Absolutely.
The widespread panic and dread is almost amusing.
Except when it's as vile as some of this is.
Did you just become a Flames fan or have you been watching for 30 years?
The Calgary Flames are now 1 - 8 being led by Monahan and Gaudreau in road playoff games. Have to be able to win on the road to even be considered a threat. Par for the course.
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We played two styles this year. Run and gun before the ASB, that worked well with the first line and utilized the team speed. However, our goals against suffered. Especially Smith. But Rittich did better because he is more of a reactionary goalie. We switched after the ASB to more defensive, moving as 5 men unit. We cut down on shot against, but we lost team speed because of it. I think we should go back to the pre-ASB style for game 4 and see how we do. Put Rittich in. Hopefully our speed can cause the Avs D some issues. Or maybe we'll be blown out again. But at least it will be fun. One can hope. Go Flames go.
I disagree, actually. The Flames are deep enough to be successful with Gaudreau and Monahan being average.
As a few others have noted, this whole series is being won and lost in the neutral zone.
When the Flames are at their best, they transition quickly from their zone, through the neutral zone, and into the offensive zone via short, quick passing. The upside to this, is that if a turnover does occur, since the passes are short, typically it is easy to clog up the neutral zone and recover the puck to start again.
The issue here, is that the Flames forwards are trying to do too much on their own, and are not supporting each other in layers. This leads to stagnant zone entries, easy recoveries by the Avalanche defense, and a quick transition the other way, as our forwards are left deep in the offensive zone, and are then chasing the play.
The result is that our defense is forced to back off, because the Avalanche gain the neutral zone uncontested, and with speed.
To be successful, the Flames need to play faster. Not skate faster, not hit more. They need faster decisions with the puck, and quick, short passes as they move through each zone.
All is not lost. The series is only 2-1. The Flames need to be playing on their toes, not their heels. And they need to stop with the stupid penalty parade halfway through the first period every game. Those have been absolute momentum killers this series.
Respectfully disagree. Not in the playoffs and not in a 7 game series. You need your top guys playing their best.
Stone, Duchene, Mackinnon and Barzal are leading their teams and their teams are leading in their series. Not a surprise.
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Problem is the neutral zone. It all starts there for the Flames. They generate a lot of offense from their neutral zone play.
Right now the Avs are uncontested through the neutral zone. The Dmen are backing way off giving the Avs a ton of time and space and the back pressure from the forwards is non existent.
Step one. Stop turning it over. Step 2 tighten up the neutral zone and they'll be alright.
Glad you aren't the only one who noticed this. It's fascinating how this team can just completely forget how to play their game. During the regular season, the defence would force the opposition at the blueline and make them beat them with speed or dump it in. For some reason, they are just conceding the entry now. I know its' the Mackinnion effect, but he is just ONE player who should scare you. They are letting all the other scrub forwards gain easy entry. Actually, I know what the reason is, it's because the forwards aren't back checking hard to support the defensemen to step up at the blueline.
There's really two things here:
1) Failure to play their game;
2) Failure to compete at a playoff standard.
The lack of compete is evident in all the stupid minor penalties they are taking. In the playoffs, the officials let the rough stuff go, but they still call the obstruction penalties.
Backlund's double minor was the result of a lazy backcheck. Does he really think he can lift Calvert's stick and turn the play the other way? Try skating harder and faster than freaking Matt Calvert; its' not like this is Mackinnion.
Hathaway's penalty on Zadorov on the forecheck was again a lazy play. Why put your arm and stick in there? Skate hard and angle him off.
Fantenberg's penalty which started everything off was a cheap call. Can't blame Fantenberg cause that was just Mackinnion being great and fast, but that call doesn't go in favour of Gaudreau the other way. That got compounded by a stupid line change, again, where's your head at?
Another thing that really bugs me is Brodie. How does a veteran like him still not know how to keep a puck in at the blueline or at the very least recognize that he might have problems keeping it in and maybe start backing off a bit earlier? Rasmus Andersson is a rookie and understands all this. Brodie should not be on the powerplay period. He's been burned multiple times by this in this series and if he is still there for the rest of the series, than it's the coaching staff's fault. "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me". Brodie might be a great skater, but it's useless if he can't recognize danger. He is always caught flat footed.
