[PGT] Arizona shuts out Calgary

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Teams play a different way this time of year. More defensive. I get that. To suggest that its only the Flames who can't adjust to changes in opposition also seems far fetched.

The core players on this team have very little experience with tight-checking, play-off style NHL hockey. We'll only know if Gaudreau and Monahan can excel with that style of play once we've seen them do it for a significant stretch of games.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Damn.

That looks like a concussion.

I hate that stupid cut-back move.

Concussion or something with his left arm/shoulder would be my guess

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Similar stats were spit out about Gulutzan last year.

No thanks.

They are not losing these games by playing strong hockey and with chances that are looking dangerous

You didn't see Fredrik Andersson standing on his head?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

Ugh. This or some iteration is what was preached by many here during Gulutzans reign of terror for two straight years....and it wasn't fine. I don't think it is time to panic (yet) but there are concerns to be had.

The fact the Flames are playing sound defensive hockey (for the most part) is a major win. The concerning part is players like Monahan, Guadreau are being completely outclassed more often than naught and it doesn't seem to be coming to an end with back to back brutual performances from them this week.

They have a combined 4 goals since the all star break!

This team won't go anywhere unless it's two top line players start taking it up a notch, create a more meaningful, consistent impact on games.

Guys don't be afraid of stats ...

They're a good indication of what's going on. Right now the Flames have had patch where they are converting less shots than is the norm. When that happens you likely lose 1.5 goals per game of offence and end up on the losing end of games that you used to win.

Last night they certainly didn't generate enough to win the game, and the stats supported exactly that; edge in shot attempts, but not in scoring chances.

But a team shooting 4% is pretty strange, and it's bound to change. Nothing to get up in arms about.

[442scotty]

No doubt the team has a shooting percentage of 4% when they constantly throw muffins at the net to stop the play or because they don’t seem to know what else to do with the puck

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I don't see the Knights catching the Flames but it would be nice to have them and the Sharks beat each other up while the Flames face a wild card team. The scenario of splitting the first two games in Calgary and heading to Vegas (an arena they haven't won in) would not be very appealing.

Of course. But I was responding to a specific post.

[Toonage]

Re: Bennett,

Wills said this morning on 960 that he saw Bennett last night and he looked good / was in good spirits "for whatever that's worth"

Seemed to suggest that Bennett could be hurt, but it certainly wasn't visible.

So to me that would rule out a shoulder injury, but not a concussion.

[AC]

Goals scored since losing Neal to injury:

5, 5, 4, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 0.

He really was sacrificing his own production for the whole team's scoring success. We need his unlucky voodoo magic back.

[Split98]

There's just something about Bill that gives you hope this could turn around the next game (not just this Vegas game, I mean every time he talks... the next game is a turnaround in your mind)



Pretty on-point recap with no fluff that I think everyone can agree with. Good 4-5 mins, good defence and just 'couldn't get it to go'. Which is putting it lightly, but Bills mindset is refreshingly on-point. You know that his message in the locker room is much more direct, but from the fan side he says what the coach should say.

It's down to executing, and he didn't try and sit back on the 30 SOG as some validation for their good plays. Very directly, "you gotta execute"

Also love that he's looking forward getting right back at it with Vegas


Speaking of rebounding... Smith was much better in front of the camera



It's been tough to believe he's a positive in the locker room with his (to me) smarmy combative attitude lately - but that was a leader talking after a tough loss he played well in. Good to see, and good messages.


All the right words are being said, but I am worried about Sunday if this team doesn't take a breath and rethink things.

I'm remembering how awful out PP was to start the season, and especially the entries. Johnny couldn't break the blueline, but they went at it over and over and over before they switched things up. All that happened next was the great stretch to the ASB we all enjoyed the hell out of. Will be interesting to see how Bill & Co. find a way to put things back together here.

I hope they're having one helluva practice tomorrow, as it looks like some creative approaches are going to be in order to get our slight superstar going again. If anyone questioned whether Johnny should have been in line for the Hart, they only need to look at what happens to our offence when other teams can effectively neutralize him

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

When the Flames were playing well (franchise record pace) prior to the All Star break their PDO was worse than under Gulutzan so I'm not putting a lot of stock into PDO as any sort of indication of success.

