[PGT] Flames lose 10th consecutive season-opener (5-3 Avs win)

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Royle9

I mean.. as much as I want to give Sam better line mates and a shot in the top 6, could you imagine a "don't take your #### line" of:

Lucic - Bennett - Rinaldo

Yea, nobody's safe when they're "flying" (lets cut Lucic some slack here) around the ice laying the body let alone some fun post whistle scrums... That's a line that's gonna wear down the other team.

Completely dependent on the opposition and the need, but yeah. Make them look over their shoulder.

[Bonded]

It would be quite magical if Bennett could break out this year. I give it like a 1% chance but that would be game changing, especially if Mangipane or Dube could break out as well

[foshizzle11]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

That gets blown down in minor leagues.

Refs these days appear to be so caught up in managing and sending messages that they miss routine calls.

Wow, that is so bad. I remember watching this live last night and for sure thought it was a high stick, as soon as it happened and then again in the replay.

How does that get missed?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Having read through the comments on the previous pages, I appear to be the one standing alone on Kylington's night.

I thought he looked jittery, wasn't moving the puck well, too many mistakes, and then it seems like he's hanging on to guys as they try to walk him wide almost taking holding penalties every time.

But I'm the one going solo.

Agreed on the Frolik night, but forgot to put it in the story

I didn't think Rasmus looked too good on that pairing last night, but it's part expectations too. Expectations are helping Lucic look so good after a year of Neal floating.

BTW I liked how you posted your recaps in separate threads last year, as it made them easier to find. Just my two cents.

And I appreciate the comment about certain people wanted to focus on how changing a bounce or two in the playoffs last year would have been a different result. It's probably time to put analysis of that series to bed for a while but the team should really own the fact that they were absolutely outclassed. Hockey is a game of moments and sometimes if they go your way you can overcome being thumped. But not over any length of time. I believe Treliving knows this from what I heard him say right after the playoffs. Hopefully time hasn't changed his view.

[Calgary4LIfe]

It was the first game of the year, and I won't put much stock into any single player's poor performance. Throughout the season, every single player on the roster is expected to have a bad game - or even a stretch of them.



With that being said, for the love of all that is good, move Bennett up the lineup and make him a fixture on PP2 please. The kid deserves it. If he ends up breaking out this season, the Flames will be a nightmare to defend against. Bennett not only needs the minutes, but I argue he deserves them.



I have to say it was really nice to see Lucic step up and defend Czarnik there.



Colorado is going to be one of the top teams in the league this season. Calgary kept up with them nicely (at least after the 1st period! Even then, they managed to score). Great to see the pushback.



I won't even criticize the reffing (outcome might have been different had the refs actually been competent last night). Flames were in on this game and didn't go away. That Giordano goal was beautiful - both for the patience he had and the timing of it. He is going to make any analyst that doesn't think he is the favourite to win the Norris again look downright idiotic.


I liked what I saw for the most part from this team. Some stuff that needs to be worked on, but this looks like it is going to be a hell of a season again.

[Robo]

We actually would have won last night if not for the horrible reffing missed high stick that even our goalie saw hard to imagine 4 guys staring right at the play missed that. Also dives that were called penalties on us this is pretty ridiculous that the reffing and not the team is what will eventually turn me off of hockey it is already starting too.

[GranteedEV]

So some thoughts:

1) I didn't think Kylington had a particularily good game, but that's okay. IMO he was still a net positive out there. He's a high event player, and I vehemently disagree with the above (that a pair is doing well if you never notice them). There's no evidence that low event hockey is more successful. Colorado was also doing an excellent job getting in the shooting lanes.

2) Bennett was grossly underutilized. I thought he was incredibly dominant at the defensive end and used that to generate some of our best breakouts. His worst offensive sequence was when he blocked a point shot (there's something we rarely see from this team's wingers) and used that to create a rush. This was bad because as a winger he didn't have much ice to really get anything good going, and it really drove home what a waste it is to have him play wing in the bottom six. He's a center in every sense of the word. He's one of those guys who could be a candidate for one of the three stars any night where he's not down on himself, so I really hope we harness his positive energy before his frustration about his role results in a repeat of the last handful of years.

3) Hamonic was bad. Not bad in the obvious ways i.e. giveaways or getting walked, but bad in the ways that are inherent to his game. He at least twice sent a teammate a suicide pass or botched an easy pass by finding their skates. And I felt I counted at least four, maybe five offensive zone sequences that simply died on Hamonic's stick simply because he doesn't possess the vision and IQ needed to read the play. I've never seen a top 4 defenseman rush so many shots at an unscreened goalie while all four other skaters are nowhere to be found... just bad reads that usually result in an avoidable rush the other way if he would just dump the puck back into his teammates in the corner or find the open man. Even guys like regehr used to read the play better. I'll add that I saw at least a couple sequences where Hamonic could have controlled the blue line by getting to a loose puck on his wall and instead elected to back off. Little things like this convince me that it's time to move Andersson up the lineup.

4) Speaking of Andersson, he and Hanifin were both letting it fly offensively. Really happen with their games last night. Hopefully Hanifin can take that next step because I am still a little traumatized about his play in April.

5) Mangiapane and Czarnik didn't play a whole lot but I liked what I saw. I'm not sure they really work with Janko though, who's become kind of a square peg in a round hole on this roster.

