[PGT] Tampa 4 Flames 1

[Karl]

Originally Posted by agulati

If I understand it correctly it is strength of schedule from this point with devils having the toughest and flames the easiest.

Correct.

[Mr.Coffee]

Missed the game, but I really think people are overreacting.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Lots of blame to go around in this one.

Lost the high danger chance game by a wide margin.

The offense got lots of zone time and low danger shots, but that's it. Nothing that scared their goaltender.

Defense gave up prime chances a lot. Plenty of bad turnovers in the first half of the game that made no sense to me.

I would have been happy with Markstrom, but that 3rd goal against was inexcusable. I could save that and I haven't been on skates in years.

You have to wonder what the #### is up with the mental state of this team. Something seems really wrong, and I don't definitively know what it is, but I suspect changes are coming soon.

Its like groundhog day. This #### happens over and over. First it was coaching, then it was Tkachuk, now its something we don't know yet.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Missed the game, but I really think people are overreacting.

Yeah, it would have been nice to go on a long winning streak to make up for the losing streak but the chances of that happening were low. They just have to make sure to not go on another one so quick.

The team is 1 point out of 8th and has games in hand on multiple teams. It's way too early to be throwing in the towel and asking for them to tank.

[DeluxeMoustache]

My current thinking is that the team needs to build chemistry.

The shot tally indicates they can keep possession the majority of the time. The foundation is there. It’s the next step we need

Offense needs to read each other better, D needs to clean up mistakes

First 20 games. Team with new core lost to a team that won 2 of the last 3 cups

No big deal

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Isn't he Labarbera's boss... I am sure he is still influencing a lot of things in the goalie coach department. Not sure what he has accomplished to stick around this long.

“Not sure” being the only accurate thing in your post
You have no clue but are comfortable calling for people to get fired

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

My current thinking is that the team needs to build chemistry.

The shot tally indicates they can keep possession the majority of the time. The foundation is there. It’s the next step we need

Offense needs to read each other better, D needs to clean up mistakes

First 20 games. Team with new core lost to a team that won 2 of the last 3 cups

No big deal

The have good possession, but they currently lack offensive threat because there's a weak player on every line to spread out the forward depth.

You need to load up and have two scoring lines otherwise we'll continue to win possession battles but not put enough pucks past to win games.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by jayswin

The have good possession, but they currently lack offensive threat because there's a weak player on every line to spread out the forward depth.

You need to load up and have two scoring lines otherwise we'll continue to win possession battles but not put enough pucks past to win games.

I agree

I also see things, though, where people aren’t predicting, say, what Huberdeau might do

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

one hundred percent . this team needs to stack its talent , and then let them gel

what happened when they put Tkachuk, lindholm and Johnny together on one line? the team took off and scored a lot more goals than when they were separate

every time we have tried to spread the wealth over the last 8 years I has never worked

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by agulati

If I understand it correctly it is strength of schedule from this point with devils having the toughest and flames the easiest.

Yes, the first chart is strength of schedule remaining
scroll down to see strength of schedule thus far
Flames are 32 on chart one and 1 on chart two

Hardest so far, easiest remaining

[really?]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Would be nice to know what else was on the table for Chucky.

The Florida trade is not looking good.

Biggest problem however is goaltending. I would even suggest that Markstrom’s highlight reel saves are luck more than anything else.

The Florida deal was solid, the choice to sign guys to long term, likely unmovable contracts is the element is that is questionable. Had the flames flipped the 2 main assets for picks/prospects they probably obtain quite a haul, but that wasn’t going to happen with Sutter on board and now the thing has to play out. I would have gone the other way and committed to building, but it’s not part of my job to move tickets, and answer to guys in the room. It may turn out that the next 3-4 years are full of competitive hockey, but if not it’s hard to rebuild with the 3 deals they inked this summer.

Give it some time, the pieces may come together, but if they don’t this thing gets ugly with Sutter behind the bench. Too early to call the season a loss.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Infinit47

Agree the lines are not working at all. But you can't ignore the fact that the Flames were pushing, scored a goal to get within 1 and Markstrom immediately let in a goal that we would mercilessly chirp my rec goalie for allowing.

