[PGT] Flames throw up another stinker, lose 3-0 to Arizona

[Beatle17]

Monahan hasn't been playing great but if you watch closely he is back in his zone to help get the puck, moves it up to Johnny cherry picking at center, races up to get into the offensive zone where Johnny turns it over and then has to race back to the defensive zone. The coaching staff needs to call out Gaudreau if they haven't already.

If I had any say in line makeup I would put Monahan with Chucky, Gaudreau with Lindholm, Ryan with Mangiapanne and Janko with Bennet. Then mix in whatever winger on each line. If Johnny and Lindholm refuse to work sit them down. I am do disappointed with Gaudreau this year. And as much as I have been hard on Brodie this year I honestly think they should re-sign him and trade the other older defencemen. Can't wait for Valimaki to return.

[dino7c]

So 2 game suspension for Crouse?

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by dammage79

When the only things that left from last year were Neal, Hathaway and Smitty, they shouldn't have skipped a beat from a 50 w season. Yet here we are. The roster next a shake up. We have a ton of expiring contracts we can move and not get any worse than it is now. Too bad kids, you asked to stay together and squandered it. Anything tree does now is on you.

It seems to me that the absence of those players may have upset the chemistry to a degree. The experience and maturity of Neal and Smith, along with the aggressiveness of Hathaway, may have been more important to the team's success than was thought.

Sometimes all it takes is the absence of one or two players to change the chemistry of a team. I remember having less confidence in the team when we lost Byron. His speed and tenaciousness seemed to be noticeably absent in the team after he left.

[Mayo]

So much panic - the Flames played OK today - a couple bounces was the difference between the last two games - we don't need to whole sale the team just yet

[Yobbo]

Is it time to panic? I'm not to that point quite yet, especially after seeing how the Blues turned it around last year. That being said, the Blues have a much better built team in my opinion, and I'm not sure we have the horses to completely do a 180. Guess we'll all have to wait and see.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

It seems to me that the absence of those players may have upset the chemistry to a degree. The experience and maturity of Neal and Smith, along with the aggressiveness of Hathaway, may have been more important to the team's success than was thought.

Sometimes all it takes is the absence of one or two players to change the chemistry of a team. I remember having less confidence in the team when we lost Byron. His speed and tenaciousness seemed to be noticeably absent in the team after he left.

Sorry, not listening to any argument that has James Neal as part of the reason the team had success last year. The flames were a first place team in spite of him.

Neal was a disaster in Calgary.

[Mayo]

And what is this "lack of urgency" talk
The Flames had 37 shots on net plus another 20+ blocked shots

When the team directs the puck at the net 60 times in a game that says too much urgency if anything

Reality is the bounces just didn't go our way today

If we can keep to two (non-empty net) goals against per game as we have been the last two contests and the bounces come our way then we are in great shape

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Mayo

And what is this "lack of urgency" talk
The Flames had 37 shots on net plus another 20+ blocked shots

When the team directs the puck at the net 60 times in a game that says too much urgency if anything

Reality is the bounces just didn't go our way today

If we can keep to two (non-empty net) goals against per game as we have been the last two contests and the bounces come our way then we are in great shape

Tkachuk spoke to it in his interview post game. They pushed in the third, but the game was already over. Arizona goes into shutdown mode, we generated shots that they allowed us to generate. They had us boxed out and controlled from 2-0 onwards. We broke through for a chance or two, but the vast majority of what we got was what they made available to us by them falling into a defensive shell.

Defence definitely hasn’t been an issue, but we can’t create offence on the rush because our break outs are lacking, giving the opposition time to get into position and drive us wide, decreasing the quality of our shots.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Sorry, not listening to any argument that has James Neal as part of the reason the team had success last year. The flames were a first place team in spite of him.

Neal was a disaster in Calgary.

No doubt that on the ice, he didn't seem to fit our team. However off the ice, I can visualize he and Smith, being close friends, offering inspirational advice and tips for the younger players.

Just a guess

[Mayo]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Tkachuk spoke to it in his interview post game. They pushed in the third, but the game was already over. Arizona goes into shutdown mode, we generated shots that they allowed us to generate. They had us boxed out and controlled from 2-0 onwards. We broke through for a chance or two, but the vast majority of what we got was what they made available to us by them falling into a defensive shell.

