[PGT] Flames lose to Habs 2-1 (OTL)

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Buff

This team will not make the playoffs. Something needs to be done.

4 points out of home ice after 29 games...a little early to call it

[Goriders]

They probably have to play at a 0.600 clip to squeek in.

Blowing points against crappy teams is not helping.

[CGY12]

They still seem to be lacking cohesion, playing like a bunch of spare parts thrown in a blender still, without any joy or moxy. I mean I know they aren't the most skilled team but their is 0 creativity, almost robotic like making the simple play, cycle and throw it on net. I really think the lack of speed is hurting them.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Embarrassing to score only 1 goal against this Habs team. garbage

Especially when you get a 2-on-0 and don’t even generate a decent chance.

Allen knew what uncreative play those two were doing the whole way.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Goriders

On a side note. Man is Phillips small. He looks like a 12 year old out there.

Johnny was small. But Phillips is another level of small.

The problem I have with Phillips is when you are that small you better be very strong for your size, very fast or very skilled. Probably need to be 2 of the 3 and at least a good skater.

He isn't afraid out there but I just don't see him as quick as Johnny was. He doesn't have the skill Johnny does either.

I really wish the call up was Zary or Pelletier. Ok with Phillips for now as he deserved it but my expectation is low.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

marky and vladar average over .900 the rest of the way and they'll make the .600 clip

obviously not great results on the trip but better goaltending means they collected points in 2/3

team reminds me of Nashville in one of their low offense years .. defense first system, no game breaking star guys, half as many loser points as wins

might end up an 8 seed .. hopefully Sutter can bottle some lightning and be that masterful manipulator for a few weeks if they squeak in

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

The Toffoli trade wasn't close to being an overpay. Jeez guys what is going on.

I think part of it is either because Toffoli isn’t a top line player or because he doesn’t seem to gel with the other guys on his line.

I think the Flames have 2 legitimate top liners in Lindholm and Huberdeau, 2-3 second liners in Toffoli, Kadri and Mangiapane and a bunch of third liners sprinkled in with some fourth liners.

I wouldn’t mind it if Sutter mixed things up a bit with the lines. The best shift I’ve seen lately was that shift tonight after Kadri got sent to to the dark room and Mangiapane-Ruzicka-Dube held the Habs in for nearly two mins. If there wasn’t a long change on the play I’m sure we could have cycled some fresh legs in there and scored.

This team just seems stale offensively and it’s frustrating to many as we are now signed up for this, whether we like it or not, for the foreseeable future due to all those large contract we dished out in the offseason to, let’s be honest, players who have already reached their peaks prior to ever suiting up as a Flame.

I just think Sutter needs to be less rigid in his way of thinking and test out some things he maybe wouldn’t normally.

I think 29 games is a decent enough sample size to realize some of the combinations just don’t seem to be working all that well while others I feel like have never been tested even once (I can’t recall ever seeing Kadri and Toffoli together as an example).

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Goriders

They probably have to play at a 0.600 clip to squeek in.

Blowing points against crappy teams is not helping.

based on what exactly?

all this squeak in talk...FLAMES ARE 4 POINTS BACK OF HOME ICE. 4 POINTS BACK OF THIRD IN THE DIVISION WITH TWO GAMES IN HAND

Its not a 98 points for playoffs kinda division and the Flames haven't even played a bottom 3 team in their own division...so that's like 15 games left of those?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Sitting a point out a playoff spot. 4 points out of P3 with two games in hand.

This place acts like they’re in Anaheim/Chicago territory.

Markstrom is back. Be excited about that.

Lol, I'm one of the people still preaching patience with Huberdeau and thinking this team will turn it around (but will absolutely have to address the lack of scoring forwards if they want to contend), but this an absurd statement.

No "this place" doesn't act like we're Chicago or Anaheim, because those two teams are in rebuilding mode and know it. I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but the Flames kinda went the opposite direction on rebuilding mode and are expecting/expected to contend in the next 1-4 years. Our expectation is to be strong playoff teams, and hopefully true contenders with a tweak or two, and it needs to happen quite quickly. Absurd post, purposely obtuse even.

[jayswin]

Tonight however was just unfortunate with the players we lost/didn't play, and at the end of the day we lost in a shootout which is not real hockey, while missing our top centre and best two defensemen. There's plenty to be concerned about with this team, tonight wasn't an issue, imo.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by All In Good Time

Hope you get rid of it soon too

I guess the good news is if it is going through the team, these are élite athletes with access to the best of care
I doubt they spend an absurd amount of time eating bacon sandwiches drinking beer and watching hockey on tv (I’m guilty as charged)

I believe that’s how I’ve staved off the illnesses going around

[Barnet Flame]

The only time I’m confident in our guys scoring is if they’re doing the crossbar challenge.

