[PGT] Flames beat Vancouver 4-3 in OVERTIME

[Red]

If we are talking about enjoyment let's put a clear line between enjoying a win versus enjoying watching what is happening during the game itself.

Reading here, most did not enjoy the 1st period nor the 3rd. To be sure, those two periods are the ones that Canucks fans enjoyed as their team was either much better (3rd) or were playing with a 2 goal lead.

We enjoyed the end result. With it being an OT winner, we really only got to "relax" and truly enjoy it after the game.

How is that for a logic pretzel


I myself, mostly enjoy the game itself when the team has a sizeable lead and is playing well, wether it is to add to said lead or just sit back and defend it. I can also enjoy a close game or one that they trail slightly when the team is playing well and it looks like they have a chance to win it in the end.

Well, it's not been an enjoyable season LOL.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think most fans here are realistic about the probability that this club, in its current form, is going to win a cup.
But sports is about enjoyment, so even if that's how one feels, it doesn't make sense to me to root against your team or not enjoy wins.

What people were objecting to is the notion, that the poster put forth, that he would prefer the team lose.

I'm down on the coach and would prefer a coach who is a leader because I think this team needs it, but I think the make up of this team could be a cup contender.

Flames don't have an elite number 1 centre, but we do have two Selke level centremen, a scoring centreman, and a playoff beast, all down the middle. How many championship teams can claim to have two Selke type centremen like the Flames have?

Flames have some game breaking wingers in Gaudreau, Dube and Mangiapane.

Flames have a few power forwards in Tkachuk, Lucic, Bennett that are useful come playoff time.

Flames have a very mobile defense core that is relatively gritty. When you throw Mackey in there, it gives it some more size without sacrificing the mobility.

Flames have one of the top goalies in the game.

Another poster threw out the bones of how the forward lines should be set up:

Tkachuk-Lindy
Gaudreau-Mony
Mangiapane-Backlund
Lucic-Bennett-Dube

Those are 4 very good lines and if they are all rolling at the right time, ie playoff time, you have a very dangerous team.

Flames need to round out the RW positions. I think they need one more power forward in the lineup as the team is still a bit small. I know of certain posters who will hate this idea, but I'd try Brett Ritchie on Managiapane-Backlund's RW; he's a similar type of player to Lucic and you hope he can give that line the same thing.

I think Derek Ryan would make a very good RW for Gaudreau and Monahan. He's right shot, he can alternate faceoffs with Mony, he's fast and quick enough to keep up with Gaudreau, he's good defensively and in limited time with Johnny, he's also shown some chemistry.

I don't really like any of the remaining players for the RW spot on Tkachuk and Lindholm's line. Leivo isn't quick enough, nor skilled enough. Simon and Norstrom aren't skilled enough. Matthew Phillips might work, but he makes the team real small and you really need Ritchie in the line up.

One guy who I think might make sense to acquire for the Tkachuk-Lindholm line is Virtanen. Big, strong, fast with a good shot. Not the quickest brain, but he'd be playing with two of the better defensive guys. The RW on this line needs to be able to get in quick on the forecheck and bump the puck to Tkahcuk and Lindholm, this suits his size and speed. Then he just needs to get into scoring position and wait for Tkachuk and Lindy to get him the puck. Virtanen has a great shot. Intensity and being engaged is also one of Virtanen's problem, no better linemate than Tkachuk to have him constantly engaged in physical play. I don't know if the acquisition cost is too high.

[Red]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

And just because Bennett is eating a lot #### lately....

He had a really important and sneaky "box-out" on the Lucic goal.

Bennett had some jump. He was great last night.

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

These same people talk about "realism" or how some random negative opinion is "correct" because it's negative. The only dose of realism here is the fact that if last night's win brought you no joy and no hope, you need a different hobby because you're wasting your life.

This is the biggest pile of rubbish I've ever read. I have an opinion that this team isn't "AS FUN" to watch because I don't believe they're a contender. From that, you draw conclusions they bring me no joy and no hope, and that I need a different hobby because I'm wasting my life.


They bring me some joy, because I still enjoy watching the games for its entertainment value. No hope? Yea that part is true. I have lots of hobbies. Wasting my life? Crap, how do you know me?

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by MillerTime GFG

The thing about cycles though, is that you'd expect them to actually be cyclical. We're on a treadmill of mediocrity. We've been that way since the early 90s, aside from 2004-2009, and even in those years, we got past the first round only once.

I'm just tired of it, as are so many others. I still watch the games, and enjoy them (for the most part), but it's far removed from how I watched in 2004.

Most people have changed since 17 years ago (life priorities and such), and even if the hockey was the exact same, most wouldn’t experience (or expect to experience) it the same way

[old-fart]

Originally Posted by MillerTime GFG

Keep going. Dig up playoff brackets from even earlier years. Compare how far the Flames have got vs. other teams. You'll get there. Might notice a trend.

Sure. The trend is that there is ONE winner of the Stanley Cup every year, and your suggestion is that if you don't win the Cup, all your victories are hollow.

I think most people would disagree with that premise.

[MillerTime GFG]

Hey...all the power to you guys being so positive after all these years of mediocrity. Somewhat commendable, as I don't know how you do it. But I won't question it. I'm just defending my opinion as to why I am the type of fan I am, much like the original poster in question.


I want to see us building towards something. And that something isn't another early playoff exit.

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by old-fart

Sure. The trend is that there is ONE winner of the Stanley Cup every year, and your suggestion is that if you don't win the Cup, all your victories are hollow.

I think most people would disagree with that premise.

trend

/trend/

See definitions in:
all

noun
noun: trend; plural noun: trends

1.
a general direction in which something is developing or changing.

