[PGT] Flames play well, can't capitalize. Oilers win 4-1

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

Can someone explain to me why Mark Jankowski is still a regular in this lineup?

Is Jankowski still a regular? He was benched last night for the second half of the game. I think there is a good chance he never plays another game for the Flames.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I watched it again in Slo-mo, and you are right, Tkachuk certainly took advantage of the situation. But it's always a bit of a crap shoot with video review.

I agree it's a crapshoot but video review hasn't been kind to the Flames in the playoffs or when Tkachuk or Bennett are involved.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Is Jankowski still a regular? He was benched last night for the second half of the game. I think there is a good chance he never plays another game for the Flames.

Yup, his benching was pretty damning in an exhibition game that allowed us to dress an extra forward.

Give me:
Rieder - Ryan - Rinaldo / Robinson

We can call either of them the pirate line. Arrr!

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Is Jankowski still a regular? He was benched last night for the second half of the game. I think there is a good chance he never plays another game for the Flames.

I'm gonna hold you to that! LOL

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Reminded me of game one against the AVS...score was lopsided but didn't really reflect the play.

Oilers had 9 shots on Rittich

Yes and no. You are correct that Game 1 v Colorado last year was pretty evenly played through the first half, but the Flames did kind of take over at around the mid-way point of the second, and they finished really strong.

Unlike that game, the Oilers looked like garbage for a solid 40 mins after the first as they frantically chased the Flames around without the puck.

[dino7c]

Not sure how you call a goal back when Smith falls forward (on every shot)

Anyway it's exhibition and doesn't matter...I wonder if they were even allowed to challenge last night.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It's not that I need to be right and more I'm not a fan of the mentality of trying to make up positives (I agree with your assessment for the outside of the fact you didn't think the Oilers coasted) for losses when the team quite frankly wasn't good enough. There seems to be a divide between the posters that can't accept negatives and the posters that can't accept positives. I don't care about advanced stats. The eye test and the result is all that matters to me. I didn't see a lot of positives last night myself and that's not me being negative and more my opinion of what I saw unfold. I recall in the first round of the playoffs last year you having a bit of a fit on me after I declared that the Flames effort after their game one win wasn't good enough as they failed the eye test to me. They promptly lost four straight and I never did an "I told you so post" then so it's not about be being right and more that I'm not a fan of sugarcoating when the team doesn't play well as it usually is an indication that they aren't going to go on to big things.

I'm not going to declare the Jets sweeping the Flames or anything as I think it's a coin flip series but as you said they looked like the same old Flames and goaltending is an issue and that's not very encouraging. A solid effort last night wouldn't guarantee success against the Jets but at the very least it would give fans a little sign that the team really is tired of losing early in the playoffs.

I think there is quite a bit of wiggle room between these two extremes. And most posters can find the room.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

... I recall in the first round of the playoffs last year you having a bit of a fit on me after I declared that the Flames effort after their game one win wasn't good enough as they failed the eye test to me. They promptly lost four straight and I never did an "I told you so post" then so it's not about be being right and more that I'm not a fan of sugarcoating when the team doesn't play well as it usually is an indication that they aren't going to go on to big things.

How noble that you waited a full year before patting yourself on the back.

[chummer]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Is Jankowski still a regular? He was benched last night for the second half of the game. I think there is a good chance he never plays another game for the Flames.

That breakaway was horrific, he not only stops but gives the puck away. Who does that?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by chummer

That breakaway was horrific, he not only stops but gives the puck away. Who does that?

It was terrible. That might have been the worst play of the entire game.

I think Jankowski has been given a lot of benefit of doubt this year because of a pretty good 2018–19 season. He scored over 15 goals, had a whole bunch on the penalty kill, and looked like he was finding a role for himself on the team.

But this season has been a disaster. I understand why the coaches kept going back to him in hopes of sparking something that clicked the year before. But I am pretty relieved to see that Ward was quick to pull him out of the game when things didn't work.

[sa226]

What was so fun about 2004 and 2015(?) Was that those teams had really no business being where they were, but they overacheived like crazy and it was all gravy for the fans.

Other than those two seasons, when has this team played up to the sum of their parts. Maybe last regular season under Peters, but that was seemingly a house of cards with how the playoffs unfolded.

This is a decent collection of players. No, I don't think this roster is close to being a perennial contender, but there are really good pieces. Pieces that you can even say "You win with"

Its just getting really frustrating looking at this roster, then watching them play and seeing how much they are underperforming their skill sets as a whole.

This isn't a one game debbie downer post. Its really a culmination of the calendar year since the 4 game sweep against Colorado last year.

Prove me wrong gents, prove me wrong.



Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

[Manhattanboy]

To me it looked like an exhibition game with regulars in the line up, some of whom did not see full time minutes.

[Robbob]

Nvm

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

How noble that you waited a full year before patting yourself on the back.

