Flames need to watch video of the first few games they played after the season changing Pittsburgh beating. They haven’t played with that pit bull mentality for a long time. Flames got mentally fat and defensively lazy. Hopefully getting taken to the woodshed by Tampa will wake them up or maybe it will take another Pittsburgh beating this weekend
Said it a while back, but all teams go through slumps and Calgary was due to hit theirs. Much better to get it out of the way now then right before playoffs.
Flames will climb out of this and go into the playoffs on a heater. Oh and go all in for Mark Stone.
The Vegas broadcast just put this stat up for some context:
Flames had 1 game in hand on SJ and 2 on VEG on Jan 12th, and were +1 and 2 pts on them.
Flames currently have 1 game in hand on SJ, and will have 2 on VEG after their game ends (0-0 still), and are 1 pt back of SJ and +8 on VEG.
So after what feels like a pretty awful stretch here after the All-Star break, including a loss to SJ themselves, we've only lost 2 points on them and still have a game in hand, and have pulled well ahead of Vegas.
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The Oilers are like a buffet with one tray of off-brand mac-and-cheese and the rest of it is weird Jell-O
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Get Valimaki back up here already. He was a part of the big turnaround following the Pittsburgh massacre and would be better than one or two dmen currently suiting up.
Also I wouldn't wait till a stroke before midnight to upgrade my second line RW if that is indeed the plan.
Last year we sat on our hands as things came off the rails coming out of that break. Was probably for the best, but let's not do the same this season.
I don't know how you can watch that game and have the take away be anything other than, "The Flames need to seriously add a couple of scoring forward pieces at the deadline."
To me, that was the difference. Skill and energy in the lineup.
The Flames absolutely need some insulation from when the top line or the second line have a night off.
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I don't know how you can watch that game and have the take away be anything other than, "The Flames need to seriously add a couple of scoring forward pieces at the deadline."
To me, that was the difference. Skill and energy in the lineup.
The Flames absolutely need some insulation from when the top line or the second line have a night off.
The best defense is making the other team play in their own end.
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Pylon on the Edmonton Oilers:
"I am actually more excited for the Oilers game tomorrow than the Flames game. I am praying for multiple jersey tosses. The Oilers are my new favourite team for all the wrong reasons. I hate them so much I love them."
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Tampa looks very impressive - can anyone beat them this year?
Makes me less inclined to give away much for a rental this year, if we are not close enough to that level.
The good news for any Western team is that if they go on a run they won't have to play Tampa until the final if at all. And the Tampa that reaches the final might not look at all like they do right now.
Its the Eastern teams that are really f*****.
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Call me defeatist, but a Tampa team this strong - and consistently good - basically has the Cup on lockdown. Is it worth it to sell away the cupboard when they are just that freakin' good of a team this year?
Call me defeatist, but a Tampa team this strong - and consistently good - basically has the Cup on lockdown. Is it worth it to sell away the cupboard when they are just that freakin' good of a team this year?
Worth it for the Flames? Sure. To a point.
Like I suggested, the Flames wouldn't have to face Tampa until the final, if at all. Don't do your shopping to counter Tampa. Do it looking at the teams you're most likely to face right away.
I think if Gaudreau and Tkachuk were consistently dangerous from shift to shift it would stretch opposition defense and open up opportunities for the rest of the roster. Do I blame those 2 for the loss? No, but to be firing on all cylinders they need to be better.
Like I suggested, the Flames wouldn't have to face Tampa until the final, if at all. Don't do your shopping to counter Tampa. Do it looking at the teams you're most likely to face right away.
Is the goal to be Western Conference Champion, or Stanley Cup Champion? The former didn't feel that great in 2004.
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