6) Monahan. Holy crap. I can't remember the last time he looked this strong with the puck. Not only was he making plays all night but he looked almost a full step quicker carrying the puck up the middle. That's huge progress for a guy who is generally forced to rush passes and dump-outs through the neutral zone. Dare I say he actually looked like a dominant center, not just a dominant scorer playing center? Honestly might be quicker than Lindholm at this point.

7) Nothing really needs to be said about Frolik. We all saw the penalties, the giveaways, the general poor execution. But what I'm really disappointed in is that Peters didn't do anything about it. So many players were firing on all cylinders and this is where in the first half of last year Peters did stuff about it. It's concerning that 3M has become above reproach, because no line should be.

8) Lucic didn't really had limited ice time due to his altercation, but I did like his play in the context of a bottom six grinder. I think he's pricey, but brings a lot that neither Hathaway or Neal could. Given his history of playing with patient two way centers guys like Kopitar and Krejci, I think Backlund might by the ideal linemate for him.

9) Ryan was pretty invisible. Which I suppose is okay, but I miss the chemistry he had with Eatbread last year.

10) In terms of goals that should have counted, we outscored Colorado. The Backlund and Kylington penalties were absolute garbage, and the Landeskog high stick was embarassing.

[heep223]

Time to switch Bennett and Frolik.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

6) Monahan. Holy crap. I can't remember the last time he looked this strong with the puck. Not only was he making plays all night but he looked almost a full step quicker carrying the puck up the middle. That's huge progress for a guy who is generally forced to rush passes and dump-outs through the neutral zone. Dare I say he actually looked like a dominant center, not just a dominant scorer playing center? Honestly might be quicker than Lindholm at this point.

Solid analysis. I also thought that Monahan was especially good last night. He looked to me like the best player on his line for most of the game.


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[Scary Eloranta]

^ Time to switch Harvey the Hound and Frolik.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

Unfortunately the way it sits I think the 1st line needs to be broken up, to give us more options.

Gaudreau Monahan Mangiapagne
Tkachuk Lindholm Bennett
Lucic Backlund Frolik
Jankowski Ryan Czarnik

Rotate guys in and out of the top line if need be.

I don't think Monahan can drive that proposed line with two really small wingers, and puck retrieval would potentially be a problem, as well as defensive zone coverage. The Backlund line would be buried, especially if Frolik doesn't improve; I just don't think Lucic can do what Tkachuk does for that line in terms of drawing penalties or driving the offense. The Ryan line puts 2 right shots on the same line, which I would be reluctant to do because of our shortage of right hand shots.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Rinaldo would have been good to have in there last night. Wouldn't have missed the empty net, and open teammates that Jankowski did. Same for Dube actually, but Rinaldo has that chippy edge which would have fit the occasion.

Man alive I'm campaigning for Rieder & Rinaldo to get in there. Whats wrong with me?

I just looked it up and Zac Rinaldo has 15 career goals. Are you sure he can hit an empty net better than Jankowski?

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Solid analysis. I also thought that Monahan was especially good last night. He looked to me like the best player on his line for most of the game.

I didn't expect that breakaway chance from him that is for sure

[ForeverFlameFan]

I would really like to see this next game:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Lindholm --> Dominant line that continues to dominate Don't change it.

Tkachuk - Ryan - Bennett --> We need a new 2nd line. I think these three would mesh well together.

Lucic - Backlund - Frolik --> Backlund and Frolik can remain together, and they can also take Lucic with them. Would be a really good 3rd line if they can work well together.

Mangiapane - Jankowski - Czarnik --> Almost like the Mangiapane - Jankowski - Hathaway line in the AHL, but Czarnik has more offensive spark than Hathaway.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Solid analysis. I also thought that Monahan was especially good last night. He looked to me like the best player on his line for most of the game.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree, Monahan was an absolute beast. He can be a top 15 center in this league if he keeps it up.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I just looked it up and Zac Rinaldo has 15 career goals. Are you sure he can hit an empty net better than Jankowski?

Yep.

[jlh2640]

Super frustrating game, But I loved Lucic punching that big dumb Russian in the face

[bigpete]

Disappointed in the result but I think it was good to have a big challenge early.

Last night I was reminded how much I love watching hockey but also how annoying and frustrating it is too. Missed calls and bad calls make me so angry and I'm going to be in a bad mood until (hopefully) the Flames can pick up their first win of the season on Saturday.

I thought the Flames played ok once they settled in. I was really impressed with Hanifin. I thought a few times "That's a good strong play by that d-man, who is that? Oh its Hanifin". I don't remember him being very noticeable last year at all. But last night he made some noticeably good defensive plays and also had a couple good shots including one off the post.

[flames_fan_down_under]

The first period was definitely triggering; kind of a cruel twist of fate to face the team that dummied my beloved flames in the first round. I would have preferred a mid season match up as the disappointment, anger, and frustration of last year was still simmering below the surface in my hockey brain. So that being said I was instantly irrationally swearing at the TV during the entire first period wondering aloud why the hell we can't skate with the stupid Avalanche; like all of sudden plugs like Matt Nieto can't be contained and is flying past our defence. So I was extremely happy to see the good guys slowly turn it around. I felt like they got stronger on the puck as the game went on, they were supporting each other in the d-zone more, got their transition/offence on the rush going, and were more tenacious in general. Seeing as opening night is 'guaranteed loss night' I will gladly take a competitive loss on the road against a decent team.

Top line was good. Hanifin stood out to me last night, I felt he was extremely poised and was dangerous offensively.

[pepper24]

Game 1. Where your favourite player is on pace for 82 goal/164 point season and your worse player will suck for 81 more games.