[Game Takes] Flames 4 Jets 3 (SO)

[Bingo]

Game Takes: Flames 4 Jets 3 (SO)

- Gaudreau continues his streak
- Gaudreau and Monahan stone cold in the shoot out
- Markstrom solid
- Fortress pairing continues to blank opposition

[Strange Brew]

I remember Plett’s goal in the playoffs. It was a slapper that beat the goalie clean IIRC. Long time ago and I was just a kid but that’s how I remember it.

With all the familiarity this weird season will bring, maybe we see a greater correlation between regular season and playoff performance for players like Gaudreau and Monahan.

[Always Earned Never Given]

The only time Nordstrom and Ryan spent time in the D zone was during the Jets powerplays.

Other than that they hemmed the Jets in their zone at 5 on 5. No great scoring chances but it gave Marky a rest every time they were on the ice.

Glad to see that the fancy stats reflect what I saw.

[ricardodw]

Hockey Stat Card has total domination by the Flames.

Tanev, Hanifin, Lindhom, Valimaki and Mangiapane had break out games (1.5x their average game score)

They basically have the Jets playing their worst game of the season... pretty much by any team. The only 3 Jets that had an fine (Okay) game was Schiefele, Pionk and Hellebuyck.

Markstrom had a bad game and Gio was the worst of the Flames skaters squeaking out the low end of a "fine" game..

[Boblobla]

Andersson and Gio do seem to be fighting the puck right now. Missed passes and turnover. Glad the 5 on 5 play has improved.

[Enoch Root]

Watching Hanifin and Andersson so far this season, they are great reminders that, who you play with (and the situations you are put in), matters.

Hanifin with Hamonic -awful, and many people wanted to get rid of him
Hanifin with Andersson - substantially better, but people gave Andersson all the credit
Hanifin with Tanev - fantastic, and people initially blamed Tanev, though there appears to be growing praise/realization that Hanifin is playing really well in his own right

Meanwhile, Andersson has struggled a bit, playing with Gio and getting the tough minutes. Not terrible, but it is a tougher role.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Watching Hanifin and Andersson so far this season, they are great reminders that, who you play with (and the situations you are put in), matters.

Hanifin with Hamonic -awful, and many people wanted to get rid of him
Hanifin with Andersson - substantially better, but people gave Andersson all the credit
Hanifin with Tanev - fantastic, and people initially blamed Tanev, though there appears to be growing praise/realization that Hanifin is playing really well in his own right

Meanwhile, Andersson has struggled a bit, playing with Gio and getting the tough minutes. Not terrible, but it is a tougher role.

It's almost impossible to decide who the culprit is.

In 99 minutes together they have an xGF% of 38%. That's terrible. Apart (limited time they are both bad as well).

Visually you see mistakes from both of them ... honestly can't believe they both left the zone in Montreal before the puck went out.

Only a matter of time before they have to switch it up ... which logically would be Valimaki with Andersson since they're not going to break Hanifin and Tanev up.

Then try both new pairings with reduced minutes and see how the team rolls ... Ward is using all three pairings so it's not like Giordano gets Dalton Prout and 8 minutes a night.

But as a pair I'm not so sure how long you can walk them out. They've only been above water twice in eight games, and they have three games in the 20%s.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

It's almost impossible to decide who the culprit is.

In 99 minutes together they have an xGF% of 38%. That's terrible. Apart (limited time they are both bad as well).

Visually you see mistakes from both of them ... honestly can't believe they both left the zone in Montreal before the puck went out.

Only a matter of time before they have to switch it up ... which logically would be Valimaki with Andersson since they're not going to break Hanifin and Tanev up.

Then try both new pairings with reduced minutes and see how the team rolls ... Ward is using all three pairings so it's not like Giordano gets Dalton Prout and 8 minutes a night.

But as a pair I'm not so sure how long you can walk them out. They've only been above water twice in eight games, and they have three games in the 20%s.

I am a patient fan, and feel that you need to see some games, with different opponents, before making changes. But yeah, 8 games in, and there are still no real signs of improvement. It is becoming a concern.

Not sure the best way to go though, if changes are in fact needed. I think the best solution is Gio-Tanev, and Hanifin-Andersson. But, as you say, you can't break up Tanifin right now - they are crazy-good.

So that leaves Gio-Nesterov (which worries me) and Valimaki-Andersson. And I am not sure that Andersson is ready to carry a rookie yet (with top 4 responsibilities).

[Enoch Root]

So I guess I am saying that you keep running Gio-Andersson and hope that they raise their games (and I am confident that they will).

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

So I guess I am saying that you keep running Gio-Andersson and hope that they raise their games (and I am confident that they will).

The Flames are entering a "softer" part of their schedule right now, after four straight games v. the top two teams in the Division. Three of their next four are against Winnipeg, and the remaining seven games before the last week of February are against the Oilers and the Canucks. I think I would want to see how they play some of these other teams first before shuffling the pairs.

[Strange Brew]

If breaking up Hanifin-Tanev is verboten, then the options are obviously limited. Gio- Nesterov really doesn’t sound like a good idea.

Is one “fortress” pairing and one underwater pairing better than two average pairs?

Or maybe the softer schedule is the time to experiment a little.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

If breaking up Hanifin-Tanev is verboten, then the options are obviously limited. Gio- Nesterov really doesn’t sound like a good idea.

Is one “fortress” pairing and one underwater pairing better than two average pairs?

Or maybe the softer schedule is the time to experiment a little.

Was hoping "fortress" would gain traction!

[Itse]

Tanev is growing on me.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Watching Hanifin and Andersson so far this season, they are great reminders that, who you play with (and the situations you are put in), matters.

Hanifin with Hamonic -awful, and many people wanted to get rid of him
Hanifin with Andersson - substantially better, but people gave Andersson all the credit
Hanifin with Tanev - fantastic, and people initially blamed Tanev, though there appears to be growing praise/realization that Hanifin is playing really well in his own right

Meanwhile, Andersson has struggled a bit, playing with Gio and getting the tough minutes. Not terrible, but it is a tougher role.

The lack of foot speed with the Gio/Andersson pairing worries me. McDavid (and Mackinnon) would feast on them.