[PGT] Flames beat Montreal, 3-1!

[Gaskal]

Love seeing these little one-on-one moments.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1370922367631851523

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Kylington's best asset - by far - is his skating but many of us have been lamenting that he doesn't use it - too much standing around, likely focused on positional play and what he is 'supposed to be doing".

Tonight he was skating all over the ice, using his speed. He was also head-manning the puck much more effectively, removing pressure from himself.

Ward's D to D, 'set it up in the defensive zone' strategy was probably the worst imaginable for Kylington - him having to play along the boards in his own zone is the last thing you want him doing. Sutter's fast transition, high pressure hockey suits him much better.

And I agree, I thought last night was his best game as a Flame so far.

I’d love to see him in OT with Backlund and Lindholm as guardians

[Cain]

I'm thinking/hoping that some big steps may be taken by Kylington and Hanifin.


Hanifin has already looked like he's on the precipice of breaking out and I have always though that Kylington just needed confidence and someone who won't bench him when he inevitably tries too much and has some growing pains.
I'm excited to see these two going forward.

[Kasi]

Peters took a worse version of this core to number one in the West. Had no Markstrom, Tanev, Dube, and less developed versions of many of today’s core like Mangiapane and Rasmus. Do we think Sutter will bring them to the same heights? Maybe but probably not considering Vegas and others improvements. (Although it’s not likeColorado is lighting the world on fire as expected this year) They got to quite good heights and unlike with Ward they weren’t relying overly on luck.

Yet even before Peters was fired they had tuned him out and reverted to previous playing standards. I think Sutter should have a longer shelf life but like Bingo I don’t trust the players here. They’ve quit before and I don’t trust they won’t again. Maybe Sutter can forge them into something useful but it will take a look more than 2 good games against a team without top tier talent to convince me they’re not brittle steel.

[djsFlames]

If they can prove that they can make McDavid ineffective on Monday with good system work and attention to detail then I think you can say they've taken a massive step.

They can render Montreal's B talent relatively ineffective with a strong possession and forechecking game, but they will have to defend against the Hart bros at points, so I'm curious to see if Darryl makes some adjustments to those tough defensive assignments.

I do feel like if they maintain their strong possession game they will help themselves a lot by taking fewer penalties. Felt like we compounded issues against the Oilers by taking extremely untimely penalties frequently.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I honestly think there are more changes they he's selling.

Probably trying to not throw Ward under the bus. But it's pretty different.

North South pretty much always.
Stronger F2
Stronger pinch
Supporting F3
No setup behind the net
Dmen carrying the puck more
Shot volume
PP bump back gone

Some of it is probably just mind games that Darryl was playing with the rest of the division. "yeah, we aren't changing the system so no need to change your game plans against us". I'm sure the other teams will catch on quick or are probably already reviewing how Darryl's old Kings teams played, but at the very least, Sutter hoodwinked the Habs into thinking it was business as usual and swept a critical 2 game series.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by 868904

Some of it is probably just mind games that Darryl was playing with the rest of the division. "yeah, we aren't changing the system so no need to change your game plans against us". I'm sure the other teams will catch on quick or are probably already reviewing how Darryl's old Kings teams played, but at the very least, Sutter hoodwinked the Habs into thinking it was business as usual and swept a critical 2 game series.

and GioforPM.

[GioforPM]

I don’t think Sutter plays those kind of games to trick the opposition - he likes to beat you heads up. Nor has he really had time anyway.

They plain old outplayed the Habs.

[JohnnyB]

I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing how the team deals with McDavid in the next BoA. Feels like that will be the battle within the battle, with McDavid's speed and shot pitted against Sutter's tactical adjustments. McDavid is freakish when he gets a chance to skate, but Sutter is pretty cunning, so I imagine he'll have a clever plan on how to contain him.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Kasi

Peters took a worse version of this core to number one in the West. Had no Markstrom, Tanev, Dube, and less developed versions of many of today’s core like Mangiapane and Rasmus. Do we think Sutter will bring them to the same heights? Maybe but probably not considering Vegas and others improvements. (Although it’s not likeColorado is lighting the world on fire as expected this year) They got to quite good heights and unlike with Ward they weren’t relying overly on luck.

