[PGT] Flames play well, can't capitalize. Oilers win 4-1

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by chummer

That breakaway was horrific, he not only stops but gives the puck away. Who does that?

Him and Blake comeau

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Him and Blake comeau

Comeau would have circled the offensive zone 2-3 times only to turn over the puck. I think Jankowski was kind of losing his footing while attempting a back pass (always a no-no when on the PK).

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by JTech780

The first Edmonton goal is where I have a lot of concern. Monahan was leisurely skating through the neutral zone going back to get the puck, when Draisaitl skated passed and beat him to the puck. Monahan then instead of making a hard play and taking the body, he stopped short and weakly waved his stick at the puck.

It's that lack of urgency from one of the team leaders and the number 1 center on this that is concerning. If it was a one off, then I could over look it, but this is becoming Monahan's MO. It's plays like that the prohibit him from being a true number 1 center and will keep the team from contending.

Monahan is a very good goal scoring center in the same mold as Jeff Carter, they are number one centers on a lot of teams, but shouldn't be the number center on team with aspirations of contending.

As far as goaltending goes, I just can't see a way that starting Rittich is the right move. He just isn't a number 1 goalie. I think you have to go with Talbot as he gives the team the better chance to win.

The fact that if Talbot does become the starter in the playoffs and that Rittich will be passed over for playoff starts two years in a row, means that Rittich isn't the guy going forward and that Treliving will need to find a new starting goalie (Lehner, Murray, Holtby...) for next season.

I saw the play the same way as well. Even rewinded back to see how Monahan could lose the foot race when he was ahead. But I just think Draisaitl is just that good. His skating has improved leaps and bounds whereas Monahan’s skating has stayed about the same. Draisaitl also combines his surprising speed with playing heavy which is what makes him one of the best centers on the planet.

Not on the same page with you on the goaltending front though. Rittich is still pretty green in regards to North American hockey. He showed #1 ability in the first half of the season where he was the team’s MVP. I wouldn’t give up on Rittich just yet. It looks more mental with BSD, he could still use some maturing in this department. I think the ability is there.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

This is the game that I watched.

The pessimist in me is nervous that this team—which did not look prepared or engaged through the entire first period—is the same one that has suffered a lot of the same struggles all year.

The optimist in me is encouraged by how the Flames took the game over in the second period, and is also ready to forgive the lack of early emotion and execution in a meaningless tune-up game.

I see a lot of posters ready to pronounce the Jets winners of the play-in before it has even started, yet I still feel like any predictions on the basis of an exhibition match are pretty meaningless. We will see what the Flames are made of on Saturday.

Personally I decided that I want to see at least a couple of games before I consider paying for a whole month of NHL (which is really overpriced here in Finland IMO).

That said, my feeling for the play-in has been for a while that it's going to be a series between two teams that will mostly look like they don't belong in the playoffs, but one will inevitably suck less than the other and make the playoffs. It might be the Flames, who knows.

From there, who knows.

[Erick Estrada]

I'm of the opinion that the mental part of the game can't always be learned and sometimes what a person is is what a person is. How many hotshot QB's with rocket arms and incredible athleticism fail in football because when the pocket breaks down they panic or they simply have poor decision making? They are a dime a dozen and it's the same with goaltenders. All professional goaltenders are top athletes and they all know the fundamentals but the best of the best are dialed in mentally. I'm not sure it's a matter of the light one day flipping on for Rittich as the reality is that for most that struggle mentally the light never turns on. He's played 115 games in three years and has been afforded far more opportunity than any Flames developed goaltender going back to Kidd. Treliving doesn't have another year or two left to wait for this guy to figure it out. It's certainly looking like a #1 goaltender is once again going to be a top priority for the team in the offseason.

[Bonded]

Unless the Flames smoke the play-ins, I am not convinced they will last past the first round unless goaltending stands on its head or the top line can get going.

[Manhattanboy]

I was most disappointed in the production. Where were the 35 cameras? They could have had booms moving around or drones with cameras for some really slick angles. Maybe NBC will do better.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I'm of the opinion that the mental part of the game can't always be learned and sometimes what a person is is what a person is. How many hotshot QB's with rocket arms and incredible athleticism fail in football because when the pocket breaks down they panic or they simply have poor decision making? They are a dime a dozen and it's the same with goaltenders. All professional goaltenders are top athletes and they all know the fundamentals but the best of the best are dialed in mentally. I'm not sure it's a matter of the light one day flipping on for Rittich as the reality is that for most that struggle mentally the light never turns on. He's played 115 games in three years and has been afforded far more opportunity than any Flames developed goaltender going back to Kidd. Treliving doesn't have another year or two left to wait for this guy to figure it out. It's certainly looking like a #1 goaltender is once again going to be a top priority for the team in the offseason.

#1 goaltender
Top 6 two way C at a minimum
Right hand shooting top 6 forward


Rinse and repeat.