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Calgary Flames, PLEASE GO TO THE NET! AND SHOOT THE PUCK! GENERATING OFFENSE IS NOT DIFFICULT! SKATE HARD, SHOOT HARD, CRASH THE NET HARD!
Last edited by 868904; 04-16-2019 at 11:30 AM.
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Can not believe the number of you who criticise his team mates for Gaudreau's failures. I don't care if he is small. He's the highest paid player on the team and he's a floater. This may be the best season he ever has. The other teams have figured him out. He's useless in the defensive zone, always cheating for a break away and spends too much time wandering all over the ice with the puck in the offensive zone. Pass the damn puck, at the least take a shot or dump it into the corner. When he coughs up the puck, at least be the first man back. Instead he coasts and waits for someone else to regain possession. The work effort of Czarnik and Mangiapane (also small guys) put him to shame. Have not been a fan of his from the get go.
Did you even watch the game 1 or 2? Gaudreau back checked hard in both games and even knocked a couple guys down. He’s made plays and has been trying to pass, but it’s hard to do that when there’s no one open or not even in the offensive zone yet. Watching Monahan closely, he needs to work a lot harder on either getting himself open or making plays himself, he’s looked invisible for the better part of 2-3 months now.
Gaudreau definitely had a horrible game yesterday, possibly his worst ever. But I haven’t liked Monahan for all 3 games so far. His defensive game has been extremely suspect as well. Right now to me, the head to head match up is between the 2 centers Mackinnon vs Monahan and it’s not even close. Mackinnon is defending better and is light years better offensively right now too.
Did you even watch the game 1 or 2? Gaudreau back checked hard in both games and even knocked a couple guys down. He’s made plays and has been trying to pass, but it’s hard to do that when there’s no one open or not even in the offensive zone yet. Watching Monahan closely, he needs to work a lot harder on either getting himself open or making plays himself, he’s looked invisible for the better part of 2-3 months now.
Gaudreau definitely had a horrible game yesterday, possibly his worst ever. But I haven’t liked Monahan for all 3 games so far. His defensive game has been extremely suspect as well. Right now to me, the head to head match up is between the 2 centers Mackinnon vs Monahan and it’s not even close. Mackinnon is defending better and is light years better offensively right now too.
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Monahan is the biggest concern to me.
Does anyone have any inside knowledge of what is going on with him? Because this is not the same player we saw in November/December.
It was a quite the horror show. I had to bail on the GT thread after the first and decided to try and sleep it off. I thought they started alright, but man did it ever snowball quickly. Big part is trying to weather the storm early from the home team and it all fell apart after the 5v3 goal. They were never able to gain momentum from back to back shifts.
Absolute gut check time. The silver lining is that if you win game 4 you come back home and have home advantage in a best of 3. Get this game out of the system quickly and play the way you can.
Did you even watch the game 1 or 2? Gaudreau back checked hard in both games and even knocked a couple guys down. He’s made plays and has been trying to pass, but it’s hard to do that when there’s no one open or not even in the offensive zone yet. Watching Monahan closely, he needs to work a lot harder on either getting himself open or making plays himself, he’s looked invisible for the better part of 2-3 months now.
Gaudreau definitely had a horrible game yesterday, possibly his worst ever. But I haven’t liked Monahan for all 3 games so far. His defensive game has been extremely suspect as well. Right now to me, the head to head match up is between the 2 centers Mackinnon vs Monahan and it’s not even close. Mackinnon is defending better and is light years better offensively right now too.
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Yup, I watch every Flames game I can and have done so since day one. I appreciate your opinion but respectfully disagree. MacKinnon is their super star. Gaudreau is supposed to be ours, not Monahan. Johnny couldn't carry Mac's equipment bag when it comes to effort. I said once before that we should move Gaudreau to another line. Put him with speed and toughness. I'd try Hathaway and Tkachuk. I'd also sit Jankowski and Neil. Czarnik and Dube could replace the lack of effort those two have displayed. I also wonder if Lindholm is being over played. He gets a regular shift, is on the power play and penalty kill.
