[PGT] Flames 3 - Oielrs 4 (SO)

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by direwolf

Was just listening to Elliotte Friedman from his appearance on the Fan this morning, and he thinks the problem with the Flames isn't so much a lack of offence, but a lack of meanness and killer instinct. As he put it, they don't have that "F U attitude" that a lot of other teams have, and as a result they seem unable to stomp on the other team's throat when they have them down like last night in Edmonton, and the LA game.

I agree somewhat with the killer instinct part, but I thought it was odd that he didn't mention anything about their dreadful PP, which is arguably the biggest issue with the Flames right now, and is actually costing them wins. Maybe a lack of killer instinct is directly affecting the PP, and that's partly why it's so atrocious? Who knows.

The beautiful thing about saying general things like they lack killer instinct is you can pretty much attribute anything to it and it will support your non specific claim. Power play no good? Lack of killer instinct. Penalty kill? Killer instinct. Soft defensive play? Killer instinct. Lose several shootouts? Killer instinct problem. Blue line giveaways? Just change your instinct, stupid!

Doesn't mean he's wrong. It's a pretty hard to qualify thing. This team has appeared to have this "instinct" at times this season and at other times, it appears they don't.

Really, having killer instinct just means "win hockey games".

If this team has a mentality problem, it's really going to be up to the players to overcome that. I'm optimistic that it will happen.

[dino7c]

they lack finish...they heavily out chance the other team most nights

be it on the power play or other wise

Mony missed an open net on the PP last night, this convo would be much different if not for that

[GranteedEV]

The issue with this team is personel and coaching:

1st line lacks a dynamic playmaker to allow Gaudreau to roam away from the puck
2nd line has to carry Troy Brouwer against top competition
3rd line tries to turn everything into a board battle when they should be attacking the middle with speed
4th line keeps forcing Lazar, who has the worst hands in the league
1st pair is generally great defensively when Hamilton isn't taking penalties but are grossly restricted by a conservative system that asks them to let forwards go 3 on 5 while they hang back and get pucks deep
2nd pair does zilch to keep the play in the offensive zone or neutral zone and doesn't even participate offensively, and so the forwards play 3 on 5. Also has one of the most effective right side defensemen in the NHL playing... the left.
3rd pair is has Mike Stone, who regularily gets targetted. Forwards also play 3 on 5.

PK regularily employs Troy Brouwer, one of the empirically worst penalty killing forwards in the NHL. See also: Matt Stajan. See also: Brouwer and Stajan together.

PP puts a 5'7" player on the half-wall and tells him to do magic against layers of bigger strong faster players. But not only is he on the half-wall... he is on the wrong side of the ice as a LHS playing on the left. His only option ends up being resetting to the point or floating his muffin of a wrister through traffic hoping for a fluke goal.

Further, PP takes its most dangerous/effective PP defenseman, a rangy RHS, and marginalizes him with limited minutes on the second unit. Further, he has zero chemistry with the best player on PP2, opting to shoot into traffic when Bennett is winding up for a one-timer on the right.

Further, the center on the first PP lacks any ability to come out of races / battles / clearing attempts with control of the puck, essentially turning the PP into a 4v4 with the advantage to the team that can ice the puck.

Don't tell me this team lacks killer instinct. Maybe the coach lacks it (or the intelligence to utilize it) but I have seen the players on this team work magic when unshackled.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

3rd line tries to turn everything into a board battle when they should be attacking the middle with speed

Is it just me or does Hathaway seem to often end up as the outlet winger for that line in the d-zone? That certainly can't be helping, because then Hathaway has to dump it in and the other two have to scrap for it, or the goalie just plays it clean.

Also it seems like all 3 are on the boards too when the puck battling starts. There's no one in an open space to tip the puck laterally to, there is literally "up the boards" or "down the boards". That's gotta be fixed.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Is it just me or does Hathaway seem to often end up as the outlet winger for that line in the d-zone? That certainly can't be helping, because then Hathaway has to dump it in and the other two have to scrap for it, or the goalie just plays it clean.

Also it seems like all 3 are on the boards too when the puck battling starts. There's no one in an open space to tip the puck laterally to, there is literally "up the boards" or "down the boards". That's gotta be fixed.

Hathaway's on-ice shooting percentage spike is over. He's a 4th liner playing top 9. Jagr may never have had the little hot run Hathaway went on, but was more effective on that line as a whole. Ideally Jagr and Frolik both return, with Hathaway moved to RW on line 4 ahead of Lazar and Brouwer - but it is a hopeless thought. This staff just insists on predetermined solutions instead of reacting to what is real. Mangiapane-Hrivik-Hathaway should be line 4. Maybe Versteeg if he isn't as awful as he was pre-injury.

[djsFlames]

How about swapping Cameron and Gelinas if they're afraid to hurt the other staff's feelings. I'm sure he's learned a fair bit watching from above.

[-TC-]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I've been critical of the 960 guys at times but I am pretty happy we have a local station that's willing to rip the team when it's deserved. Fantastic show this morning by Boomer and Co.

Boom started in at 5:30 and didn’t relent until he gave up the mic at 9.

I’ve never heard that before...well deserved in my opinion. And Friedman was bang on, zero killer instinct with this group.

I loved Lomberg grinning at Kassian and Chucky being Chucky, the rest were passionless...until Rittich at the end.

[FiveSeven]

Bennett also has 2 points in his last 12 games. 0 in his last 6.
It's actually crazy how streaky he is. You can actually see the amazing Bennett, then slowly watch it fade away into bad Bennett.
If he could find any consistency, I think so would the team.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

How about swapping Cameron and Gelinas if they're afraid to hurt the other staff's feelings. I'm sure he's learned a fair bit watching from above.

I've been saying this for several months now, I don't understand why won't they at least give this a try if they don't want to fire Cameron. The best choice is to fire Cameron of course.