[Game Takes] Kings 3 Flames 0

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Bingo

It's not just Monahan. Gaudreau turned the puck over 6 times last night.

Many of those turnovers were a direct result of having no support in the offensive zone and neutral zone whatsoever. Johnny was flying on many shifts looking for options, turnovers are going to happen when your centre is MIA on most shifts.

If Monahan is hurt it would prudent to sit him down until the playoffs at this point. Right now the complete lack of drive up the middle is killing that line and the PP production. What he's giving this team now is just straight up not enough and certainly won't be in the playoffs.

[Red]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Matthew Tkachuk begs to differ

0 SOG.

Come on now. This isn't about one guy that can go in tough spots. The team is pretty soft. No denying it.

[Toonage]

I won't belabor this but I just don't think your argument holds water. Agree to disagree I suppose. On to Dallas.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Red

But the Flames can't play greasy Bingo. That's my point.
We don't have the bodies that can fight through that. Point shots are out only hope.

We are using terms like greasy that are subject to interpretation but my belief is that teams can simplify their game and play "greasy" if they choose too.
Teams have figured out the top lines tendencies. Heck we all see them ourselves. You can pretty easily anticipate what Johnny is going to do in certain situations.
They need to now adjust to that adjustment, which will then re-open some of the old ways they used to score.
Playing greasy doesn't depend on having huge bodies. It's just about willingness.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Red

0 SOG.

Come on now. This isn't about one guy that can go in tough spots. The team is pretty soft. No denying it.

Define "soft".

[Manhattanboy]

Very relieved we likely do not see Dallas in the first round.

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by Bingo

They didn't keep them to the outside through heavy hockey, they did by completely collapsing and playing for a 1-0 win.

Teams that do that lose 19 times out of 20, that one time came up last night.

However, the top line has to stop forcing a square peg into a round hole. If the other team gives you the outside, use it, simplify and score some greasy goals. Gaudreau has to stop forcing things through 8 sets of skates.

Exactly, take away that lucky goal in the first minute and what does the game look like? Also, for people worried about playoff hockey being like that, remember thereb re 7 games in a series. Plenty of time for the Flames to adapt and utilize their skill in different ways.

I was most worried about goaltending, which now looks like it may be a strength come playoff time.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Define "soft".

I would partially define "soft" as someone who loses more than half of 50/50 puck battles along the boards. Gaudreau and Monahan both would be considered soft by this definition. Gaudreau has an excuse because of his size, but Monahan doesn't. The question is can the Flames go deep in the playoffs when 2/3rds of their top line is soft. Can their skill overcome that deficiency?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Red

But the Flames can't play greasy Bingo. That's my point.
We don't have the bodies that can fight through that. Point shots are out only hope.

That top line will never bowl anyone over on the way to the net, I'll give you that. But Tkachuk, Backlund and Frolik don't shy away, Bennett and Neal are fine, ... Jankowski could use some anger in his game. Mangiapane may be the strongest guy on the team pound for pound.

But that honestly isn't what I mean.

I meant greasy as in ugly. Take the line, go around the net and out the other side, feed it back to the point and have a point shot hit a leg and bounce to Lindholm for a rebound goal.

The tic tac toe is fun, but it doesn't work if they collapse towards the net and give you the outside.

Instead they're pushing it into the middle and turning it over again and again.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

Many of those turnovers were a direct result of having no support in the offensive zone and neutral zone whatsoever. Johnny was flying on many shifts looking for options, turnovers are going to happen when your centre is MIA on most shifts.

If Monahan is hurt it would prudent to sit him down until the playoffs at this point. Right now the complete lack of drive up the middle is killing that line and the PP production. What he's giving this team now is just straight up not enough and certainly won't be in the playoffs.

I thought Gaudreau was awful last night.

At least Monahan was invisible.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Red

0 SOG.

Come on now. This isn't about one guy that can go in tough spots. The team is pretty soft. No denying it.

The Flames had over 40 shots last night. How does 0 shots support your argument?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I thought Gaudreau was awful last night.

At least Monahan was invisible.

IMO Gaudreau has been bringing it fairly consistently in latter half of the season but a player like him will have turnover prone games once in a while. He is rarely invisible.

It’s funny about Gaudreau. Some people will defend him at all costs. Others are quick to point out his bad games while rarely singling out others.

[Red]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

The Flames had over 40 shots last night. How does 0 shots support your argument?

