Miles Wood might not be available, but he's a very good player who can skate and hit and fight (well he shows up, though he loses more than he wins). His cap hit is pretty high for a guy who you intend to play in the bottom 6.

On defense, Nathan Bealieau could be acquired for the third pairing left side. He's a good player with good size and he can really fight.

[Haplo]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

I'm with you on Smith. I figured I'd never hate a Flames player the same way I did with Brian Elliott and Troy Brouwer...but here we are.

I think this says more about you than the players in question.