[PGT] Flames beat Montreal, 3-1!

[monkeyman]

Good win. The difference is astonishing. What a difference it makes when you don't turn the puck over just inside your blue line or in the opposition zone with your d-men out of position. What a difference it makes when you pressure the opposition. what a difference it makes when you roll four lines to keep guys engaged.
I think once the players have some time to play Sutter's way, and it becomes second nature this team will look even faster, the forecheck will be even harder, break-outs will be even better, and our scoring will increase. We've only just begun to see what this team can do.

[indes]

I think it's pretty obvious the player's didn't believe in Ward's 'system'. Lots of backwards passing and super slow transition. It's hard to get engaged and play with intensity when you're slowing down the game at every turn.

I don't think this is a new coach bounce. We've seen plenty of these players thrive in fast transition and it's a better team than the one that won the division.

GFG

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Got a kick out of this ...

Berkshire produces some really good content, but he's always clearly been a Montreal fan.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1370907167801417729

Yeah, I suppose if you're a Habs fan, that was boring hockey. But as a Flames fan, it is a hell of a lot more entertaining. So I guess it all balances out.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by zamler

Sutter hockey is not always low scoring, L.A. Cup runs had high scoring games especially against Chicago.

Yeah but regular season they were 2nd and 1st in GAA....i think thats what they said last night
Sutter hockey is not what most consider exciting, but it sure is winning hockey when the team is bought in.

[N-E-B]

Winning hockey is fun. I’ve never watched the Flames win and had a bad time regardless of how they won the game.

I don’t care if Montreal media thinks we’re boring to watch. It’s not boring to fans of the team that wins.

[Enoch Root]

Just rewatched the game to focus on what they were doing...

Sutter talked about a good start and doing the things they wanted to do. In the first 26 minutes, MTL had 7 shots - 3 of them were essentially dump-ins (wristers from the blueline), and the other 4 were all from the perimeter. Just completely shut down.

Meanwhile, the Flames weren't just playing defense, they were getting to the front of the net - and getting the puck to the front of the net - much more than they had been doing under Ward.

It's only two games, but so far so good, as far as the way they are playing goes.

[Enoch Root]

Another thing that I think has been interesting in these two games...

Sure, playing faster, forechecking with more intensity and purpose... we all kind of expected those things. But what I have found surprising is that they are winning way more puck battles, something this group have always been terrible at.

Maybe it's because of increased intensity, maybe it's just a case of MTL also sucking at it, it's impossible to say at this point.

But it sure has been a refreshing change.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Just rewatched the game to focus on what they were doing...

Sutter talked about a good start and doing the things they wanted to do. In the first 26 minutes, MTL had 7 shots - 3 of them were essentially dump-ins (wristers from the blueline), and the other 4 were all from the perimeter. Just completely shut down.

Meanwhile, the Flames weren't just playing defense, they were getting to the front of the net - and getting the puck to the front of the net - much more than they had been doing under Ward.

It's only two games, but so far so good, as far as the way they are playing goes.

No more turn overs at the bluelines.

Players are clearly making % decisions carrying the puck now.

But the big thing is the high F3 allowing the dmen to pinch at will creating a lot of zone time.

There is nothing boring about that ... it's high pressure hockey.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Another thing that I think has been interesting in these two games...

Sure, playing faster, forechecking with more intensity and purpose... we all kind of expected those things. But what I have found surprising is that they are winning way more puck battles, something this group have always been terrible at.

Maybe it's because of increased intensity, maybe it's just a case of MTL also sucking at it, it's impossible to say at this point.

But it sure has been a refreshing change.

I think a lot of it is trust.

Players are no longer cheating to compensate for a teammate potentially not doing his job. You get everyone in the right spot if they're not playing with the thought of disaster in their brains.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Give me Darryl Sutter hockey over Jacques Lemaire hockey any day of the week.


Also, I found the Kings - even though they were suffocating - fun to watch in their cup runs. I thought that Calgary was probably the most fun to watch team in '04 with their crazy speed and hits.



Montreal just had no response and didn't put up much of a fight. When your team faces another team that keeps you hemmed in your own zone all night, chance are that you won't find that game particularly entertaining.


I hope Edmonton fans really complain about the entertainment value tomorrow night.

[dammage79]

Sutter hockey= less fun but it's championship hockey.

That's how it boils down for me. It may be a boring meat grinder brand of hockey but that's what wins championships.

All that is required is a total buy in from 22 players. It's why his coaching style has a shelf life, like Hitchcock or others of that ilk.

Regardless, the goal is to get the Stanley cup, if the players all buy in like.it appears to be, then there's a good chance they can make a good push.

Work yer butts off, have fun after with the cup in the summer.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Found nothing boring about the Flames game. They hounded the puck, there wasn’t a lot of neutral zone time where they were doubling back to get missed passes, and they were creating offense off the rush!! The play by play crew made a lot of noise about JG dumping the puck in but he didn’t do that 100% of the time, when he had an opportunity to keep the Montreal D on their toes with a quick zone entry he took his opportunity but if nothing was there he dumped it in. Great hockey.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Give me Darryl Sutter hockey over Jacques Lemaire hockey any day of the week.


