[PGT] Weird night in Ottawa. Flames lose 5-4 in SO

[rubecube]

Flames basically need to win their next two in a row or we can likely kiss the playoffs good buy. Teams who are 4 points or more out of a playoff spot on November 1st have only made the playoffs something like 3/35 times since the 04-05 lockout.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

Bollig.... momentum was lost once he took that penalty.
Colborne...played a good game but seeing him miss 2 open nets in 2 games is tough. Just tough luck.
Hiller... I did not think he played bad or good. The first goal was a complete snipe, the 4th goal was a seeing eye shot in a clustered crease. The Ryan goal is saved by most goalies but Hiller has always been slow post to post. The Turris goal should have been saved - the puck was 3 feet in front of you on the ice with no option but to shoot it.

Teams that make the playoffs get that 1 or 2 saves each game that keep them alive. We have not seen this from any goalie all year. The ones that should go in go in, the easy stops are stopped and anything in-between is a coin flip.

We scored two goals in a minute after that Bollig penalty happened.

edit: nope, my memory was wrong.

Yeah ... maybe?

[Mass_nerder]

Bennett really started to come out of his shell tonight. He's finally getting the confidence to try some high skill moves.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Jbo

Im not much of a stats guy, but how big of an uphill climb do we face going 2-7-1 in our first 10?

5 points in the first 10.

IMO this year we'll need around 93 to make the playoffs. 92 might tie for a playoff spot but I don't see us winning many tiebreakers.

So need 88 points in the final 72 games.

A record something like 40-24-8 probably gets you there. That'd be a 42-31-9 season.

[buyakasha]

FLames played well today I thought. Deserved the two points imo.

And as much as I like Russell and Wideman I just don't think they're as efficient and effective when they're playing together as when they're playing with other linemates. Especially defensively.

Bennett looked great tonight, couple of great rushes and two points to top it off.

Colborne looked great once again and is showing consistency which is awesome to see.

I still really dislike this on and off again goalie switching. I feel like it messes with their game even more. I know the coaches are trying to figure out who is the number 1 but damn, just pick one!

[Inferno]

I really hope Ortio can put a string of solid starts together because the Flames need it. 4 goals on 18 shots tonight by Hiller is unacceptable. I only saw the last two but both were horrible and deflating.

[buyakasha]

Oh yeah and Brodie. I like it.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

I miss having even average goaltending. Hoping Ortio gets a streak of starts here to see if he can get going. Not because Hiller is injured, because Hiller looked like garbage until Ortio came in. Positives: Brodie looked calm, cool and collected and Gio looked better with him as a partner. Bennett might be breaking out when we need it desperately. Colborne had another good game, great puck possession. Hamilton looked better. Gaudreau is Gaudreau. Negatives: Goaltending. Wideman-Russell was an absolute trainwreck tonight, Russell more than Wideman. Bollig brings almost nothing besides dumb penalties. Time to sit Bollig for a bit and let Granlund have his spot.

Maybe I watched a different game, but I thought Gio was pretty bad tonight. It certainly seems he gets a lot more latitude than guys like Wideman and Russell these days.

[Strange Brew]

It does feel like the team is starting to play better. But starting the season in such a hole, we are going to need a solid streak to get back to relevance. It's not going to happen unless we get some quality goaltending. Now seems we have to count on Ortio for that. Far from a sure thing.

A lot of guys with better games tonight. I thought Giordano had some gaffes and we sure could use him playing like he did last year.

[Huntingwhale]

The boys can hold their head high as this was a gutsy effort all around. Coming back twice when down, shades of last season.

Hiller had some weak goals. Bennett had his best game as a Flames. Was this a preview of what's to come for when he hits his stride? I thought he was the best player on both sides and deserved 1st star.

And Brodie absolutely changes the dynamics on the backend. Shows in his first game of the season why he's already one of the best skaters in the league. So calm and poised every shift.

Disappointed with the shaky Hiller goaltending that probably cost us the game. But the team didn't break when faced with adversity and came clawing back to get a point.

[Machiavelli]

Any decent goalies wanting for an NHL contract?

Emery's the only one I can think of right now, and I'm not really sure if he qualifies as decent. Any others?

Have to do something about goaltending, otherwise just toss this season away.

[budblazer]

i hope russell is traded by the weekend

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Jbo

Im not much of a stats guy, but how big of an uphill climb do we face going 2-7-1 in our first 10? If American thanksgiving is a good indicator of teams that make the playoffs, we would need to be at least .500 in 2-3 weeks right? Is this even realistic?

We have 12 games before American Thanksgiving. If they go 10-2, that will put us at 12-9-1, a 93 point pace.

[Hockeyguy15]

The biggest plus for me tonight was the bounce back and not giving up.

Flames are fragile right now, they could have easily packed it in after those 2 quick goals but they didn't. Yes bad goaltending and sloppy coverage sunk them, but they didn't let it get in their heads and snowball out of control.

[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

Maybe I watched a different game, but I thought Gio was pretty bad tonight. It certainly seems he gets a lot more latitude than guys like Wideman and Russell these days.

How so?

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Jbo

Im not much of a stats guy, but how big of an uphill climb do we face going 2-7-1 in our first 10? If American thanksgiving is a good indicator of teams that make the playoffs, we would need to be at least .500 in 2-3 weeks right? Is this even realistic?

Calgary's saving grace right now is that they're playing in the worst division in the NHL, so top 3 is still within reach by Thanksgiving, but god damn, they need to start winning some games in regulation.

[Flame$4Ever]

Goal tending is your first line of defence...the flames have none of it...Sad to see this team go from 2nd round playoffs to junk...Plus montreal is gonna destroy us next game...

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Flame$4Ever

Goal tending is your first line of defence...the flames have none of it...Sad to see this team go from 2nd round playoffs to junk...Plus montreal is gonna destroy us next game...

Actually... goaltending is the last line....

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

How so?

Shaky in his own zone, I didn't like how he read the play on the Sens 2nd goal, passing was off, he set a pretty high bar last season, but he was fighting it tonight in my opinion.

[N-E-B]

I can't wait for Gillies to be ready. I have a feeling he's the real deal.