[PGT] WCQF Game 1: Flames 2 - Ducks 3

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

At this point I have huge concerns about Gaudreau.

2 years ago I thought he was going to be a datsyuk type player who generated the majority of his offense through tenacious defense. That player is basically gone at this point and that is exceptionally troubling because of how starkly ineffective he is when he isn't playing both sides of the puck.

More than anything else that is a very, very troubling indication for the future of the team.

What a waste of a great game from Monahan.

Johnny is noticible playing scared vs ANA and you can lay blame on the larger more physical players not being a policeman on the ice for Johnny. I anyways blame those players Brouwer in particular for not protecting their star.

The one disappointment I had with Johnny is when the game was on his stick in the crease and tried to slide the puck in instead of smashing it in. Yes the goalie made a strong toe save but Johnny did use any force.
I don't know maybe the Flames are hiding he has a wrist injury or cracked digit from all the slashes late in the season.
But there is something that is not right.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

At this point I have huge concerns about Gaudreau.

2 years ago I thought he was going to be a datsyuk type player who generated the majority of his offense through tenacious defense. That player is basically gone at this point and that is exceptionally troubling because of how starkly ineffective he is when he isn't playing both sides of the puck.

More than anything else that is a very, very troubling indication for the future of the team.

What a waste of a great game from Monahan.

The biggest difference between the Flames and the Ducks is how complete of a 200 game they play. You see how difficult it was for the Flames to clear the zone, or set up in the attack zone? The Ducks never give up on the puck and are tenacious on keeping possession. They play with high determination which is why the Flames keep being their bitch. You can really tell after the Flames made a critical mistake (line change) that this was very prevalent. Flames mental resilience when something goes wrong is another thing...

Until the Flames play with the same level and improve on getting the puck out of their zone better, as well keeping the puck in the attack zone, they're not going to yield success against this team. It's a complete team game. Everyone has to be committed to creating turnovers just as much as they are at maintaining possession.

Gaudreau if going to continue to have an impact in this league, his defensive game is going to have to make big steps forward. In the regular season, he can be fairly productive since you're playing a different team each night, but in the playoffs that game is much more tighter and physical. He's gonna have to work twice as hard to create opportunities for himself. If he's not gonna have players set him up, he's gonna have to do it via creating turnovers.

[oldschoolcalgary]

hoping the cold light of day helps to bring back the faith!

Listen, calgary didn't play well:

- They made some boneheaded plays (that line change will live on in CP infamy)...

- They took some dumb penalties (doesn't matter if some were bad calls - they can't be on the edge if the refs are calling everything)..

- we had 7 PPs to kill, including a partial 5-3

- Guys like Hamilton, Backlund (until the third), Johnny had poor games...

Despite all of that, Calgary had a great chance at forcing OT late in the third.

Calgary has a pretty good shot at beating Anahiem.

Is Anaheim better? Yeah probably... but some folks here act like the Flames don't even belong on the same sheet of ice...Elliott is going to steal one for us in the Honda center - dude is dialed in right now

Take away that amateur line change and calgary wins that game imo

[Flash Walken]

Yup, that is what I see from Gaudreau: a lack of effort

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

At this point I have huge concerns about Gaudreau.

2 years ago I thought he was going to be a datsyuk type player

You expected him to be the same "type" of player as a guy who is completely unique and whose like we're probably never going to see again? There's no "Datsyuk type player".

Johnny is fine. He's not going to win the Selke, he's going to be an incredibly skilled, creative, high hockey-iq player who puts up a lot of points and makes his teammates better in the other team's end. In that category, he's already elite. He's also one of the most fun guys to watch in the league. If you want more, I say you're just greedy.

[Par]

Originally Posted by Joborule

The biggest difference between the Flames and the Ducks is how complete of a 200 game they play. You see how difficult it was for the Flames to clear the zone, or set up in the attack zone? The Ducks never give up on the puck and are tenacious on keeping possession. They play with high determination which is why the Flames keep being their bitch.

Until the Flames play with the same level and improve on getting the puck out of their zone better, as well keeping the puck in the attack zone, they're not going to yield success against this team. It's a complete team game. Everyone has to be committed to creating turnovers just as much as they are at maintaining possession.

Gaudreau is going to continue to have a impact in this league, his defensive game is going to have to make big steps forward. In the regular season, he can be fairly productive since you're playing a different team each night, but in the playoffs that game is much more tighter and physical. He's gonna have to work twice as hard to create opportunities for himself. If he's not gonna have players set him up, he's gonna have to do it via creating turnovers.

I am really worried about Johnny, I was watching the Leafs and Marner was all over the place(Marner does not play scared, we really don't know what's wrong with Johnny, so we can't really say much.) I think going forward we will need to do something about Johnny.

Why is Brouwer even playing, just give one of the kids his spot and see what happens.

[Drak]

I went to bed drunk and woke up sad.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

That line change still burns my ass this morning.

I hope Elliott gave the bottom pairing an earful for that. Not only did they make an idiotic judgement to come off, they impeded the fresh guys coming on to backcheck too. And Moose had made the first save, so if Gio had been there half a second earlier I think he could've helped clear the puck out of danger.