Also, I found the Kings - even though they were suffocating - fun to watch in their cup runs. I thought that Calgary was probably the most fun to watch team in '04 with their crazy speed and hits.

.

Of all the Canadian teams that made a miracle run to the finals during that era, the Flames had the most national support of any team. I had friends who were Canuck fans organizing viewing parties and falling in love with Iggy. There were Flames car flags all across the country, even in Edmonton.

That team was very entertaining. Sutter hockey is just plain entertaining, pressure forecheck and physical play. Canadians love that kind of hockey, that's also the recipe Canada has used internationally to win gold medals. Sutter hockey is Canadian hockey.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Yeah, put me in the group that Sutter hockey isn't boring. I just want players working hard and giving it their all every shift. When you do that, the results happen. Sometimes, I love to see defensive plays and stupendous forechecking over a goal.

[Bingo]

The tenth best NHL team averages 10.38 high danger chances per 60 minutes 5 on 5.

The tenth best NHL team averages 9.28 high danger chances per 60 minutes 5 on 5.

Last night the Flames had 9 chances in 49.5 minutes of five on five hockey, which translates into 10.91/60 for the single game.

Last night the Flames had 4 chances against in 49.5 minutes of five on five hockey which translates into 4.84/60 for the single game.

They were only "boring" in one direction.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

No more turn overs at the bluelines.

Players are clearly making % decisions carrying the puck now.

But the big thing is the high F3 allowing the dmen to pinch at will creating a lot of zone time.

There is nothing boring about that ... it's high pressure hockey.

It's great hockey - if you're rooting for the Flames.

And your post makes another good point: some of the change is intensity and making better decisions (and fewer bad ones). But also, some of it is systems changes (like your 3rd point). I am amazed at how much change there has actually been already. Thought it would take longer to implement.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Sutter hockey= less fun but it's championship hockey...

I guess it could be less fun for players, but I strongly disagree with the notion that it is less entertaining for fans. Sutter's teams have historically been quick thinking/reacting, good at transitions, relentlessly fore-checking, and dominant in possession. I guess it could be less entertaining when the other team rarely ever has the puck, but that is just a silly complaint in the end.


Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Hate to get in the way of a solid I told you so, but isn't the core somewhat flawed if it takes a two time cup winner (3) and future hall of fame task master to get them to try every game?

Virtually every core is "somewhat flawed" if the bar is "need the right coach to get the most out of them as a team".

Crosby and Malkin got coaches fired in two of their three cup years.

Doughty and Kopitar also needed that same future hall of famer.

Toews and Kane had no success before or after Quennville.

Yzerman and Federov didn't win without Scotty Bowman.

Pietrangelo's Blues needed some major core overhauls? Sure. They still needed a coaching change of their own, even if no one expected Berube to be the right guy for the job.

Jon Cooper is trending towards the Hall of Fame himself.

The Capitals' core went through tons of coaching turnover until they found a fit with Trotz. And then Trotz left and they looked like their window had closed. Laviolette comes in and they look like the window is open after all.

Matthews and Marner got Team Canada's coach, a cup winner, the highest paid coach in the world, fired... and they're a better team with Keefe, playing by far their best of their core's era.

The Flames have made the playoffs 4 times in the previous 6 years, and outside of Hartley (whose shortcomings were the system side of things to a blatant extent)? None of those coaches have prior, or will likely afterwards, take a team to the playoffs. Not even Peters who had virtually the same Carolina core that's been among league leaders since his departure. Peters and Gulutzan and Ward in six years as NOT Flames coaches did not once coach a team to the playoffs.

You need a coach who is a good fit for the team.

If Sutter is that guy, the core should not apologize for it. All that matters is what they can do under Sutter. Which might remain to be seen, but as a fan I sure have a lot more confidence in Sutter than I do Gulutzan, Peters, or Ward. Or even Hartley, simply for the systems/advanced stat part of it all.

[djsFlames]

I could watch Sutter hockey all day.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

If Sutter is that guy, the core should not apologize for it. All that matters is what they can do under Sutter. Which might remain to be seen, but as a fan I sure have a lot more confidence in Sutter than I do Gulutzan, Peters, or Ward. Or even Hartley, simply for the systems/advanced stat part of it all.

I think it's possible to see it both ways.

I never advocated for not firing Ward. I didn't after the bubble on our radio bit, and I haven't on the forum.

Honestly I wasn't pushing for it because I thought it unlikely they'd bring in an upgrade in a pandemic with the quarantine etc. I thought it was Ward or Huska for the season.

So elated with the boost in coaching for sure, but that doesn't mean I have to love this core or think they're absolved for not preparing themselves and competing within the system for either of the previous two coaches.