Defence definitely hasn’t been an issue, but we can’t create offence on the rush because our break outs are lacking, giving the opposition time to get into position and drive us wide, decreasing the quality of our shots.

Shot attempts were only marginally higher in the 3rd than the first two periods

It came down to the puck slithering wide by inches on a number of occasions...Hammer's 3 v 1 post that bounced off Kuemper and somehow ends up wide - that is in the net 9/10 times after hitting the goalie like that

Hopefully we take two points tomorrow night - 2/4 on a back to back like this won't be too much to complain about and hopefully some of the folks on this forum can step back from the ledge

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by zamler

We're going to go in circles again. It's not the coach, oh so it's the players fire the GM. The GM is doing a fine job back to square one.

Except he isnt

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Yobbo

Is it time to panic? I'm not to that point quite yet, especially after seeing how the Blues turned it around last year. That being said, the Blues have a much better built team in my opinion, and I'm not sure we have the horses to completely do a 180. Guess we'll all have to wait and see.

The Blues had a historic turnaround. The chances of another team replicating that one year later are astronomically low. The Blues also canned their coach and called up a goalie. Peters isn’t getting fired and goaltending has been one of the only positives. Thus likely only gets fixed from the inside. Gut check time for the roster.

[standinmotion]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

No doubt that on the ice, he didn't seem to fit our team. However off the ice, I can visualize he and Smith, being close friends, offering inspirational advice and tips for the younger players.

Just a guess

Where were their inspirational advice and tips between last year's All-Star break and the mutilating playoff exit? It's very probable that the Flames are truly what we see now. They just had a hot streak to start the year with a new coach. It happens all the time when the team responds to a new coach for a short period of time.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

The Blues had a historic turnaround. The chances of another team replicating that one year later are astronomically low. The Blues also canned their coach and called up a goalie. Peters isn’t getting fired and goaltending has been one of the only positives. Thus likely only gets fixed from the inside. Gut check time for the roster.

The Blues were also DEAD LAST Jan 1...much worse spot than the Flames are now

[djsFlames]

If I were the GM I would be tempted to "retool" right here and now.

There's something about the list of ingredients to this team that doesn't equate to a winning combination, at least consistently.

There has to be desire from many more guys than not on any given night to leave it all out on the ice.

We cant keep going half seasons with Gaudreau and Monahan going at 40-50%. The injury excuses are in the past. The Colorado series is In the past. No excuse not to pull up your shorts and start doing what you're good at at a high level. And if you're not clicking, at least do your damn best at not being a liability and winning some battles.

I get that the regular season loses some meaning after last year but you cant play amazing hockey in the playoffs if you're not familiar and practiced at playing that way over 82.

[Phaneuf_Phan]

I wish we had a shutdown mode that caused other teams to throw in the towel.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

No doubt that on the ice, he didn't seem to fit our team. However off the ice, I can visualize he and Smith, being close friends, offering inspirational advice and tips for the younger players.

Just a guess

Per Friedman on 31 thoughts podcast, it sounds like teammates got annoyed with him constantly referring to what it was like in Vegas. Seems it might have been worthwhile to embrace a bit of that insight, but maybe this team already knows everything it needs to know about playing hockey in May and June.

The fact that Neal seems to have been a problem for this team is a problem. But I'm sure a few posters will stop by without revealing details of their insider info on why blames is 100% on Neal.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf_Phan

I wish we had a shutdown mode that caused other teams to throw in the towel.

Have to score a goal to do that.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

Oh man. 1 year on 1 year off continues

Great news! We’ll be good again next year!

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Per Friedman on 31 thoughts podcast, it sounds like teammates got annoyed with him constantly referring to what it was like in Vegas. Seems it might have been worthwhile to embrace a bit of that insight, but maybe this team already knows everything it needs to know about playing hockey in May and June.

The fact that Neal seems to have been a problem for this team is a problem. But I'm sure a few posters will stop by without revealing details of their insider info on why blames is 100% on Neal.

Flames aren't the first team to get rid of Neal