Flames didn't deserve to win, but we have no clue how things play out if Markstrom makes that save.

The Flames pushed for most of the game and didn't get much done. Looked good, but nothing really getting done offensively.

When posters mention the 3rd goal (and yes, once again, it was terrible, no doubt about it) it kinda feels like we're letting the skaters off the hook. They had all game to put pucks in the net but weren't all that dangerous when close to the net. The Markstrom gaffe was the nail in the coffin but it wasn't why they lost. They lost because the offense didn't do much and all 4 lines look lost for the most part in the offensive zone. One goal won't win many games, certainly not against teams with elite skill like Tampa.

[Goriders]

The Flames have no skilled finishers. They’re in every game. But don’t score enough goals.

Tough problem to fix. Maybe the toughest

[CGY12]

I missed the entire game because I went to the Leaf game last second, so I can't really comment to much on specifics but my phone got blitzed by friends who were all over Markstrom and Sutters ice time deployment. Sounded par for the course for the season so far. Obviously we have other issues but in my opinion those two problems are the main reasons we are struggling right now.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

somewhere along the way should have wrestled tarasenko out of st loo

[DeluxeMoustache]

Not sure how many people expected a win over Tampa

This isn’t a roster overhaul moment imo

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Goriders

The Flames have no skilled finishers. They’re in every game. But don’t score enough goals.

Tough problem to fix. Maybe the toughest

I'm not so sure I agree with that.

Eat Bread can finish, but isn't. Dube has been quiet lately. Huberdeau is a great player that hasn't found his stride. Coleman can do more. So can a few more.

I'd like to see Sutter go back to the lines that looked so good to start the season. If the top line struggles, so be it. Give them time to figure it out. The other 3 lines looked great for the first 5-6 games.

The team definitely needs another winger in that top 6, but they have enough horses to be much better than they are right now offensively. Between underachieving players and weird line combos this team can be much much better, without having to overhaul the roster.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by really?

The Florida deal was solid, the choice to sign guys to long term, likely unmovable contracts is the element is that is questionable. Had the flames flipped the 2 main assets for picks/prospects they probably obtain quite a haul, but that wasn’t going to happen with Sutter on board and now the thing has to play out. I would have gone the other way and committed to building, but it’s not part of my job to move tickets, and answer to guys in the room. It may turn out that the next 3-4 years are full of competitive hockey, but if not it’s hard to rebuild with the 3 deals they inked this summer.

Give it some time, the pieces may come together, but if they don’t this thing gets ugly with Sutter behind the bench. Too early to call the season a loss.

Weegar is on a good contract...not sure how anyone can call that contract questionable or unmovable

[Goriders]

Guess we’ll see. But we’re more than a few games in and I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for goal scoring. Our leading scorer is 80th in league scoring.

The Flames get tons of shots but many games have around a 0.03 shooting percentage. They don’t generate enough quality chances.

I think sooner or later Sutter is going to have to give his more skilled players a little more slack to create. Seems like a number of them are struggling to figure out how to be creative in his system. Primary example being Huberdeau.

Looks like a team walking on eggshells.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by Goriders

Guess we’ll see. But we’re more than a few games in and I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for goal scoring. Our leading scorer is 80th in league scoring.

The Flames get tons of shots but many games have around a 0.03 shooting percentage. They don’t generate enough quality chances.

I think sooner or later Sutter is going to have to give his more skilled players a little more slack to create. Seems like a number of them are struggling to figure out how to be creative in his system. Primary example being Huberdeau.

Looks like a team walking on eggshells.

I get it, but at the same time the exact same team averaged 4 a game through the first 6, beating the avs, oil, knights, canes and pens. Those are some quality opponents. This stretch of struggles is obviously longer (10 games) so I can't firmly say they are the team that filled the net the first 6 games and not the team thats struggled the last 10, but in my opinion Sutters deployment and line juggling has affected this team negatively in a big way since his alterations after the Oilers loss. That was a fluke Oiler win and he decided to change everything up.