[GDT] 2020 WC Play-In Round: Calgary Flames (8) vs. Winnipeg Jets (9) Flames 2-1

[D as in David]

I picked Talbot but in a situation where our goalie lays an egg in game #1, I think we'd be better off starting with Rittich then switching to Talbot than the other way around.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Red

No advanced stars measure balls.

I am most interested to learn more about this.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by D as in David

I picked Talbot but in a situation where our goalie lays an egg in game #1, I think we'd be better off starting with Rittich then switching to Talbot than the other way around.

Said it earlier but Im with Haynes's take on the Flames goalie conundrum. Pick one for the series and roll with it. You start rotating them through, you lose.

[JohnnyB]

I like the play until you lose approach when there's no clear #1. Both were losers against the Oilers, but Talbot played better, so play him in the playoffs until he loses.

[agulati]

I voted for Talbot getting the start on Saturday, but won’t be too upset with Rittich either.

Whoever starts, hopefully Ward has a short leash. Each game matters a lot (especially since it is a best of 5)

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Red

Flames will get rolled.
Jets are a big and a mean team and have more difference makers ( we have none)

They have goaltending as well.

I will be impressed if it goes to 4 games.

This series will tell you why advanced stays are useless. No advanced stars measure balls. Flames have none unfortunately.

Your fandom is just unparalleled.

[Red]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Your fandom is just unparalleled.

Fandom should have nothing to do with making predictions. Unless homerism is your game.

[Red]

Originally Posted by MrMike

I'm looking forward to you defending this statement after game one. I have it saved.

I will be very happy to be proven wrong.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Icon

I feel like I'm thinking they lose game 1 regardless, so that may as well be Talbot's start so they can swap to Rittich for game 2, instead of the other way around.

But that's not really positive thinking, so I'm going to just go have a beer and a burger

I think it's pretty evident that Rittich's play fluctuates with his confidence (like most goalies). If he doesn't start game 1, what does that say to him? We aren't winning the cup with Talbot's lateral movement.

I think you live or die with Rittich.

[Red]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I am most interested to learn more about this.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Referring to the typo or the opinion that you can't measure intangibles like toughness and will to do whatever it takes to win?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I think it's pretty evident that Rittich's play fluctuates with his confidence (like most goalies). If he doesn't start game 1, what does that say to him? We aren't winning the cup with Talbot's lateral movement.

I think you live or die with Rittich.

This is all based on what I pick up on TV, but I had a similar issue and have been thinking it about Rittich for a while.

He gets himself waaaaaayyyyy to amped up sometimes. If you’re a player that is going to be running around hitting guys, getting yourself fired up like a thoroughbred makes sense. It just doesn’t translate well to goalies. Leads to Rittich making “over saves” and not settling into position with a sharp focus on the task at hand.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I think it's pretty evident that Rittich's play fluctuates with his confidence (like most goalies). If he doesn't start game 1, what does that say to him? We aren't winning the cup with Talbot's lateral movement.

I think you live or die with Rittich.

The Flames aren't winning the cup with either of these goaltenders. Talbot's stats this season are far superior to Rittich in regular and advanced stats if you want to dig deeper.

From the Athletic's Flames vs Jets preview;

This season those two numbers dropped as Rittich struggled to be The Guy in Calgary. He allowed nearly 10 goals more than expected off a .907 save percentage and in general, performed much worse than backup Cam Talbot. The Flames would likely be better served starting Talbot, but with him only playing 26 games this year and being one year removed from a wretched season, he’s not exactly the safest of bets.

Neither goaltender provides much in the way of confidence but Talbot was the much better goaltender this season and he's been the better goaltender since coming back from the break. If Ward wants to continue to be the Flames head coach next season he better tread carefully here and go with the guy that's playing better over gut hunches or politics of playing the guy signed into next season.

[SportsJunky]

Originally Posted by Red

I will be very happy to be proven wrong.

I've never liked it when posters say this. It usually comes after someone tells us how bad the Flames are and that they are going to get beat. Just in case though, I'll tell everyone how happy I'll be to be proven wrong. Covering all the bases.

Anyway, Flames in 4.

[Freddy]

Neither goalie inspires a lot of confidence for me, but Rittich is signed for next year so I hope he starts and we only see Talbot in relief a few times through this long run to the cup.

[EVERLAST]

Regardless of who starts we also need goals.

Our goalies when playing well don't get the run support they need. Smith stood on his head last year and it didn't matter because we couldn't score.

This team has to score obviously and if we get into wide open hockey against the Jets and rely solely on our top line this will be a short short series.

5 on 5 sure maybe we win but I see this series getting ugly.

I think we'll see some pleasant things out of Linholm , Dube and Eat bread (fingers crossed) i like the games they are trying to play.

Please Tkachuk, Lucic and Rinaldo inspire your teammates enough to go full out and get that GAF meter red lining enough that the glass breaks.

Go Flames.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

Please Tkachuk, Lucic and Rinaldo inspire your teammates enough to go full out and get that GAF meter red lining enough that the glass breaks.

Go Flames.

Those 3 could be huge difference makers if they bring the physicality and nastiness that they are all capable of bringing. If Bennett and Dube do the same it could lead to a lot of frustration on the Jets side, especially missing Buff themselves. Could keep the PP (R.M.) opportunities even.

[the-rasta-masta]

Talbot has a history of playing lights out in his one playoff with the Oilers. I'd give him a start Game 1 and then go from there. Then hopefully Rittich has something to prove with his first playoff start if we nee to go his direction.

Goaltending is the least of my concerns going into this matchup with the Jets. Obviously interested to see how hard the team competes, and if we can find some scoring.

I think we beat the Jets in 4.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by Red

Flames will get rolled.
Jets are a big and a mean team and have more difference makers ( we have none)

They have goaltending as well.

I will be impressed if it goes to 4 games.

This series will tell you why advanced stats are useless. No advanced stats measure balls. Flames have none unfortunately.

Predicting a Flames loss is one thing, and it's a valid prediction. To say we don't have a single difference maker is absolutely absurd. Tkachuk? Lindholm? Gaudreau? Monahan? Bennett? Reigning Norris winner Mark Giordano? None of those are potential difference makers? Just a garbage team full of garbage players I suppose.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by VilleN

Predicting a Flames loss is one thing, and it's a valid prediction. To say we don't have a single difference maker is absolutely absurd. Tkachuk? Lindholm? Gaudreau? Monahan? Bennett? Reigning Norris winner Mark Giordano? None of those are potential difference makers? Just a garbage team full of garbage players I suppose.

Of the players you have listed Bennett is the only one who has a better playoff performance than their regular season.

Who has shown that he will likely have great playoff series?

The best playoff performance by a player on the current Flames roster is Brodie who was outstanding in the Flames only playoff round win in the last 16 years.

[Enoch Root]

this narrative that guys aren't playoff performers, simply because they struggled the first couple chances at it, is so overdone. Lots of guys take a while to learn how to play in the playoffs - doesn't mean they CAN'T or never will.

Classis example is Pavel Datsyuk. TONS of talent, and lots of regular season success, but small and Russian. So he 'isn't built for the playoffs'. In his first 4 playoff appearances, he had 3G and 12A in 42 games over 4 seasons. The Wings were having playoff success but he wasn't. And with each game, the 'he can't handle playoff hockey' narrative grew louder. Also, by this time he was turning 26 and had played 284 regular season games, along with the 42 playoff games, so he 'was what he was' by that point.

Somehow, however, over the next 5 years, he had 29G, 47A, 76P in 79 playoff games. And got to lift the Cup over his head.