[PGT] STL 6 CGY 4: Black and Blued Slump. Please let it be over!

[CalgaryFan1988]

Toffoli didn't look the best last night. He looks tired.

Blues have a few guys that can score and don't need a lot of chances to bury it, and Husso had a good game too.

[TheSquatch]

I don't even know if I'd call it a slump, they haven't won 3 now, but mostly the engagement has been there. They hit two posts in the first period and the game was swung a bit by that first penalty call, just sucked the momentum right out.

However, defensively the team looks a little scrambly, and we aren't seeing the forecheck working save for the 4th line, who looked like hounds of hell out there last night. Super tenacious.

I think the worries with guys like Toffoli (and I think Carpenter showed it a few times last night) are due to them not being totally used to the team or the system, and some positional errors or decision-making errors (who to cover) get made. I thought Carpenter really screwed up on that last goal, overplayed the man with the puck and wound up buried in the corner. If he'd stayed central, maybe he picks off that pass instead.

Bring up some AHL guys and give them some time in the saddle. We are going to need them.

Think how badly screwed the Flames would have been if Zadorov was injured when Shenk tripped him up. Yikes!

Gonna need more depth, genuine working depth, for the playoffs.

Why is the PK awful all of a sudden? They went from pretty good to pretty bad is what it feels like.

[Bingo]

Said it in my game story but their PDO has dried up.

Hockey is a lot about bounces ... pucks hit goalies when teams are going well, they find their way through when they're not.

The Flames were a 1.02 PDO team for most of 2022, a number that you see with teams that are top ten clubs in the league. On this homestand they only went over 1.0 once, against Edmonton.

It's a correction.

I don't think it means a month of sub PDO and losing, but a stretch where you're just not finding a way to finish or get that save.

This is the Calgary Flames, so anything could go wrong, they could certainly slide out of it and end the season on a down turn, but my gut says this correction gets corrected and they're back to a 1.01 or 1.02 run and all will be forgotten.

You can't win on talent alone. A lot has to go right.

Teams with 30-10 edge in shots and 12-4 in high danger chances through 40 minutes don't lose many hockey games.

[cannon7]

Vlader needs more starts. Markstrom hasn't been good the past six or so starts. Sub .900 SV% over that span.

[schteve_d]

And just like that Edmonton is six points behind us with a game in hand.

[EVERLAST]

The only thing I'm concerned about is what Darryl sees here in this mini slump.
Does he need to back off? Are the players a little fatigued?
He's mentioned this seasons hiccups with covid and thr schedule and reschedule and borderline illegal scheduling.
I'd have to believe it's a valid point in that who has seen a team transform during something like a pandemic.
We have to be the most improved team period!!

I'm excited about the year and potential to make some real noise in the playoffs and am just glad we have this last little bit before the urgency ramps up to 100% on the GAF meter.

[Bingo]

They've certainly had a slide in the third period of most games on this home stand. Fatigue would possibly explain that.

[gvitaly]

Does anyone have the link to the After Hours interview with Sutter? I forgot to watch it after the game.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by schteve_d

And just like that Edmonton is six points behind us with a game in hand.

If the Oilers go 10-3-0 the Flames need to go 7-6-1 to stay ahead.

You can relax.

[chummer]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

Does anyone have the link to the After Hours interview with Sutter? I forgot to watch it after the game.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/s...earned-parent/

[Teroy]

Cherry picker got a goal. Chucky did nothing. Defence was terrible. Tired of hearing, "Markstrom will bounce back after a loss". Darn right I'm negative. Starting to get that same old feeling of dread.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by zamler

Please give Markstrom 3 games off he needs it.

Yeah, Markstrom's use is the one thing about Sutter that has me raising an eyebrow. Vladar has been good. He makes mistakes the odd time but he's a young back-up, and it's not like Markstrom hasn't had his share of misses. I've never felt we've lost because of Vladar. In fact, I'd say we've won because of him at least a few times. Play the dude. Give your starter a rest. He does look tired to me.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Cherry picker got a goal. Chucky did nothing. Defence was terrible. Tired of hearing, "Markstrom will bounce back after a loss". Darn right I'm negative. Starting to get that same old feeling of dread.

You're tired of hearing a 31-14-8 goaltender with a 2.19 GAA and a .924 save percentage will bounce back?

Don't those stats show that he has?

Odd take.

The guy is 5th in save percentage and 3rd in GAA, he's quite literally proven that he has in fact bounced back.

[GUnit]

For what markstrom is getting paid, not getting the job done

[Teroy]

Originally Posted by Bingo

You're tired of hearing a 31-14-8 goaltender with a 2.19 GAA and a .924 save percentage will bounce back?
Don't those stats show that he has?
Odd take.
The guy is 5th in save percentage and 3rd in GAA, he's quite literally proven that he has in fact bounced back.

Sorry, I apologize. I didn't realize it was only so called experts like you were allowed an opinion. Get a grip!

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Sorry, I apologize. I didn't realize it was only so called experts like you were allowed an opinion. Get a grip!

Doesn't take an expert to just simply look up stats.

And what's the point of an opinion that literally ignores facts?

If anything maybe you should get a grip ... on reality. Markstrom's record stands for itself.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GUnit

For what markstrom is getting paid, not getting the job done

In what world?

He's a top five goaltender in pretty much every stat and has been mentioned in Vezina conversations.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

We’d all rather they slump now than in the playoffs but 18-19 we did the same thing, “it’s no big deal they’re just saving it for playoffs”

Fool me once...

That year we started falling off at the All Star break, and there were very obvious holes in our team that were exposed when we stopped scoring. We were just blind to it at the time because we were excited and stayed near the top of the west as we had built up such a big lead on teams.

The difference is this is a very complete team and Sutter has them playing the kind of hockey that wins you playoff series.

[jayswin]

However a major component of playoff hockey is peaking and getting hot at the right time. Even a top 7 team in the league can get bounced if they cool a bit at the wrong time. So while I believe this team is for real and this is just a cool down period, you better damn well hope the cool doesn't last until playoffs because that will be hard to recover from on day one of round one, and we'll be facing a really good team.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by schteve_d

And just like that Edmonton is six points behind us with a game in hand.

Speaking of upcoming corrections, they've been playing like garbage for a while against lessor or banged up teams and winning with poor goaltending and brutal defense.



That will correct like a lightning bolt from an angry hockey god, he giveth hope, and he taketh it away.