[Barnet Flame]

Whatever Sutter did to regain Marky’s composure - it appears to be working.

Now Sutter needs to get the team to concentrate on being more disciplined - particularly in clutch situations. All those OT penalties are not down to ‘refereeing’.

Discipline has to be the next priority.

Incremental improvements needed while we are still in the mix.

[DeluxeMoustache]

I didn’t doubt Marky’s composure.

I saw more contempt in the ‘I suck at hockey’ comment than defeat. He was more pissed off than defeated.

Even that game, he only gave up 2, including the race and slide. If you think about it, his puck stopping was on point. Even won the costly race but not enough to control the puck while sliding.

He was basically a genius at goaltending tonight. Hell of a game

Sutter, paraphrased tonight:
You know how I feel about the goalies. The people asking about his game tonight are the same ones who were asking what’s wrong with him. Nothing wrong with him

[KootenayFlamesFan]

The biggest issue for me going forward is scoring. The goaltending should be more than good enough going forward, especially if tonight is a sign that Markstrom looks like 2nd place in Vezina voting Markstrom.

The defense is still really good, but they've had a lot of defensive lapses so far this season that could/should easily be cleaned up. Just brain cramps. Kinda like a lot of needless penalties they've been taking. Easy (should be easy) to clean that stuff up too.

But if they can't score it's all moot. Markstrom can play great like tonight but if you're only going to score one goal you're not going to win much of anything. And it's not like they need to score 5 or 6, more like 3. Heck, even 2 goals a lot of nights should win them games. So the question is do they have the scorers on the team that just aren't getting it done, or, do they need to make some moves to bring in that offense? I'm leaning towards the former right now, but some of those forwards really need to get going. Bad play, bad luck, whatever. Just start scoring some goals.

[DeluxeMoustache]

^ agree, and at the same time Lindholm was out tonight and that created some new mixes

Huberdeau is 9 pts his last 9 games. I see more to come

I’m patient

[blankall]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

I think part of it is either because Toffoli isn’t a top line player or because he doesn’t seem to gel with the other guys on his line.

I think the Flames have 2 legitimate top liners in Lindholm and Huberdeau, 2-3 second liners in Toffoli, Kadri and Mangiapane and a bunch of third liners sprinkled in with some fourth liners.

I wouldn’t mind it if Sutter mixed things up a bit with the lines. The best shift I’ve seen lately was that shift tonight after Kadri got sent to to the dark room and Mangiapane-Ruzicka-Dube held the Habs in for nearly two mins. If there wasn’t a long change on the play I’m sure we could have cycled some fresh legs in there and scored.

This team just seems stale offensively and it’s frustrating to many as we are now signed up for this, whether we like it or not, for the foreseeable future due to all those large contract we dished out in the offseason to, let’s be honest, players who have already reached their peaks prior to ever suiting up as a Flame.

I just think Sutter needs to be less rigid in his way of thinking and test out some things he maybe wouldn’t normally.

I think 29 games is a decent enough sample size to realize some of the combinations just don’t seem to be working all that well while others I feel like have never been tested even once (I can’t recall ever seeing Kadri and Toffoli together as an example).

One thing I've noticed of that the Flames don't have very many set plays. They've got a few, and the ones they do have seem to work. This signals to me that the Flames aren't spending enough time in this in practice.

If you look at a team like the Oilers, a major thing they do have going for them is a bunch of different set plays on the PP and to generate chances for McDavid.

I'm not saying the Flames should go full oilers, but they need to have plays to fall back on to build confidence. The forwards are handling the puck like they don't know that to do, and the defence seems limited to slamming the puck from the point. The Flames have a LW who just feet a record for most assists by a LW, and they can barely string together basic offensive zone control.

[sonq]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

If Weegar is sick you can bet more on the team are. I was just sick and hell half the people I know are sick.

Welp, I do hope the team does not let a single guy play while being sick

[blankall]

Originally Posted by sonq

Welp, I do hope the team does not let a single guy play while being sick

I think the NHL is back to having players play through colds. Both Malkin and Crosby missed practices with illnesses and neither actually missed a game.

[SargentD]

Every time I see Jake Allen in net for Montreal against us comes an undisputed attitude for defeat.
The guy is .947 and 1.67 GAA vs Calgary in Habs silks.
His career numbers are .910 and 2.63 overall.