Remember when Glen was explaining the whole business about not talking to the team until the morning after, under the basis of "if I'm still cheesed off about it in the morning, then it's actually worth being angry over"? I think he gives the bottom pairing an earful for it too. Good lord that was stupid, and both those players have been in this league long enough to know better.

Couldn't of said it any better, that was one of the worst mistakes I've seen this team make in my 14 years as a fan. I can live with a bad line change, those happen, but how they gave such little effort to get back to the bench. I can excuse a lot of things but that was unacceptable.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Drak

I went to bed drunk and woke up sad.

Me too. Misery loves company, thank you for sharing that.

[Crumpy-Gunt]

Gaudreau is the hockey equivalent of a point guard. He is a pass first player. Its what makes him great and what also limits him.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

You expected him to be the same "type" of player as a guy who is completely unique and whose like we're probably never going to see again? There's no "Datsyuk type player".

Johnny is fine. He's not going to win the Selke, he's going to be an incredibly skilled, creative, high hockey-iq player who puts up a lot of points and makes his teammates better in the other team's end. In that category, he's already elite. He's also one of the most fun guys to watch in the league. If you want more, I say you're just greedy.

Classic corsi, losing the forest for the trees, persuant of an argument instead or reading the descriptor of what means to be a datsyuk type player.

Great work

[SeeGeeWhy]

Didn't know this team was so emotionally unstable. Time for the guys to relax a bit and step up for Elliott who looks prepared to win this series for us. Would hate to squander that! Please JG, find a way!

[Toonage]

This team may never have a greater motivation or urgency to win in Anaheim as they will on Saturday. I'm not going to call it a must win game, but I expect the very best that this team can offer.

[Rick M.]

I'm most concerned with Backlund; he hasn't been himself for a number of games. Undisclosed injury? Getzlaff and Kesler are the top faceoff men in the league so there's not much to be done in that area, but Backs seems to lack his usual drive in all facets of the game. As Backs goes, so goes his line.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

I'm most concerned with Backlund; he hasn't been himself for a number of games. Undisclosed injury? Getzlaff and Kesler are the top faceoff men in the league so there's not much to be done in that area, but Backs seems to lack his usual drive in all facets of the game. As Backs goes, so goes his line.

Getzlaf is just a superior player and took backlund to the woodshed last night

[UKflames]

Whilst it is only one play, there was one moment that says it all to me about the way Brouwer is playing. If you watch the highlights of first goal (about 1.36 in on NHL.com highlights) the puck is thrown to the net but is blocked, all of the other flames are instantly tracking the puck and looking to keep going, not Brouwer. His stick goes loose in his hand, his shoulders drop and he is more worried about getting his helmet straight. When Brodie holds the puck at the blue line he is suddenly thinking "oh s**t I better get back in the play". No effort on the play at all in my opinion.

[Red Slinger]

Despite the loss I'm actually encouraged by the game. I honestly didn't know if they would be able to hang with the Ducks particularly on the road. The first 5 minutes of the game didn't help. But after that the team settled in and 5 on 5 the play seemed fairly even or in long stretches even to favour the Flames.

The Flames looked like a team that was nervous and inexperienced and they still managed to carry the play for long stretches.

Some of the teams best players (Johnny, Dougie, Backlund) didn't play well and Getzlaf had a great game and the Flames still managed to carry the play for long stretches.

The Ducks were getting more calls going their way and the Flames still were in it right until the end.

If they get over the game 1 butterflies and find their focus I think they'll win this series.

[Roof-Daddy]

Haven't read the thread, I imagine it's pretty negative and I don't blame anybody for being negative right now. I'm still pissed off and I am sick and tired of this team right now. That line change might have broke me as a fan, I dunno.

Haven't won in Anaheim in 11 years and 27 games.
Playing a team that just won their 5th straight division title.
Playing the team that knocked us out 2 years ago.
It's game 1 of the PLAYOFFS!

..an these idiots are floating off the ice on a line change like it's a random Sunday night beer league game. That is seriously ####ed up.

Then follow it up with back to back brain dead penalties. They gave that game away and they are in no position to be giving games away.

[direwolf]

Originally Posted by Toonage

This team may never have a greater motivation or urgency to win in Anaheim as they will on Saturday. I'm not going to call it a must win game, but I expect the very best that this team can offer.

I'd say it's definitely a must win. If they go back to Calgary down 2-0, I really don't see them coming back and winning the series. It's absolutely crucial that they get this Honda Center monkey off their backs. A win on Saturday would be huge for this team's psyche and could potentially swing the series in the Flames' favor.

[Biff]

I wonder if some people are missing the bulk of the second period where the Ducks barely got a sniff and the Flames were winning all the puck battles, had outstanding 5-man defensive positioning, clean breakouts, and good entries and opportunities in the O-zone. Take away brainfarts and composure problems (penalties) and that's the game the Flames can play against this Ducks team. The Ducks do play a better game down low, are very effective on the PP (so stop giving them opportunities, hmmm?) and are clearly dominant in the face-off circle. They also have the experience to do tons of little but effective playoff things.

I'm with those who simply didn't see a "same-old same-old" Ducks are just so much better than us game. I think we can take them.