[PGT] Flames lose 2-1. Get them in game 6

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

As far as Gaudreau goes, I get the impression he doesn't have much faith in his linemates right now. He's trying to do way too much on his own right now, and it's making it too easy for Vancouver to double team him and strip him of the puck. Unfortunately every pass he dishes to Monahan/Hudler right now ends up going back the other way.

Don't know what's going on with those two, but it might be time for Hartley to mix the lines a bit. Of course the Ferland/Stajan/Jones line and the Bennett/Backlund/Colborne line have both been very effective. I don't know what a good option is at this point.

I think you have to stick with whats been working. Those guys havent been great, particularly on the road. But I thought they were great at home. Something is obviously wrong with Hudler. Monahan I'm not sure, but let's remember these are 20 year olds playing against the hardest competition they can. People always seem baffled that top lines end up having tough times in playoffs. It's because they are so focused on by the competition that they tend to get snuffed out. The same thing is happening with the Sedins, and it's why you need secondary scoring and depth in playoffs.

Not absolving their poor play, and Gaudreau made some suspect plays in the ozone last night, but we need to keep it in perspective as well.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

yeah, I'd like to see Gaudreau with Bennett and Backlund.

That'd be the line I would leave alone. Colborne has been essential in the corners for the other two.

I'd move Ferland and Gaudreau around.

Ferland - Monahan - Hudler
Gaudreau - Stajan - Jones.

Jones has a hot hand and has been great going at the net, Ferland would give Monahan and Hudler a physical presence they need at the moment.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Igster

And your argument still holds no weight in the equation. If your game consists of fast skating and long passes, crappy ice causes you to change your game. This will have an effect on teams that play differently. Both teams playing on the same ice means nothing when you consider the "style" of games each team plays.

And like I said if all it takes to beat the Flames is making the ice a little choppy then we might as well break out the golf clubs now.

Don't blame the ice. Blame our inability to adjust.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

That'd be the line I would leave alone. Colborne has been essential in the corners for the other two.

I'd move Ferland and Gaudreau around.

Ferland - Monahan - Hudler
Gaudreau - Stajan - Jones.

Jones has a hot hand and has been great going at the net, Ferland would give Monahan and Hudler a physical presence they need at the moment.

Good point.

Jones is fired up, I was thinking of putting him with Hudler/Monahan and having Colborne/Stajan/Ferland as a line.

[AcGold]

They were just giving the pick away. Brodie, Backlund and Bennett were the only ones playing well. I can excuse Weidman and Russell but the rest of the team just gave it away so quick it was infuriating. Backlund got the puck over and over and his teammates just gave it away instantly. He must have forced 15 turnovers.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by polak

Don't blame the ice. Blame our inability to adjust.

Blame both really.

Either way, we will pull it out on Saturday, I'm confident there.

Whether we can steal a game in the Honda Centre during Round 2 will decide our fate.

[TopChed]

I know Hartley was probably trying to get the top line going again by putting them out on the pp late last game, but wow was it frustrating watching them struggle to even cross the red line time after time. At a certain point, when the only option to gain the zone is dump and chase, why not put out Ferland and Jones?

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

That'd be the line I would leave alone. Colborne has been essential in the corners for the other two.

I'd move Ferland and Gaudreau around.

Ferland - Monahan - Hudler
Gaudreau - Stajan - Jones.

Jones has a hot hand and has been great going at the net, Ferland would give Monahan and Hudler a physical presence they need at the moment.

I think that's backwards. Johnny has been creating, but he's got no one to give him the puck and he has no one to give it to. Put Johnny with Backlund imo

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

That'd be the line I would leave alone. Colborne has been essential in the corners for the other two.

I'd move Ferland and Gaudreau around.

Ferland - Monahan - Hudler
Gaudreau - Stajan - Jones.

Jones has a hot hand and has been great going at the net, Ferland would give Monahan and Hudler a physical presence they need at the moment.

Only issue I have with that is IMO Hudler and Monahan are the ones that need to be split up, neither look to be 100% and having both on the same line right now is poor.

This allows for one big body on each line:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Jones
Bennett-Backlund-Colborne
Ferland-Stajan-Hudler
Bollig-Shore-Jooris

[azzarish]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Blame both really.

Either way, we will pull it out on Saturday, I'm confident there.

Whether we can steal a game in the Honda Centre during Round 2 will decide our fate.

I wouldn't worry about the Honda Centre right now.

Let's get through this series first.

[Galakanokis]

I honestly thought that was Vancouver's best game and Calgary's worst. Top line was brutal to me to the point I was mad they were out on power plays and at the end of the game. So many turnovers and soft plays it killed us.

The good though is that we barely lost and we had our chances for as bad as we played. I wanted to see some in game adjustments but they just weren't there. As a whole the team looked slow, perhaps the ice is crap in Vancouver.

I have no doubt we see team 3/4 come out on Saturday!

[automaton 3]

Raymond shot the puck in the corner on a breakaway and got in the way of Wotherspoon's shot into what looked like an open net.

Also had a brutal back-check against Horvat, very similar to a play in the Jets game that lead to a goal.

I think he deserves to sit, and bring in Shore.

[Zulu29]

Was at the game lastnight, really sucks that we lost. After the first goal you could hear a pin drop, thought we had it but then the boys took their foot off the pedal. Took a lot of flak from Canucks fans walking back to the hotel but that was to be expected.

[FlamesAddiction]

I think they had trouble finding the balance between feeling healthy pressure and being calm. At times they look really jittery and were fighting the puck, but then at the same time, they seemed to play less intense than usual.

Maybe it is cliché, but I really do think that the home crowd support will help them mentally.

[GioforPM]

If you split up the top line you are also splitting up at least one or two other lines, and probably the ones that are working pretty well. Just sayin'.

I'm betting they at least start together.

[foshizzle11]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If you split up the top line you are also splitting up at least one or two other lines, and probably the ones that are working pretty well. Just sayin'.

I'm betting they at least start together.

ya, I would tend to agree with you that the lines will likely start out the same but we might see some tweaking as the game goes on. I don't see them splitting up the top line because they will get a chance to get starts in the offensive zone without the Sedins or the matchups that the Canucks want.

[liamenator]

I was at the game last night and thought the Flames had a very strong first half, with a lot of quality chances. Most Canucks shots were from the perimeter, and their D were turnover machines. If we could have buried even one more of those early chances, Nucks would have folded. As the game progressed, the Flames got frustrated, got off their game, and the Nucks took advantage.

These games happen. Playoffs are all about managing highs and lows. The team has shown an uncanny ability to bounce back all year. I fully expect them to in game 6.

I should also add that, for the second time, Canucks fans were good to us. We received a bit of good-natured (and expected) ribbing, but no personal or physical attacks.

Upper level of Rogers Arena has a worse washroom situation than the Saddledome.

[AC]

I think we were a post away from crushing the Canucks' spirits.

5 minutes in, Bennett takes a backhand flip pass and flies down the wing to spot Wideman sneaking in... off the post. If that went in, I doubt the Canucks even fight back down 2-0 early.

[undercoverbrother]

This didn't surprise me.

I expected a push back from the Canucks, dislike them all you want, but there is talent.

Flames finish them at home on Saturday.

[terminator]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

This didn't surprise me.

I expected a push back from the Canucks, dislike them all you want, but there is talent.

Flames finish them at home on Saturday.

This