Yet even before Peters was fired they had tuned him out and reverted to previous playing standards. I think Sutter should have a longer shelf life but like Bingo I don’t trust the players here. They’ve quit before and I don’t trust they won’t again. Maybe Sutter can forge them into something useful but it will take a look more than 2 good games against a team without top tier talent to convince me they’re not brittle steel.

I there is a BIG difference now, they will get moved down, benched or traded. Treliving said, it is now on the players.

[OldDutch]

Sutter is arguably a Top 10 modern era NHL coach. He also hasn’t lost it.

If you tune that out it says more about you as a player than anything. Something I hope Treliving grows some chaones and ejects no matter the player.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by jayswin

That's what I was getting at. The whole "We're not changing the system" was a day 1 statement as to not commit to anything or give the players on out. He's changed a lot and it shows on top of the higher compete.

I don't know how any Flames fan who was around for Darryl's first run is putting any stock at all in what he says to the media.

You're a lot better off trusting your own eyes.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I don’t think Sutter plays those kind of games to trick the opposition - he likes to beat you heads up. Nor has he really had time anyway.

They plain old outplayed the Habs.

Not this

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I don't know how any Flames fan who was around for Darryl's first run is putting any stock at all in what he says to the media.

You're a lot better off trusting your own eyes.

This

[GioforPM]

Sutter doesn’t lie to the media. It’s more of a sneer at stupid questions. And not only was I around for his first run, I was around when he was a rookie.

And the suggestion wasn’t that he lied to the media, it was that he was using the media to mislead Montreal into some sort of incorrect game plan, which was odd since he said it two games before they played Montreal, and they seemed to play the same incorrect game plan twice in a row.

Or, and I’m going Occam’s Razor here, he meant what he said.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Sutter doesn’t lie to the media. It’s more of a sneer at stupid questions. And not only was I around for his first run, I was around when he was a rookie.

And the suggestion wasn’t that he lied to the media, it was that he was using the media to mislead Montreal into some sort of incorrect game plan, which was odd since he said it two games before they played Montreal, and they seemed to play the same incorrect game plan twice in a row.

Or, and I’m going Occam’s Razor here, he meant what he said.

No to just mislead Montreal, it was to not make bold statements on day one that give the media easy fodder for bold quotes and proclamations about a new system.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Why on earth would one think Sutter is going to tell the media and the opposition precisely what adjustments he plans to make?

That’s just silly for multiple reasons

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Why on earth would one think Sutter is going to tell the media and the opposition precisely what adjustments he plans to make?

That’s just silly for multiple reasons

He was asked a question and like he always does, he gave a straight answer. no one is saying he didn’t make adjustments. I just accept he didn’t need to make major system changes, and he focussed on improving execution and effort. Because, not only did he say it, that’s what happened.

[blender]

I am not a hockey systems guy at all, but I have watched a lot of hockey and what I see these last two games is what I would call "pressure hockey". I don't think it is a system per se, but a style. The Flames keep the pressure on the opposition by always turning the puck up the ice regardless of the numbers available to them; it is quick transition, up-tempo, attacking hockey.

If you look at Monahan's first goal, it is the pressure behind the net that forces the turnover, and Backlund's goal was the same pressure by Mangiapane.

Also, the relentless pressure wears away at the opponents D mentally, leading to breakdowns. It is an entertaining style of play because something is always happening.

Again, not an analyst, but just my interpretation of what I'm watching

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Why on earth would one think Sutter is going to tell the media and the opposition precisely what adjustments he plans to make?

That’s just silly for multiple reasons

No kidding. We should be debating what we see on the ice, not what Sutter tells the media he is going to do.

Bingo did a pretty nice job os listing all the things that look different after two games. It's not just execution.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by blender

I am not a hockey systems guy at all, but I have watched a lot of hockey and what I see these last two games is what I would call "pressure hockey". I don't think it is a system per se, but a style. The Flames keep the pressure on the opposition by always turning the puck up the ice regardless of the numbers available to them; it is quick transition, up-tempo, attacking hockey.

If you look at Monahan's first goal, it is the pressure behind the net that forces the turnover, and Backlund's goal was the same pressure by Mangiapane.

Also, the relentless pressure wears away at the opponents D mentally, leading to breakdowns. It is an entertaining style of play because something is always happening.

Again, not an analyst, but just my interpretation of what I'm watching

Increased pressure and smart aggressive forecheck, as part of a dump in, is a big change that I’ve seen.