What time frame are you referring too?

Because the numbers don't show what you're saying. Calgary had a season high PDO of 103 in January (before the all star game)

By month

Shooting Percentage

10/1/2018	7.89%
11/1/2018	7.36%
12/1/2018	10.10%
1/1/2019	10.27%
2/1/2019	8.77%
3/1/2019	4.30%

Started Dec and Jan they had little trouble scoring, it was likely unsustainable.

Save Percentage with PDO

10/1/2018	91.82%	99.72%
11/1/2018	92.25%	99.61%
12/1/2018	91.17%	101.27%
1/1/2019	93.05%	103.32%
2/1/2019	92.25%	101.03%
3/1/2019	86.49%	90.79%

As you can see Jan is off the charts, so not even close to what you are describing.

March is a pretty clear outlier the other way

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

No doubt the team has a shooting percentage of 4% when they constantly throw muffins at the net to stop the play or because they don’t seem to know what else to do with the puck

Yeah but that's not the case.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I said home ice not first place....you should know considering you are quoting me multiple times

Depends how far the Flames go in the playoffs does it not?

[Psytic]

My feeling is he told them to tighten up and stop playing river hockey. We were all concerned about it for awhile there because they were giving up a lot of goals although they were scoring in bunches to compensate. Unfortunately as we have seen in the past and as another poster noted this team has two gears; high risk high reward, or glue gun hockey, there is no happy medium. Starting to think we did need some more secondary scoring back at the deadline as river hockey doesn't translate well to the playoffs generally.

[Bingo]

Updated the numbers from last night's game.

Calgary now shooting 3.45% five on five in March.

[timbit]

Since the all star break (17 games):

Gaudreau (0) Monahan (2) and Tkachuk (0) have combined for TWO even strength goals and are a team worst -7, -7 , and -5, respectively. Edit Bennett is -6 as is Hamonic.

Backlund with 5 ES goals , Ryan, Czarnik and Hamonic with 4 ES goals , Lindholm and Mangiapane with 3 ES goals lead the Flames during that period.

ALL are plus players except Lindholm , who is even and Hamonic is -6.

Gaudreau, Monahan and Tkachuk are the major problems with the team since the break.

I have every expectation that this will get better and when it does the Flames will look, perform and produce incrementally better.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by AC

Goals scored since losing Neal to injury:

5, 5, 4, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 0.

He really was sacrificing his own production for the whole team's scoring success. We need his unlucky voodoo magic back.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Split98

https://twitter.com/user/status/1103876161489133569

I still don't understand how that isn't a penalty. Look at his angle of approach. He had no intention of hitting him anywhere other than from behind. Like, even before Bennett stopped to turn back in, that hit was always going to be from behind. In addition, he made no effort to pull up or lesson the impact, and he even followed through by extending his arms through the back to put more impact into the hit.

I'm still blown away by this. Bennett was out on his feet. He had no clue where he was after the hit, and there was no whistle, no call, not even a stoppage of play or any help getting off the ice.

It was like it literally didn't even happen at all.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Split98

Speaking of rebounding... Smith was much better in front of the camera



It's been tough to believe he's a positive in the locker room with his (to me) smarmy combative attitude lately - but that was a leader talking after a tough loss he played well in. Good to see, and good messages.

I think he's fed up with the media and some fans. There's probably the person Smith is in the room with the boys, and the frustrated one that has to face the demoralizing attacks and reminders of his lackluster play in front of the cameras.

Unfortunately, the latter is the only glimpse we, as fans, get of the person.

[puckedoff]

^ I don't like that Bennett is injured (presumably?) but there is no way that is a penalty.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Yamer

I think he's fed up with the media and some fans. There's probably the person Smith is in the room with the boys, and the frustrated one that has to face the demoralizing attacks and reminders of his lackluster play in front of the cameras.

Unfortunately, the latter is the only glimpse we, as fans, get of the person.

It's worth pointing out whenever Smith gets talked about on Spittin Chiclets, all his ex-teammates rave about him.

He's obviously struggling as his career is winding down, but I really dislike the "bad teammate" narrative that gets talked about based on nothing but fan perceptions from interactions with media.