We are taking about greasy plays and goals and players that can make them. Chucky was brought up as a player that can do that. I just showed his 0 shots. He didn't get to these greasy areas. My point (not argument, sigh) was that we weren't strong enough to fight through against a large team.

Appears that I missed the "Positive thoughts only" rule. Lots of people getting very negative about people that aren't only talking about how great the team is. How ironic.

[Red]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

IMO Gaudreau has been bringing it fairly consistently in latter half of the season but a player like him will have turnover prone games once in a while. He is rarely invisible.

It’s funny about Gaudreau. Some people will defend him at all costs. Others are quick to point out his bad games while rarely singling out others.

It's hard to criticize Gauderau because he makes so much good happen too. Monahan takes flack because he does little when not scoring. I mean would Gio get roasted for making a couple bad turnovers? Probably not.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

IMO Gaudreau has been bringing it fairly consistently in latter half of the season but a player like him will have turnover prone games once in a while. He is rarely invisible.

It’s funny about Gaudreau. Some people will defend him at all costs. Others are quick to point out his bad games while rarely singling out others.

I think with Gaudreau, it comes down to whether you(the fan) are(is) result-focused or effort-focused.

Gaudreau brings it every night - he rarely takes even a shift off. The motor is always going, and the compete level is hard to question.

But he is a creative player. And creativity does not always happen. Sometimes the passes just don't work, there are one too many pivots, or maybe his line-mates aren't converting. And there will be turnovers. These things are part of the game with creative players.

If it's all about the results, a night like last night is going to piss you off. But if you are one to give anyone a pass who was working hard, who gave a ####, then even a game like last night is fine with respect to Gaudreau.

For me, I love Gaudreau because the compete, the passion, is always there. Every shift. He hates to lose. So I rarely if ever criticize him. And when he's on, when it's working, he is one of the most creative and entertaining players I have ever seen.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I thought Gaudreau was awful last night.

At least Monahan was invisible.

Saying he was awful is being a tad dramatic about the whole thing. Trying to work with line-mates that seem like they don't want to break a sweat last night would be a little more in line with what was going on. Monahan being invisible is certainly not a good thing either. There aren't too many teams that can get by long-term with their second and third line centres being more impactful in games than their top line centre.

If you're cultivating any aspirations of a playoff run, you'd be much better served to have players trying to make a difference than accepting those that put their heads in the sand right now. Because that is certainly what it looks like if these last number of games are any indication.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

Saying he was awful is being a tad dramatic about the whole thing. Trying to work with line-mates that seem like they don't want to break a sweat last night would be a little more in line with what was going on. Monahan being invisible is certainly not a good thing either. There aren't too many teams that can get by long-term with their second and third line centres being more impactful in games than their top line centre.

If you're cultivating any aspirations of a playoff run, you'd be much better served to have players trying to make a difference than accepting those that put their heads in the sand right now. Because that is certainly what it looks like if these last number of games are any indication.

Dramatic?

The team's best player was -2 with only two shots on goal and six personal turnovers.

That's not a good night, right?

I'm not defending Monahan either, they were both poor.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Matthew Tkachuk begs to differ

Yeah, he's the only guy going into the dirty areas in front of the Kings net. All the other Flames are nowhere near the dirty areas. Flames play a small, skilled game. Kings, Lightnings, Leafs, Caps, Pens, and even the Golden Knights have shown that if they play a playoff type game, Flames will lose. Most of the 42 shots on the Kings goalie was from the perimeter and the shots were clear from any deflections or direct line of sight for the goalie. Anyone can take a few hundred shots from afar all day long and not score on an average goalie.

It's been shown in the past where a smaller, more skilled team like the Canucks, lost to a bigger, heavier team like the Bruins. After the Bruins roared back to win the Cup, every team played the Canucks the same way.

[Press Level]

I know a team up the highway that would love to unload some "greasy" players. If your vision for this team is in line with Chia's, then you need to give your head a shake...

[Always Earned Never Given]

Originally Posted by Red

0 SOG.

Come on now. This isn't about one guy that can go in tough spots. The team is pretty soft. No denying it.

Well I guess a lot of teams would like to be as "soft" and get 101 out of 152 points available so far!

3 of the top teams in hits per game are non playoff teams (Rags, Habs (yes I have them pencilled in as a non playoff team and the No Goods!!!!!)
4 of the last 5 teams in hits per game are playoff teams ( Cgy , SJ, Nas, Tor)

So I like my soft team....