Taking a page from what Darren Haynes talked about on 960 this morning (elevating players who deserve more ice) and assuming there aren't any line up changes I would recommend this
Be a real shame to have such a fun season go down the drain because they didn't play near their best in the playoffs. Just a waste.
Interesting to see if they show up tonight or lay another egg. And if they do play like last game which players at least showed up and we want to keep moving forward.
Going to learn a lot about this team heading into the future.
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At this point I don't think the top players on this team have any confidence, and I don't expect they'll get it back. They are a soft group still, and the only top player that can occasionally show up in a big moment is Tkachuck.
I suspect that there are two more games left in the season for the Flames. MacKinnon has become a man possessed, and the Flames top players look lost. You can't win when this happens.
__________________ "Some guys like old balls"
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Hits is very misleading there’s a HUGE difference between quantity of hits and quality of hits. The Avs have been the more physical team by far wether we have more “hits” then them or not.
I disagree. Flames have been physical, Avs not, because the Flames are chasing them around the ice the whole time. You don't hit much when you have the puck.
Tonight the Avs can play chase
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Same ole Flames in being first round fodder. 30 years strong.
And I don't know why this rhetoric of Flames are inexperienced in the playoffs is so prevalent. A fair portion of players on the roster have been part of the playoff with the Flames back in 15 and 17. That's 15 games of experience right there. How much more do you need to figure out what you need to do in order to be effective in the playoffs?
Explain to me what relevance the 90’s Flame or even the Iginla led Flames have on this team? Sorry you can carry the burden of 30 years as a fan if you want, but NO one associated with the Flames at the moment can be painted with the brush of 30 years of underachievement, most of the players were even born, let alone had a hand in much of the failure you are lamenting.
This team is still very young and needs playoff experience, but if you want to counter point that and say many of them were here for our past two appearances that’s fine, but then you narrative falls apart. This group by your account has been to the playoffs twice, underdogs both times and advanced past the first round half of those times. If anything this team has overachieved in the playoffs of late I guess then.....
At this point I don't think the top players on this team have any confidence, and I don't expect they'll get it back. They are a soft group still, and the only top player that can occasionally show up in a big moment is Tkachuck.
I suspect that there are two more games left in the season for the Flames. MacKinnon has become a man possessed, and the Flames top players look lost. You can't win when this happens.
I will be very happy when this is proved wrong, which starts tonight.
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I disagree. Flames have been physical, Avs not, because the Flames are chasing them around the ice the whole time. You don't hit much when you have the puck.
So much this. Much of the time, if you're out-hitting the other guys, they're outplaying you.
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At this point I don't think the top players on this team have any confidence, and I don't expect they'll get it back. They are a soft group still, and the only top player that can occasionally show up in a big moment is Tkachuck.
I suspect that there are two more games left in the season for the Flames. MacKinnon has become a man possessed, and the Flames top players look lost. You can't win when this happens.
Or, conversely, the Flames gut check themselves, pick themselves off the carpet, and have their finest moment. As an optimist, I choose to believe in them. GFG!
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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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So much this. Much of the time, if you're out-hitting the other guys, they're outplaying you.
I think I can still be right and agree with you guys here. If you have more hits that means likely your opponent has had the puck more then you. So I still feel the Avs have been more physical when given the chance but haven’t had to play that style as much because their possession numbers are through the rough compared to ours.
I would always prefer a few quality hits over 20 rub outs they consider a “hit”. It’s tough to argue against the fact that guys like Johnny and Monahan have been pretty shell shocked and extra perimeter these playoffs. Seems like Lindholms the only guy rising to the occasion but he’s got two boat anchors with him. It’s Playoff time! We need to get greasy!
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I said this the last game but they need to start playing the trap if they can't contain the Av's speed. This is on Peters to make the adjustment. Doesn't matter who you put in the lineup or what combinations, good players can't overcome bad coaching.
Fantenberg out, Valamki or Kylington in. Play with speed not try to beat them up. I'd consider putting either Dube or Czarnik in for another forward. Hope there's at least 1 change. Whether it be a roster move or lineup modification.
Hard to be optimistic with the way the team has played. Even the recent Ducks didn't dominate the Flames the way the Avs have in the last two games.
The only glimmer of hope for me is that maybe the team was not adjusted to the higher altitude in Game 3 and that's why they looked a step (or 3 steps) behind.
They need to just play their game and see where that takes them. They haven't really done that yet. Unless your name is Bennett, Neal, Hathaway, Tkachuk, Hamonic, Giordano, Anderson, don't even try and throw a hit because you can't do it. The rest of you just skate hard and fast.
Having been a die hard fan so many years and seen so many first round upsets and choke jobs, it's hard to keep faith.
I have a feeling that even if the Flames top line shows up, something else will go bad like we'll see Smith revert back to regular season form.
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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!
Burke said before the playoffs that he didn't think the Flames are Cup contenders yet - that you have to be battle scarred a couple of times before you can take the next step.
If the Flames lose in the first round it is not a complete loss - Treliving will be paying attention to what changes need to be made.
I don't entirely disagree with that but its not like the Avs are battle scarred. The Flames should be the team moving on from this round. Going on and losing to a real contender would be a battle scar I could more easily accept, but coming in as the best in the west and losing to the Avs would be a bitter disappointment. I'm optimistic they can still get it together and take care of business.
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A few weeks after crashing head-first into the boards (denting his helmet and being unable to move for a little while) following a hit from behind by Bob Errey, the Calgary Flames player explains:
"I was like Christ, lying on my back, with my arms outstretched, crucified"
-- Frank Musil - Early January 1994
Explain to me what relevance the 90’s Flame or even the Iginla led Flames have on this team? Sorry you can carry the burden of 30 years as a fan if you want, but NO one associated with the Flames at the moment can be painted with the brush of 30 years of underachievement, most of the players were even born, let alone had a hand in much of the failure you are lamenting.
This team is still very young and needs playoff experience, but if you want to counter point that and say many of them were here for our past two appearances that’s fine, but then you narrative falls apart. This group by your account has been to the playoffs twice, underdogs both times and advanced past the first round half of those times. If anything this team has overachieved in the playoffs of late I guess then.....
We can differ on the merits of saying same ole Flames over the time period we're applying it too, but with only two first round advances since '89, I feel it's applicable to say it since no matter the roster composition, the franchise generally can't get the job done in the playoffs.
I guess I’m jaded by all the disappointment and underachievement this franchise has experienced in the last 30 years, because I have no faith the Flames season goes beyond game 5. They look like a group that has allowed a single player to break them and are just holding on at this point.
Nothing in their play since the all-star break leads me to believe they will suddenly flip the switch and find their confidence. Some big questions will need to be faced this off-season if they crap out in the first round again, and I’m thinking that ends with one or more core players being moved out.
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