[PGT] Anemic offense, Flames lose 2-1

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Really don't think people are giving the Stars enough credit, they were a round Robin team for a reason.

Exactly. The flames barely would have even made the playoffs based on regular season. They aren't a good team. They deserve one win against an actual playoff team. Talbot stole them the other.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I didn't think he had a lot of help. I thought Lindholm was very disappointing. Monahan was okay.

Flames' problem, as it has been for most of the year, is team depth.

Tobi Rieder is a great fourth-liner... they're playing him in the top-six.

Derek Forbort is a bottom-pairing dman coming off a big injury... and he's being relied upon to play incredibly difficult minutes.

Rinaldo is a good regular-season deterrent... he shouldn't be playing a regular shift in the playoffs.

Alan Quine is an AHLer... he shouldn't be playing a regular shift in the playoffs.

I feel more hopeful than I did after last year's playoffs because next year, the Flames will have had one more year of development from Dube and Mangiapane. Tkachuk, Monahan, and Lindholm will still be around with another year of playoff experience under their belts. They'll have new pieces in the lineup after the summer shakeup.

And, hopefully, they'll have identified their serious depth issues and will have adjusted accordingly.

Depth issues?

You think that has been the problem, Scorp?

Dallas’s best players have outplayed Calgary’s best players, up to this point.

Not complicated, IMO.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by nixon45

I haven't watched a game since the Winnipeg "series". I just can't find the energy to care about this team anymore.

I'm sure I will get crucified for this post as it may seem reactionary but I just don't give a damn.

Thanks for letting us know.

[agulati]

Khudobin has still not looked solid, and can be beaten. We need to take the puck to him and stop with the perimeter shots with no traffic.

[Robbob]

On the plus side, I love that the refs let them play. Props to the refs for the way they called the game.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Also, where did all the big hits go? It seems like they went all out to start and lost their energy. I miss the bone crunching sounds during the Jets series and first game of this series.

I think the problem with Monahan is he is too reliant on Gaudreau. I have been watching him closely for the past few games. The dude can't make a single offensive play. The second he gets the puck, he treats it like a grenade and sends it to Gaudreau.. the puck usually never gets to Gaudreau or he bobbles the past because Gaudreau has also been horrendous.

See I think that’s where they’ve both been poor but for different reasons.

For the most part I think Monahan has been trying and is working hard, but I think he’s had no confidence to actually make a play and is a bit frustrated with the effort of the other two guys on his line.

Gaudreau still has the skill but his will to win isn’t there. He’s completely shied away from any contact and hasn’t given complete effort on each shift. His point man has scored the game winner in two of the three losses with poor defensive efforts on each.

Lindholm...looks hurt and tired to me. Had a bit more life on the Backlund line but unlike the Jets series he’s no longer even hitting and seems to not be all there.

Those three and then the struggle of the top pairing (which isn’t effort but more decision making) are why the team finds themselves trailing now .

Crazy part is this team was two last minute goals away from a potential sweep, and that’s with these players struggling as much as they have.

[the-rasta-masta]

Well I for one, especially how close this series has been, think we have a chance still. Not worth giving up. A few bounces make the difference in these games.

Go flames go until the final whistle for me.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by ricosuave

And have been for arguably 30 years

Biggest consistency in those 30 years?

Hiring bull!@#$ cheap head coaches.

...at least we're decent at drafting now though...but the horse!@#$ coaches need to end.

Cycle players through as needed - and a good size roster turnover is needed, but hire a coach worth a damn - and just fire the assistant coaches when you do it. Stop retaining these assistant coaches. What good have they done?

[Nelson]

Unless the Flames come back, I predict there will be major offseason changes including a new coach (Peter Laviolette please) and a core player trade (Johnny). I also think we are seeing the decline of Gio. He is becoming very slow. That should mean protecting Andersson, Hanifin, Kylington (and Valimaki.)

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by timbit

Depth issues?

You think that has been the problem, Scorp?

Dallas’s best players have outplayed Calgary’s best players, up to this point.