Meanwhile our best Dman is 36, Gaudreau inches closer to free agency, Tkachuk inches closer to a $9 million QO and Backlund is now over 30.

If Treliving can't fix the roster this off season, he really needs to think about doing a major retool, but I know most fans here don't want to hear that.

Honestly though, if anyone sits and looks at where this team will likely be positioned two off seasons from now, it looks pretty ugly.

[BigErnSalute_16]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The Oilers sat back in the 2nd period and coasted. They didn't need to play a full 60 minutes to win this one. That type of effort tonight won't get it done against the Jets just like it wasn't good enough against the Oilers. Not going to argue too much over a game that doesn't count but they will have to be a lot better in the opener.

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Anything can happen in these qualifying rounds but the Oilers looked ready to play last night dominating the first period and putting things on cruise control to win easily 4-1. The Hawks are going to have to come out of the gates on fire to beat them and I'm actually okay with that as I'm terrified of the Oilers possibly getting another 1st overall pick so maybe seeing them lose in the first round of the playoffs isn't the end of the world.

They didn't put things "on cruise" the flames took it to them for a majority of the game. I get the outcome wasn't what we wanted (when I say we I mean the rest of us, not you, obviously) but don't take the one positive from that game for the flames and credit the oilers for it. It was 2-1 late in the third. You honestly think the Oilers were fine with sitting on a 1 goal lead? give your head a shake.

[BigErnSalute_16]

It might not be a perfect solution but I think one way to ensure a quick start by the flames is to just start each game with Bennett, Dube and Lucic. Dube and Bennett were the most engaged players throughout the game and if Lucic can go out there and throw a big hit right off the start it could get the team into it immediately. and then regardless of matchup I'd get Backlund's line out there on the next shift because Tkachuk and Mangiapane were both also very engaged.

Have those two lines set the tone before you send out Gaudreau and start playing the matchups. Worth a shot at least imo

[sempuki]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Such a shame about Jankowski. Good skater, size, reach, decent hands. He could be a really useful player with his tools.

But I'd rather have an AHLer giving the team some energy than what Jankowski brings out there.

I'm convinced they utterly flubbed trading down (maybe they wanted Tom Wilson??), and all that stuff about "best player in the draft" was to cover up a panic pick.

That said the entire draft was still a disaster, with very few difference makers.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Such a shame about Jankowski. Good skater, size, reach, decent hands. He could be a really useful player with his tools.

But I'd rather have an AHLer giving the team some energy than what Jankowski brings out there.

It actually looks like he has just given up and is just there. What a sharp downturn from last year.

[SuperMatt18]

I don't get why they haven't tried Jankowski on the wing ever.

His strengths (big body, board play, good shot, decent hands) work better against the wall than they do in the middle of the ice.

And his weaknesses (skating, vision) are magnified at center ice.

I'd be okay with trying him on LW on the 4th line with Ryan at center ice, especially if they want to give Bennett a bit of a run at Center ice.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by dino7c

setting up the Flames only goal...he had some good plays

Dube was more noticeable that Johnny.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I don't get why they haven't tried Jankowski on the wing ever.

His strengths (big body, board play, good shot, decent hands) work better against the wall than they do in the middle of the ice.

And his weaknesses (skating, vision) are magnified at center ice.

I'd be okay with trying him on LW on the 4th line with Ryan at center ice, especially if they want to give Bennett a bit of a run at Center ice.

Problem is that he doesn't play "Big" along the boards at all, so he's effectively as useful as Joe colburne

If Janko finished even one check I would be impressed but I have yet to see it. A fourth liner who doesn't hit really limits his impact and that is just enhanced when he doesn't have much for other skills as well.

Janko is a guy who needs a change of scenery.

[Strange Brew]

Colborne is a decent comparable actually, at least in some ways. Both scored some goals at the NHL level too.

Being an NHLer is hard. You have to be committed all the time, even the guys with elite talent.

[D as in David]

It wouldn't surprise me if Jankowski ended up in Europe and did very well there. I've always been a supporter of his due to his talent but the hope I had for him has run out, at least with the Flames. Seems to me that he's lost all confidence in himself this year.

[djsFlames]

Having an elite team/ where we thought they were going last year would sure make this summer really fun.

It's too bad they just don't look like they'll get out of third gear if they go into this thing with the same look/system.

[SportsJunky]

I pulled this from a Oilers scribe over at the Athletic today. He was talking about what could be heard without the crowd noise last night.
Flames winger Zac Rinaldo used salty language and made threats from the penalty box to Josh Archibald and Gaetan Haas. Teammate Rasmus Andersson told Zack Kassian to “shut up and get in the box” after the Oiler was penalized. The Flames razzed Haas after he stumbled and fell as a Calgary player darted around him on a power play.

Funny stuff.

[activeStick]

I get the stats and all that, but the good ol' eye test for me personally indicates that while the Flames did get better after the 1st, they're still not dangerous or a threat often enough.