So no, one cup winner/year isn't actually a trend. The trend would be the fact that on average, the flames playoff success is lesser than almost every other franchises', but I think you knew that already...

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

The 3-Pt’er

This comment is just ridiculous and shows just how blind Oilers fans can be. The lightest tap on McAvi gets called because of who he is.

Tkachuk on the other hand takes a ton of abuse and many times doesn't get the call because of who he is.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Red

If we are talking about enjoyment let's put a clear line between enjoying a win versus enjoying watching what is happening during the game itself.

Reading here, most did not enjoy the 1st period nor the 3rd. To be sure, those two periods are the ones that Canucks fans enjoyed as their team was either much better (3rd) or were playing with a 2 goal lead.

I sure did not think that the Flames played a bad third period.

When I turned on the game last night, I already knew (by accident) that the game at least went to overtime, and overheard John Shorthouse said that the Canucks got the tying goal on the strength of outshooting the Flames 16–6 in the third period. I was prepared to watch a lopsided, ice-tilted fiasco with the Flames clutching on for dear life, and I have to say that is not what I saw. The Canucks got a lot of shots to start the third—7-0 at the 5:00 or 7:00 mark, but not a lot of quality shots. From that point until the last minute of the game I thought the Flames played a textbook road period with the lead.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by MillerTime GFG

Hey...all the power to you guys being so positive after all these years of mediocrity. Somewhat commendable, as I don't know how you do it. But I won't question it. I'm just defending my opinion as to why I am the type of fan I am, much like the original poster in question.


I want to see us building towards something. And that something isn't another early playoff exit.

I look at hockey the way I look at life, I try to find the small positives.

If all people do is look at everything negatively, you're in for a miserable life.

At the end of the day, all of the bitching and complaining here won't help the team any more or less than being positive.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by MillerTime GFG

The thing about cycles though, is that you'd expect them to actually be cyclical. We're on a treadmill of mediocrity. We've been that way since the early 90s, aside from 2004-2009, and even in those years, we got past the first round only once.

I'm just tired of it, as are so many others. I still watch the games, and enjoy them (for the most part), but it's far removed from how I watched in 2004.

Won the cup....31 years ago.

Now 31 teams in the league.

1 winner per season.

If the team wins another cup 31 years from now....would they not be exactly on the "cycle" that every team should expect?

If you only started watching this club in 04, then i certainly understand your position. It was magical and fun and something you want to experience all the time. That simply isnt realistic as you likely know.

This team has been really good at times and really bad at times...thats the cycle. Like every other organization has and will go through as well.

[dino7c]

I don't think many people actually remember 2004...the Flames were average at best during the regular season, Kipper stole some games and they barely made the playoffs by a few points. They were one bounce away from losing in the first round against a team who's best player was suspended. Things took off and it was great but they weren't some juggernaut.

[bubbsy]

I think many of us just need to reset expectations of this team. They are not a top end team in this division. They are not really much better, as a whole, when compared to the Canucks/Oilers. These will be close/competitive games, given that.

I think many of us were expecting this group to be in the upper echelon of the division, right up there with the leafs and the Habs. They are not.

We should just enjoy the ride, and as usual, watch a team that will be fighting tooth and nail for a bottom seeding playoff spot.

Perhaps that's the reason for the wide range of reactions, even after a victory last night. I know personally, as with any new season, I was hoping that the team constructed would just click and were right there at the top of the pack . As the realization kicks in that this team is the same as the last half dozen seasons, where expectations need to be slotted down too "playoff hopeful" there is a sense of disappointment/anger (especially when this is the only real distraction with things being in lockdown still). However, once I can get over this hump, I'm sure I'll be just happy with watching a mediocre team, fighting for a playoff spot.

[AC]

If you don't think this team has what it takes to win it all, fine.

If you don't enjoy watching the wins as much as everyone else, fine.

But maybe don't come in and #### all over the team and the posters that do enjoy being a fan? It's simply not interesting to read the same repeated thought ad nauseum.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

"Hollow victories." Please. For as poor as the Flames have looked at times they have won 6 of their last 9 games, with 7 of those on the road. I hope you are preparing yourself for a lot of disappointment, because they are going to win a lot more games over the next three months.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

4 of the next 8 against Ottawa.

Flames haven't even gotten to their handbasket "freebie" points yet, while every other N division team has.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

4 of the next 8 against Ottawa.



Flames haven't even gotten to their handbasket "freebie" points yet, while every other N division team has.

This is what scares me. Everyone creams Ottawa and we're supposed to cream Ottawa. So we likely won't.

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by AC

If you don't think this team has what it takes to win it all, fine.

If you don't enjoy watching the wins as much as everyone else, fine.

But maybe don't come in and #### all over the team and the posters that do enjoy being a fan? It's simply not interesting to read the same repeated thought ad nauseum.

I literally just said it was commendable that you guys still support them so whole-heartedly, and that I wouldn't stop you.

It's a two-way street though...maybe don't #### all over posters that are more on the negative side? Or as I like to call it, "realistic". If you look at my first post in this thread, it was calling out the people that jumped down Mattman's post.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by chedder

This is what scares me. Everyone creams Ottawa and we're supposed to cream Ottawa. So we likely won't.

Yeah, this is a team that often is accused of playing down to their opponent. Maybe its a blessing Ottawa is playing better of late, but still not great.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by chedder

This is what scares me. Everyone creams Ottawa and we're supposed to cream Ottawa. So we likely won't.

They beat the #1 team last night...for the 2nd time.

There are no freebies in the NHL.