Not complicated, IMO.

100%. I don't think depth has been an issue at all for the Flames. They are paying a bunch of guys $6-7 million who aren't performing as game breakers.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by Robbob

On the plus side, I love that the refs let them play. Props to the refs for the way they called the game.

Agree with this. I hope they had called game 4 the same way though, but hopefully this also sets a trend for Game 6. Let the teams play, or at the very least call a consistent game.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Flames0910

We had that swagger against Winnipeg and in game one.

Then Dallas pushes back and we haven’t been able to get the swagger back.

Coaching... We need a master motivator. One thing that might help is a team meeting so they can get their focus and determination back. Not enough energy, "channeled" anger and drive coming from the players. Should be pissed off they lost the overr-time game and come out on fire; Instead we got a very poor effort.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Well at least we aren't going to get swept like the Capitals..

I'd take getting swept if it means having a Stanley Cup.

A single run in 2004 is the only time this franchise has been relevant since the Reagan administration.

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by flamesrule_kipper34

This reminds me of the Flames Wings series in 07, sadly there also will not be a game 7 this year I presume.

That series only went to game 6, probably this one as well.

[dino7c]

Lindholm had some solid chances in the 3rd, hopefully he keeps it going

Everyone has given up I look forward to game six...what do they have to lose really

[Ashasx]

I always look to the Oilers as an example of what not to do after a disappointing season. The Flames are probably going to trade Gaudreau, but I hope the return is right and not further dampened by these playoffs. You don't want to pull an Oilers and trade Hall for Larsson or Eberle for nothing.

If that's the path the Flames are going to take (I'd probably hold onto Gaudreau until the return is right), I'd probably just tear it all down. I like a lot of young pieces this team has (Mangiapane, Dube, Valimaki), but I don't see any of these players developing into stars. Short of some luck in the late rounds for draft picks we've already made, I don't see a Stanley Cup in this team's future.

I look at how far ahead teams like Colorado and Vancouver are in the West, so young, and with top prospects still yet to make an impact in the NHL. The only way you can realistically do that is through the draft.

Sell everyone, keep a few important veterans/younger players, and start from scratch.

[JurassicTunga12]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Biggest consistency in those 30 years?

Hiring bull!@#$ cheap head coaches.

...at least we're decent at drafting now though...but the horse!@#$ coaches need to end.

Cycle players through as needed - and a good size roster turnover is needed, but hire a coach worth a damn - and just fire the assistant coaches when you do it. Stop retaining these assistant coaches. What good have they done?

That and not having a true #1 center, I'd say.

[Jagermeister]

It's super hard and frustrating to watch this team. Sure they could still easily win this series but their play gives me zero confidence in their ability to do anything against a stronger opponent like Vegas. The team is a tire fire in their own end and simple things like passing is a struggle for this group. This is the exact same thing we saw against Colorado last year and its happening all over again. I want the team to succeed but I honestly feel like the best chance to see success is a core shakeup in the offseason and hopefully hitting a home run with our first round draft pick.

Certain core members of this team (Gio, Monahan, Gaudreau) are just not guys we can rely on to bring Calgary success in the playoffs. Gio's age is likely a factor for him but his play has been awful and is not playing like a top 2 D. Monahan seems to have stepped up his physical game but for him being the teams #1 center he's too inconsistent and has zero ability to drive a line. Gaudreau looks like he wants to be a difference maker but his ability to become a difference maker is hindered by his inability or unwillingness to go to the dirty areas of the ice. I'm not sure how adding Taylor Hall would change the dynamics of the group, but the team is clearing lacking a clear #1 center and a #1 D.

[MillerTime GFG]

Thinking we should restructure Johnny and Monny’s contracts to two ways. Play the regular season and go down come playoffs. It’s perfect!

[jar_e]

If the flames can’t turn this around, I think the heat on Tre becomes increasingly warmer and warmer this off season. I don’t know how many more opportunities ownership is going to let Tre have if we are kicked out in round one again.