Ha ha ha. I knew that was coming. The fact that I waited over a year kind of proves that patting myself on the back is not exactly something that's high in my list of priorities. At the end of the day I'm like everyone else here that wants to see the team succeed and I will always be happy to be proven wrong by this team as them winning is all I care about.

[ricardodw]

Tkachuck is just so far ahead of the rest of the Flames team it is ridiculous. Strong on the puck and just so not-knock-downable and always driving the play.

It is a waste having him on the checking line. That line as a goal would be to break even with the Jets #1 line. Tkachuck also isn't quick or fast enough if he ends up responsible for McDavid or Connor. The Flames have to play a possession game with the checking line as once the other team's top line gets the puck it is like they have a powerplay. The other teams possession does not last that long as they generate a good scoring chance quickly

You have two guys on your shut down line that you don't trust to kill penalties. Ask Ward how that works?


Other than him the Flames just don't seem to be built for the playoffs.

The forwards they have that skate at the 2020 NHL level are all small and when they are asked to play the playoff style they are overmatched when push comes to shove. Great if Dube and Mangiapane play hard and brave... they are not going to physically dominate the opposition and will be targeted for abuse.

That is why Jankowski is going to get his 10-12 do nothing minutes he got last year. At least he wears the opposition out when they are making contact with him.

They are missing Hamonic as he plays playoff style hockey.... He was basically tied with Gio and Brodie in TOI last year when the Flames were looking for playoff players.

It is a lot harder letting your skills shine in the playoffs.

[Strange Brew]

Such a shame about Jankowski. Good skater, size, reach, decent hands. He could be a really useful player with his tools.

But I'd rather have an AHLer giving the team some energy than what Jankowski brings out there.

[ThisIsAnOutrage]

That game was just like every other Flames' loss this year. Slow start, down early, can't bury their chances, can't buy a goal, opposition gets a bounce, and it's over. I had hoped that somehow the break would have changed that, but nah. The Oilers didn't play wonderfully either, but you don't need to when the Flames are like this.


Maybe the loss will help them get it into their heads, coaches included: you can't win a series playing like this. Maybe they get by Winnipeg, but if Hellebuyck is on his game, I don't like their chances.




Aside, I don't think Chicago lost any sleep over what they saw from Edmonton either.

[SuperMatt18]

I do wonder if Flames need to look at a more balanced approach to our forward group. I don't think they are going to win by trying to stack our top 6 and going head to head with our top 6 against other teams top 6, it leaves our bottom 6 lacking any offensive punch. They need to figure out a way to build depth through 4 lines and attack in waves.

I wouldn't mind seeing them go with 4 pairs of forwards that have shown chemistry, and then filling in/rotating guys through top 6 / bottom 6 RW.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Robinson: It was a small sample size but this line was actually really good together. Worth a shot IMO.

Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm: This line goes head to head against Scheifele line.

Mangiapane - Ryan - Lucic/Rinaldo: Mangiapane and Ryan were dominant together whenever they've played together. Keep that chemistry.

Dube - Bennett - Rinaldo/Lucic: Dube and Bennett appear to have great chemistry in a small sample, and both play with a lot of energy, let them roll.

Keep the bolded pairs together, and then you can rotate the RWs up and down the lineup as required. To me that looks a lot better than when they load up the top 6 and then the bottom 6 has no scoring punch at all.

St.Louis and Boston both kind of had an iteration of this last year in the Playoffs. Blues played their top 6 around 14-15 minutes per game at 5v5, and played their bottom 6 around 11-12 minutes per game at 5v5 and really attacked in waves with 4 lines. Boston was even more narrow with their top forward in 5v5 ice time playing 13:54/game in the playoffs, and their 12th forward playing 11:10/game. Need 4 lines to be successful in the playoffs.

[JTech780]

The first Edmonton goal is where I have a lot of concern. Monahan was leisurely skating through the neutral zone going back to get the puck, when Draisaitl skated passed and beat him to the puck. Monahan then instead of making a hard play and taking the body, he stopped short and weakly waved his stick at the puck.

It's that lack of urgency from one of the team leaders and the number 1 center on this that is concerning. If it was a one off, then I could over look it, but this is becoming Monahan's MO. It's plays like that the prohibit him from being a true number 1 center and will keep the team from contending.

Monahan is a very good goal scoring center in the same mold as Jeff Carter, they are number one centers on a lot of teams, but shouldn't be the number center on team with aspirations of contending.

As far as goaltending goes, I just can't see a way that starting Rittich is the right move. He just isn't a number 1 goalie. I think you have to go with Talbot as he gives the team the better chance to win.

The fact that if Talbot does become the starter in the playoffs and that Rittich will be passed over for playoff starts two years in a row, means that Rittich isn't the guy going forward and that Treliving will need to find a new starting goalie (Lehner, Murray, Holtby...) for next season.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

How noble that you waited a full year before patting yourself on the back.

Did that make you jealous? I can't see why since you pat yourself on the back daily.