[PGT] Flames 6 - Canucks 1

[Locke]

Can we play out the rest of or schedule against the Canucks' AHL team?

[activeStick]

The change in his production is quite remarkable. So strange how he could produce at what he was doing before and then produce at his current pace. Unlucky? Confidence? Linemates?

[cannon7]

I don't think the Flames played that well against the Sharks or Predators, so I'm definitely not seeing the same consistent improvement that others are claiming for the past couple weeks.

That being said, this defense corps is completely different in front of Rittich than the one that plays in front of Smith. I'm starting to wonder if Smith's puck handling is what's throwing them off. There were defensive mistakes last night, but they didn't cost us because supporting players were in position and didn't give up second/third chances.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

I never said it wasn't the org's fault. I'm well aware of the circumstances also. Continuing to force it with him at center was dumb, and I was one of the posters who wanted him tried at wing for even a game or two. He hasn't looked back since.

Player deployment was going to cause Bennett to bust, not Bennett's skill level.

Better?

That is actually better. It's not just semantics, it's two wholely different claims. I don't think Bennett would look very good right now playing LW with Lazar at C and Versteeg at RW. Yet he was expected to look good playing C with Lazar at RW and Versteeg at LW.

I think Bennett would also look great right now with Jankowski at LW and himself at C.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

If not for a 4 point outburst last night we're talking about a pretty mediocre 11 points in 18 games. One could easily point out that 8 of those points have come in 3 games against inept teams like the Coyotes, Oilers and Canucks (who are decimated by injuries) as well.

This can be said about every player, every year, for all time.
When comparing against other players, you can't discount his multi point game and crappy opposition and act like the other players in the league didn't have multi point games or play against bad teams.

While I agree it's early and the jury is still out on Bennett, lets not cherry pick the stats to downplay his recent form.

[Rooster697]

Did the Flames media delete the Rittich post game interview? Can't find it

[mikephoen]

Originally Posted by Wild GM

I would say more people on this board are anti gg not pro gg

If only we could run a poll so that we could see exactly what percentage of each there is...

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Rooster697

Did the Flames media delete the Rittich post game interview? Can't find it

Looks like it. Nowhere to be found on twitter, where I saw the tweet with the video where it quoted Rittich saying the game was "like skating practice for him"

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by cannon7

I don't think the Flames played that well against the Sharks or Predators, so I'm definitely not seeing the same consistent improvement that others are claiming for the past couple weeks.

Interesting, it really jumps out for me. They're no longer a tire fire in their own zone.

Had a quick look at scoring chances against. First 29 games they averaged 8, last five games they've averaged 4.

Way better team defence game.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Looks like it. Nowhere to be found on twitter, where I saw the tweet with the video where it quoted Rittich saying the game was "like skating practice for him"

Haha yep, the link I got the quote and video from is invalid now:

Originally Posted by AC

Rittich: "It was just skating practice for me today, like they didn't have a lot of shots because guys played well ... they play like they didn't need a goalie today."

Whole interview, some great quotes and reactions from Rittich:
https://twitter.com/NHLFlames/status/942611601042980864

Wonder if they decided it came off as derogatory to say it was "easy like practice" vs the Canucks?

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by AC

Wonder if they decided it came off as derogatory to say it was "easy like practice" vs the Canucks?

Wasted opportunity, if you ask me. There isn't enough trash talk in today's NHL. It provides entertainment value as well as emotional stake to the game.

Was reading a funny story from Barry Melrose where all he did to Pat Burns during a playoff series was to make eye contact, blow his cheeks up with air and cross his eyes to make fun of Burns being overweight. Burns just completely lost his #### - forgot about coaching the game for a bit and just ended up screaming at Melrose from across the benches.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by activeStick

The change in his production is quite remarkable. So strange how he could produce at what he was doing before and then produce at his current pace. Unlucky? Confidence? Linemates?

-Transition to Wing
-Change in Linemates (Primarily Janko)
-Luck, ebbs and flows of being a professional athlete
-Confidence

Would be my list.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Rooster697

Did the Flames media delete the Rittich post game interview? Can't find it

[browna]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Wasted opportunity, if you ask me. There isn't enough trash talk in today's NHL. It provides entertainment value as well as emotional stake to the game.

Sure, but I don’t think I’m this case it was meant in any way as trash talk from Rittich, which is why it was deleted. Just legitimately not able to find the right terms for what he meant, with English as his second language.

Basically meant to say that the Flames in front of him made it very easy for him, with not many quality chances against.

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

If not for a 4 point outburst last night we're talking about a pretty mediocre 11 points in 18 games. One could easily point out that 8 of those points have come in 3 games against inept teams like the Coyotes, Oilers and Canucks (who are decimated by injuries) as well.

Thankfully Sam is looking like a very different player since he was finally put back on the wing but it is way too early to suggest he has turned the corner and is now back on track to being the elite player he was drafted to become. The next 15-20 games will tell the story of Sam Bennett IMO. If he can sustain his play and continue to produce at a decent level, this conversation becomes much more valid with a decent sample size as a winger to draw from.

True but on the flip side Bennett (and Jankowski) has had multiple games where he played very well but wasn't able to put up any points (crossbars, posts, great saves...). There were plenty of games where he played very well but wasn't lucky. In the end, it all evens out.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Interesting, it really jumps out for me. They're no longer a tire fire in their own zone.

Had a quick look at scoring chances against. First 29 games they averaged 8, last five games they've averaged 4.

Way better team defence game.

Me too, they have been trending well 'visually' and apparently statistically. There always seems to be a fundamental problem (PP, defensive gaffes, weak goaltending, etc) that cripples the team, but at least they are consistent defensively now.

What a relief it is having Kulak-Stone as a 3rd pairing. That, plus Brodie has remembered how to play. Night and day with the days of having Smid-Engelland or the likes as the 3rd pairing. GG doesn't seem to match up defensive pairings with forward lines too often, but the drop-off with the 3rd pair isn't so extreme that it's always necessary.

[red sky]

The Flames never seem to fire on all cylinders and I think that's what separates them from the contenders of the NHL. Although that group is very small at the moment.

Bennett and Janko are heating up but Monahan, Ferland and to some extent Gaudreau, have cooled. Defense has picked it up but at the expense of offense (save for last night). PK has done well recently but PP has been abysmal.

I would like to see a stretch of games where there are most positives without an easily apparent negative.

[GeoRock]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I thought Bennett was a bust

Seriously. The hate on for that guy around here in October/November was ridiculous. Turns out he just needed to be coached into a better position and aligned with more compatible line-mates. Go figure.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by GeoRock

Seriously. The hate on for that guy around here in October/November was ridiculous. Turns out he just needed to be coached into a better position and aligned with more compatible line-mates. Go figure.

Or he is just going through a hot streak..

I definitely would love to be proven wrong as I fully thought he would be a bust. However, how is this any different now when people are claiming him as "the future of the team"... Maybe we can all just sit down and see how the season plays out instead of Bust or Gretzky level comparisons.

[locsofblu]

Originally Posted by kevman

That's exactly what they've done. Over the last 7 or so game the results haven't always been there but the effort sure has.

Well maybe start burying their chances. I think the corsi stats are a bit decieving as I don't believe they dont creat the grade A scoring chances as much as we could like to think.
I don't think it's coincidence we make every goaltender we play against look like the second coming of jeasus Christ. It was nice to see the puck go in last night but let's do it more consistantly