QOTD: What does a 3 game skid mean?

[FireItUp]

They still played pretty good in all of those games, I'm not worried yet and most importantly we're still WAY ahead of the Oilers in the standings.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Few (if any) teams don't have 3-5 game losing skids. It is how the Flames manage to overcome it and get through it that will be telling.

Losing to the Sabres is hardly and embarrassment. They have knocked off some pretty damn good teams in the last while, and are sporting the third hottest record in the last 10 games in the NHL. They are not the tankers that many pointed to and laughed at. Those are the Oilers.

[polak]

Concerning especially cause they are playing like everyone expected them to at the beginning of the season. Sloppy plays everywhere. Add the fact that this could easily be a 4 game skid today against a strong Pens team and it's quite worrisome.

The stats line has been favorable to us in at least the last 2 games (I didn't watch the game against the sharks). We definitely didn't "deserve to win" either.

[#-3]

I think it is mostly the pendulum swinging back in the other direction, the Flames got away with a few bad games earlier this year, and now they have lost a few good games. It's important that they play the next few gams well enough that you don't have to hope for the bounces to go your way. If they can do that they will be back on track.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

What happens when it's 8 or very possibly 10 points lost at the end of the weekend? They just lost to the Sabres for crying out loud. I would have waited until Monday for this thread as it's going to have a much different tone.

who knows they could win both, I wouldn't be shocked

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by polak

The stats line has been favorable to us in at least the last 2 games (I didn't watch the game against the sharks). We definitely didn't "deserve to win" either.

That's what concerns me is that the Sabres were truly the better team last night as were the Leafs the night before. They had less defensive breakdowns, were more opportunistic and had better goaltending. Outshooting your opponents doesn't mean a heck of a lot when very few of the shots are of the dangerous variety.

I don't think anyone should panic but just accept the process of peaks and valleys that come with a rebuild. We all wanted this (the rebuild) and it's only fair that we accept the bad times due to lack of top shelf talent on the roster and have patience to see this through. It's probably going to be another two years of highs and lows before fans can start pointing fingers at coaches, GM's and players. Trying to pin losing to the usual suspects like Engeland, Stajan, Bollig, Glencross doesn't fly when the Flames were expected to be the amongst the worst teams in the league this season and have vastly overachieved.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

who knows they could win both, I wouldn't be shocked

I wouldn't be shocked to see them get to extra time against either opponent but they have to start playing better for that to happen. If they play the Hawks and Penguins like they played the Sabres, Sharks or Leafs I don't like their chances at all unless their goaltending craps the bed.

[FlamesAddiction]

There were bound to be highs and lows this season. It's the nature of a young team.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

We seem to struggle against eastern teams which is very surprising. Perhaps the Flames speed and skill is not enough to play run and gun hockey against these eastern teams?

That said, we still played well puck possession wise, but it seems every defensive lapse ends up with a puck in our net.

All 3 games have been close down to the final minute so this losing streak isn't all that alarming to me. As Hartley mentioned, there is an adjustment period when players come back. The Flames probably would of won these games if the lines gelled quicker.

[flamesfever]

I think a 3 game losing streak, considering how we lost, can be a good thing in the long run. It's obvious to me that we need to shore up the 3rd pairing on defence and solving that problem as early as possible is essential to have any chance at being in, or going anywhere in, the playoffs. Perhaps gambling by making a trade, or bringing up Wotherspoon may help solve the problem. Also I think it's becoming apparent to me that it would help if the forwards would focus more on their defensive effort.

[Igster]

I think that losing 3 in a row brings them back down to earth. Some times I think they think they are better than they really are when the bounces are going their way.

Case in point, Brodie's turn on the boards last night that got stolen from him on the back check by Ennis and passed out front for a goal. The safe play there would have been to bang it off the boards and out, but Brodie tries the "fancy" play with a turn back and the puck gets stripped from him. Earlier in the season, that play was working. Teams are watching tape of this and moves like that are dangerous and don't always work.

Time to get back to basics and sprinkle in plays like that, in order to get the bounces to come back their way IMO.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

I think a 3 game losing streak, considering how we lost, can be a good thing in the long run. It's obvious to me that we need to shore up the 3rd pairing on defence and solving that problem as early as possible is essential to have any chance at being in, or going anywhere in, the playoffs. Perhaps gambling by making a trade, or bringing up Wotherspoon may help solve the problem. Also I think it's becoming apparent to me that it would help if the forwards would focus more on their defensive effort.

Every team wishes they could shore up their 3rd paring. It's the 3rd paring because it's your worst of the three. The Flames were doing fine with their 3rd paring and have been losing recently because the 1st pairing has played poor.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Every team wishes they could shore up their 3rd paring. It's the 3rd paring because it's your worst of the three. The Flames were doing fine with their 3rd paring and have been losing recently because the 1st pairing has played poor.

While I would agree, Diaz should be 9-10 on an NHL depth chart. The guy is known for offense and can't even hit the net when he does have the chance. Take that with his HORRID defensive play and he shouldn't be anywhere near the team.

Smid - Engelland is a much more solid bottom pairing, but Treleving should really just deal with Diaz now and get Wotherspoon into some games. At least Wotherspoon could compete for ice time, while Diaz hasn't earned a minute so far this season.

[icecube]

Every team goes through a stretch like this. Time to see what they're really made of now.

[FireFly]

As someone who voted in the turkey bubble thread that I still thought the Flames would miss the playoffs; not much. This is a young team who was winning games they probably shouldn't have and now have lost some they probably should have won. It's fairly typical as the season plays out.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

What happens when it's 8 or very possibly 10 points lost at the end of the weekend? They just lost to the Sabres for crying out loud. I would have waited until Monday for this thread as it's going to have a much different tone.

To be fair, a Sabres teams who's gone 7-3-0 in their last 10. They've been taking their turn at a good streak as well.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

While I would agree, Diaz should be 9-10 on an NHL depth chart. The guy is known for offense and can't even hit the net when he does have the chance. Take that with his HORRID defensive play and he shouldn't be anywhere near the team.

Not going to argue about Diaz as I just don't see how you can sit Smid for him but he's on the team likely due to Hartley who liked him in the Swiss league and sometimes you just have to live with the coach having some of his guys in the lineup. He's sitting tonight BTW.

[PeteMoss]

Option E - some posters get really annoying.

[4oh3]

Honestly I thought we were in every game and it could have gone either way. However , were not up north so I'm not really lookin for moral victories a loss is a loss. So hopefully we can get a W tonight.

[Poe969]

3 games in a row?!?!?!11????! Why are we even going to play any more games??


It means that those games that we didn't deserve to win and won can go both ways.