[Game Takes] Avs 2 Flames 1

[Bingo]

Avs 2 Flames 1

- Kuemper the difference in back to back meetings
- Flames lost the game with 11 sloppy minutes to start the third
- Top line not firing on all cylinders, with Tkachuk particularly having a rough night

[Reggie Dunlop]

Not overly concerned.. just came up a bit short.

[DeluxeMoustache]

The sag didn’t create a PP. A shameless dive did

[icarus]

Backlund is a low-key agitator and no doubt there's some long memories on both sides from the playoff series a few years ago.

[BigRed]

Kuemper was a difference maker. But this was an Avs team without McKinnon and Landeskog, which is scary. They’re going to be tough.


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[Erick Estrada]

A little sobering that the Avs handled the Flames without MacKinnon and Landeskog. To their credit they played the perfect road game that was a complete 180 from Saturday night. This is the kind of game the Flames should expect to see in the playoffs and while a lot of people will talk about the 1st line not getting it done the reality is that opposing teams in the playoffs are going to make things difficult for that line and for the Flames to have any sort of playoff success we need to see a lot more from the likes of Backlund, Coleman, and Mangiapane. This was a game where the team needed secondary scoring and it's just not there right now as Coleman and Mangiapane in particular have been extremely streaky offensively and Backlund hasn't really got into gear all season on the scoresheet.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

A little sobering that the Avs handled the Flames without MacKinnon and Landeskog. To their credit they played the perfect road game that was a complete 180 from Saturday night. This is the kind of game the Flames should expect to see in the playoffs and while a lot of people will talk about the 1st line not getting it done the reality is that opposing teams in the playoffs are going to make things difficult for that line and for the Flames to have any sort of playoff success we need to see a lot more from the likes of Backlund, Coleman, and Mangiapane. This was a game where the team needed secondary scoring and it's just not there right now as Coleman and Mangiapane in particular have been extremely streaky offensively and Backlund hasn't really got into gear all season on the scoresheet.

Not sure I'm with the word "handled" they gave up over 40 shots, and were on the wrong side of most metrics.

Their goalie played very well.

Additionally if we start to see teams key on the top line (would have to think they already are) and shut them down there's an issue. But last night was more about self destruction than anything the Avs did in my opinion. How many offsides? 10? Tkachuk handling the puck like a live grenade.

Just not their night.

I wasn't drunk, but I certainly wasn't sobered!

[Erick Estrada]

I think the Avs did a great job at keeping shots from the outside, clogging the neutral zone and I think they did what they had to do to get the 2 points. They did this all without two of their best players and a makeshift first line which is impressive. It's not the end of the world but the secondary scorers needed to step up in this game and they didn't.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I think the Avs did a great job at keeping shots from the outside, clogging the neutral zone and I think they did what they had to do to get the 2 points. They did this all without two of their best players and a makeshift first line which is impressive. It's not the end of the world but the secondary scorers needed to step up in this game and they didn't.

That's not giving Kuemper much credit.

High danger chances were 7-4 Calgary five on five, and 13-6 for the game in all situations.

Secondary scoring would be great don't get me wrong, but the team other than ten minutes in the third played quite well.

The top line just wasn't in synch.

It's interesting 12 players were on the ice for at least two high danger changes, and the top line were none of those 12.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I think the Avs did a great job at keeping shots from the outside, clogging the neutral zone and I think they did what they had to do to get the 2 points. They did this all without two of their best players and a makeshift first line which is impressive. It's not the end of the world but the secondary scorers needed to step up in this game and they didn't.

This is pretty accurate IMO.

Far from the end of the world but would have liked to see the Flames really take it to them. Yeah we had a lot of shots but when the game was on the line at the start of the third, it was the under manned team that took over the game from the rested, injury free team.

If the tables were turned and we beat Colorado on the road without say Gaudreau and Toffoli this place would be delirious.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

This is pretty accurate IMO.

Far from the end of the world but would have liked to see the Flames really take it to them. Yeah we had a lot of shots but when the game was on the line at the start of the third, it was the under manned team that took over the game from the rested, injury free team.

If the tables were turned and we beat Colorado on the road without say Gaudreau and Toffoli this place would be delirious.

Yeah and you could see it coming ... bad shift after bad shift after bad shift to start the third. You knew the shoe would drop.

But I wouldn't say they kept it to the outside. Kuemper deserves more credit than that.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Far from the end of the world but would have liked to see the Flames really take it to them. Yeah we had a lot of shots but when the game was on the line at the start of the third, it was the under manned team that took over the game from the rested, injury free team.

Not as bad as losing to a Covid ravaged Sharks team with a bunch of AHLers. Now that one was brutal to digest.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bingo

It's interesting 12 players were on the ice for at least two high danger changes, and the top line were none of those 12.

That's going to happen in the playoffs where teams really bear down and focus on shutting down your best weapons. It's why I keep going back to Mangiapane, Coleman, Backlund, etc as this was a game the Flames needed them to step up and produce. Coleman has a history of stepping up in the playoffs and time will tell if the other guys can raise their level against opponents that want the game as bad as the Flames.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

That's going to happen in the playoffs where teams really bear down and focus on shutting down your best weapons. It's why I keep going back to Mangiapane, Coleman, Backlund, etc as this was a game the Flames needed them to step up and produce. Coleman has a history of stepping up in the playoffs and time will tell if the other guys can raise their level against opponents that want the game as bad as the Flames.

It might.

But that wasn't the case in my mind last night, which was my point.

That wasn't a classic Avalanche road game where they shut down the top line effectively and won the game as a result ... at least as a simple summary.

When you give up 13 high danger chances and 43 shots you're not playing a perfect road game.

The Flames top line had a tough night more than they were neutralized, and the goaltender played extremely well.

But other than that, agreed ... depth scoring needs to score though the Flames aren't unique in that regard. Their depth is as good as any team with Toffoli and Jarnkrok added.

[SuperMatt18]

Flames had no finish but gave up absolutely nothing at 5v5.

PK has been rough the last two games.

Were able to outscore the woes against Edmonton, caught up to them last night.

[Reggie Dunlop]

[Bingo]

Ran the numbers on top heaviness again.

In terms of Point/60 average as trios the Flames top three 30.5% better than the average NHL team. Their 2nd three is 4.3% better, and their third three is 3.0% better.

The top nine is 14.9% better than the average NHL team.

If you look at top ten teams only ... Flames top three 18.6% better than the average NHL team. Their 2nd three is 8.9% worse, and their third three is 9.9% worse. The top nine is 2.1% better overall.

So yeah the Flames are top heavy but by a greater degree to how amazing the top line is than how inferior the middle six is.

Calgary's top nine in order as of last night's game ...

Johnny Gaudreau
Matthew Tkachuk
Elias Lindholm
Andrew Mangiapane
Blake Coleman
Mikael Backlund
Calle Jarnkrok
Dillon Dube
Tyler Toffoli

I don't like editing data to prove a point so I leave it core data, but you could look at Toffoli in a Calgary uniform only and have him move up and with it the averages move up. But then you'd also have to look at Jarnkrok in a Calgary jersey only and he would move down.

[Goriders]

They didn’t seem to quite have the intensity they normally have last night. The game certainly wasn’t lopsided in the Av’s favour.

Anyone could have won that game.

Definitely looked like the Avs were trying to be more physical. Sending a message.