[PGT] Flames lose 10th consecutive season-opener (5-3 Avs win)

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by gamesaver

First game of a season and I am already done with this bull####

Yeah, that's a really close call right there...

[crapshoot]

I have not really bothered too much with the changes to the coaches challenge this season, but I was listening to a podcast where the hosts stated that every situation that could potentially lead to a stoppage in play would be open for challenge. Obviously that isn't the case or else Peters would have challenged that high stick, but what exactly are the rules now anyway? Is everything except blatant play with high sticks open to be challenged?

[getbak]

It could have been challenged if it had occurred in the offensive zone. Even it had been high-sticked in the neutral zone and retrieved in the offensive zone, it could have been challenged. Because it was knocked down with a high stick and retrieved all within the neutral zone, it can't be challenged.

[868904]

Have Lindholm centre Tkachuk and move Bennett to Gaudreau and Mony’s right wing.

This the best way to give Tkachuk a legitimate top 6 centre and also retain some of the grit of Lindholm on the first line with Bennett, who also has some chemistry with Gaudreau.

[locsofblu]

Finally watched it and I'm not the least surprised by the result. The AVS were simply the better team. As for as the second line goes it definitely showed that Tkachuk missed most of training camp as I thought he was pretty awful and slow for most of the game. Froliks agent is all but ready to press send on his next twitter rant as he was pretty bad to and wouldn't mind seeing him demoted next game. Ritter played well and was nice to see the first line get a few points but other than that 3-23 on opening nights since 94 so hey atleast we're consistent.

[UKflames]

I can live with 81-1, winning them all gets a little boring

[gamesaver]

I disagree with the statement the Avs were the better team. They were better in the first, but as the game progressed, the momentum started to turn into Flames' favor. However the refs made sure to kill it everytime. The high stick was ridiculous, how can 4 refs miss such a clear, open ice play is mind-boggling. Then the Flames tie it, some good o-zone shifts, hit post and then one odd breakout into the Flames d-zone, guy stumbles with Backs barely touching him and the ref doesn't hesitate. Check out that call and then go watch the whole 3rd period, how it suddenly turned into and 90's hockey. There is zero consitency, just game management. I hate to blame the officiating after a loss, but close game like this one againt a really good team when one mistake can make the difference, that's really hard to swollow.

[Husky]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Backlund and Tkachuk are drafted players on line 2

Bennett some argue should take Frolik’s spot

No recent drafted players other then a very high 1st round pick is a legit top 6 player that drives offense. Backlund is a solid player but by no means is he an consistent offensive threat.

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Husky

No recent drafted players other then a very high 1st round pick is a legit top 6 player that drives offense. Backlund is a solid player but by no means is he an consistent offensive threat.

Yeah, because he only puts up around 20 goals and 50 points every season. In no way is that consistent.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Dion

Loooooooooch!

I have watched this for the last 15 minutes straight and it does not get old. The loss is worth it to forever have this GIF. I can’t stand Zadorov. He’s such a fake tough guy. Drove me nuts in the playoffs last year.

Definitely not regretting my Lucic jersey that I bought (unlike the Neal one I got last year which was unwearable by November).

[Geeoff]

Man, people really coming down hard on Frolik. I think that whole line had a bit of a rough game, even Tkachuk. When Chucky has an off game, it obviously would bring the whole line down because he is by far the most skilled player on the line. Also, Frolik's first minor was a pretty weak call

[Hells Bells]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Man, people really coming down hard on Frolik. I think that whole line had a bit of a rough game, even Tkachuk. When Chucky has an off game, it obviously would bring the whole line down because he is by far the most skilled player on the line. Also, Frolik's first minor was a pretty weak call

Tkachuk having a rough game did not cause Frolik to cough up the puck almost everytime he touched it.

People are coming down hard on Frolik because he was absolutely terrible. Simple as that.

[bubbsy]

Frolik completed more passes to the avs than to his own team mates last night.

A team that is able to disrupt the team's gameplan as much as the avs do, requires a second line to provide some kind of offensive pressure and chances.

Our second line, haven't been able to do that 6 games in a row now.

Anyways, it's amazing to think that this season opener was so much better than most this past decade.

Win on Sat and all is forgotten.

[VilleN]

Lucic was better and more noticeable in this game than the sum total of all of the games James Neal played for us. Maybe Brouwer too.

[EVERLAST]

Frolik and Junkowski.....wow...popcorn for you.

Peters....come on Bill.....be more imaginative

Refs .....really.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by Husky

No recent drafted players other then a very high 1st round pick is a legit top 6 player that drives offense. Backlund is a solid player but by no means is he an consistent offensive threat.

Well if we're including Backlund in this conversation of 'recent drafted players' than I think Gaudreau should be as well. Also, Backlund has been a very consistenly good player for us, one of the better defensive forwards in the league. Oh and he puts up 50pts a season.

[Strange Brew]

It was a fun experience at the game, even if the result wasn’t what we wanted. My random observations:

The first period was an abomination. No sense trying to figure out who was bad as it was a total breakdown

Loved what I saw from Lucic, more than what Neal did all season long

Rittich was ok. There were a couple of posts and a few occasions where he lost the puck. None of the goals were particularly his fault

Gio was everywhere and played a ton it seems. I thought he was Flames best player. Peters is going to need to manage his workload

Flames really carried the play as game went on, Avs fans were frustrated which was nice

Many Flames defensemen were fighting the puck a lot I thought, but I though Kylington handled himself well

If Rieder is truly an elite penalty killer, be needs to be in the lineup. Flames PK was very passive. Czarnik took some hard hits but other than that, not noticeable at all and very little ice time

Monahan’s shot not in mid season form. I thought he let go some muffins

You can’t give away 20 minutes of a game like that. They could have survived it, since only down 1 but could have been worse. Last 2 periods was better than any point of the playoff series from what I remember.

Onwards and upwards

[Strange Brew]

Dp

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

It was a fun experience at the game, even if the result wasn’t what we wanted. My random observations:

The first period was an abomination. No sense trying to figure out who was bad as it was a total breakdown

Loved what I saw from Lucic, more than what Neal did all season long

Rittich was ok. There were a couple of posts and a few occasions where he lost the puck. None of the goals were particularly his fault

Gio was everywhere and played a ton it seems. I thought he was Flames best player. Peters is going to need to manage his workload

Flames really carried the play as game went on, Avs fans were frustrated which was nice

Many Flames defensemen were fighting the puck a lot I thought, but I though Kylington handled himself well

If Rieder is truly an elite penalty killer, be needs to be in the lineup. Flames PK was very passive. Czarnik took some hard hits but other than that, not noticeable at all and very little ice time

Monahan’s shot not in mid season form. I thought he let go some muffins

You can’t give away 20 minutes of a game like that. They could have survived it, since only down 1 but could have been worse. Last 2 periods was better than any point of the playoff series from what I remember.

Onwards and upwards

absolutely agreed with the bolded. Was definitely the main takeaway, other than Rittich being stellar, from last night.

[Bingo]

Game Takes:
Avs 5 Flames 3

- terrible start
- too many penalties
- good push back