Does anyone have any inside knowledge of what is going on with him? Because this is not the same player we saw in November/December.
I have never seen him look so ineffective.
Remember when Monahan in his rookie season was being compared to Ron Francis? It's like his defensive game disappeared when Hartley left.
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Calgary Flames, PLEASE GO TO THE NET! AND SHOOT THE PUCK! GENERATING OFFENSE IS NOT DIFFICULT! SKATE HARD, SHOOT HARD, CRASH THE NET HARD!
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I don’t know about some of the players on this team. If you can’t get excited and into the game at playoff time, like Bennett, then management needs to move the player out. I like Monahan but unless he’s injured sit him for someone who can play with heart! I’m also a fan of Jankowski but same goes for him. Playoffs are a war and part of the big money contracts they signed. If you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen. And I hate when they use a lack of confidence as an excuse.
Seems to me that Backlund is the only one concerned about Mackinnon. The first line is content to stay 10 paces behind him while he is cruising into the Flames zone.
Not to beat a dead horse but to me the problem isn't yesterday's game. Sometimes you have a terrible game. It just happens, there really isn't an explanation. These are all (both Calgary and Colorado)highly trained amazingly talented athletes and our guys had an off day. The problem was losing game 2. Last night should be motivating and if we were sitting with a 2-1 lead and had just been embarrassed like we were I would be very optimistic for tomorrow's game. Instead we are now in a situation where we need to go 3-1 against a very good team just to get to the next round. What a shame.
Respectfully disagree. Not in the playoffs and not in a 7 game series. You need your top guys playing their best.
Stone, Duchene, Mackinnon and Barzal are leading their teams and their teams are leading in their series. Not a surprise.
Don't get me wrong, I am not excusing their play. Clearly, they are getting out classed right now.
My comment was more that the Flames have shown over the course of the season that they have the depth to somewhat offset periods of poor play from their top guys.
With that said, if we go much longer without our 5 70+ point players doing something positive, this series is done.
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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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Does anyone have any inside knowledge of what is going on with him? Because this is not the same player we saw in November/December.
I have never seen him look so ineffective.
Monahan has lost his mojo offensively. But his play without the puck in this series is the same as it's always been - extremely weak. My sense is he's just one of those players who feels his job, his only job, is to score goals. If Peters can't light a fire under him, we'll just have to accept that's who Monahan is.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fotze
If this day gets you riled up, you obviously aren't numb to the disappointment yet to be a real fan.
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It was a quite the horror show. I had to bail on the GT thread after the first and decided to try and sleep it off. I thought they started alright, but man did it ever snowball quickly. Big part is trying to weather the storm early from the home team and it all fell apart after the 5v3 goal. They were never able to gain momentum from back to back shifts.
Absolute gut check time. The silver lining is that if you win game 4 you come back home and have home advantage in a best of 3. Get this game out of the system quickly and play the way you can.
Yeah.
I thought they started okay got their PP and generated some chances but couldn't really maintain possession.
Then the Avs got the undeserved 5-3 and boom 1-0.
Thought they actually weren't that bad in the two shifts after that goal, then Hathaway took a stupid penalty.
2-0.
Then the real back breaker IMO was the 3-0 goal. Once that one went in you just knew the Flames were done.
It really is a game of inches - that game likely looks completely different if that Backlund post on the PP goes in and the Flames are the ones playing with a 1-0 lead.
Last edited by SuperMatt18; 04-16-2019 at 11:43 AM.
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When Bennett laid that big hit on Cole, I was hoping it would fire up the rest of the team. But it never transpired. He was the only one out there fully engaged until Tkachuk got emotionally involved later in the 3rd period. I would role out the line of Bennett, Tkachuk and Johnny to start the game. Might just give Johnny more ice to operate and build up his confidence.
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"There are no asterisks in this life, only scoreboards." - Ari Gold
It really is a game of inches - that game likely looks completely different if that Backlund post on the PP goes in and the Flames are the ones playing with a 1-0 lead.
On some level I'd like to think this is the case, but after enduring last night's debacle I have to disagree. Unless Colorado decides to fold like a cheap suit in front of their home crowd, I don't think a 1-0 lead puts them on their heels
