[PGT] Flames lose 10th consecutive season-opener (5-3 Avs win)

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Zadorov will never forget that game.

Let's hope so!

[Reggie Dunlop]

I've been skeptical about Oliver Kylington in the past, so it's reassuring to see him have a strong outing. I wonder if being paired with the steadier fellow countryman Rasmus Andersson compliments his strengths. That could be a third pairing with a lot of upside.

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

Every arena in the league might as well be the Honda center on opening night for the Flames. 3 wins in 30 years on the season opener.

Positives
Rittich is a legit starting goaltender
Bennett was a beast
Gio is ageless
Bottom pair D looked good
Top line had chances

Negatives
Frolik
Frolik
Frolik
Czarnik
Jankowski

Get Bennett to line two, Czarnik on the bench and Reider into the game.

3 for 30? Is that serious?

[dino7c]

Its too bad Matty wasn't paid more and they were forced to trade Frolik

[ComixZone]

Season Opener thoughts:

- Rittich was top notch. That boy wants to be a legit #1. Great start to the season.
- Giordano is going to win his 2nd straight Norris
- Hanifin looks like he’ll be taking a step this year. Notably more aggressive, won battles, moved the puck. Loved him tonight.
- Bennett did everything he could to earn more ice time. Great game. Bennett has 6 points in his last 6 games.
- Monahan/Lindholm/Gaudreau looked awful in the 1st. Johnny got going a bit as the game progressed, Monahan and Johnny each putting up 2 points against the Avs was good to see.
- Kylington looked very good. Mistakes will happen, but he’s learning how to get out of them/fix them. The penalty against him was a complete joke.
- Mangiapane wants more ice time.
- Czarnik looked replaceable, but the boy paid the price tonight.
- Ryan looked okay, more mid-season Ryan, less end of season Ryan.
- Backlund looked bad. I’d say “injured”, but he was awful against the Avs last year as well. He has to be better.
- Tkachuk was rusty and played his best when his line got mixed up
- Frolik was a disaster. Horrid.
- Jankowski was a disaster. Horrid.
- Hamonic was decent, quiet night for him I suppose.
- Brodie had a decent evening of work.
- Lucic did what needed to be done, and it helped spark the team. He put team first. 17 minutes of penalties, and he made a few good passes. He gave us more tonight than Neal did all season.

The way the later parts of the game played out gave plenty of reason for optimism. There was fight.

edit* - forgot PHAT Raz. That post would have been a game changer had it gone in. Loved the hesitation on it. He’ll only get better.

[minnow]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

I'm surprised about how okay I was with Lucic.

Me too. He really looked determined. Like he wants to make this work. Excellent.

[Manhattanboy]

Watching Rangers highlights. Man I love Sam Rosen.

[TheScorpion]

Lucic (17 PIMs) is already just 11 minutes shy of Neal's total from all of last season.

[sempuki]

Frolik looked terrible after he got clocked. Should have stayed out of the game for both his health and the team. Janko picking up from where he left off in SJ game -- floating.

Kylington and Hanafin looked great.

[djsFlames]

If Treliving could just mind trick his way into someone trading us a decent 2C or 2RW, we'd be looking pretty good.

Also I'd like to see Brodie used less in important situations. The brainfart to goal against ratio is just too high, even if he's a good player when he isn't making those.

[dino7c]

Avs are one of the deepest forward groups in the NHL...5 on 5 the Flames hung in there with them no problem. I think the Flames will be fine

Have to upgrade the top six this season at some point though

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by sempuki

Frolik looked terrible after he got clocked. Should have stayed out of the game for both his health and the team. Janko picking up from where he left off in SJ game -- floating.

Kylington and Hanafin looked great.

to be fair he looked terrible before that

[minnow]

Originally Posted by direwolf

Meh, whatever. Flames never win the first game of the season, so I'm not too broken up about this.

I really liked the response from the team after the 1st period and all the penalty trouble. I thought the guys skated hard and generated plenty of chances over the remaining 2 periods and could have easily won this game.

Rittich was in top form tonight. He's gonna be great for us this year.

Looch had a solid game as well. He seems to have more speed than Neal and actually plays a smart game for the most part. And that face punch was glorious.

The PP was good.

That's pretty much what I thought too. I'm feeling good about this team, maybe a bit premature, being the first game of the year, but I feel good about them.

[OldSam]

I liked that they fought back. Lots of good in that game. Lots of bad too. Hopefully on Saturday they will lay a beating on the Canucks.

[AC]

To repeat what a few others have said, Lucic literally provided more to this team in one game than Neal did all year last season IMO.

Neal coasted all season, barely putting an effort in at any point. He went out of his way to avoid contact despite having a physical/dirty reputation.

Meanwhile Lucic manhandled multiple Avalanche players, and immediately stood up for a teammate after a cheapshot. That's honestly not something we've seen much from this team for years. Lomberg last year going after Dumba comes to mind. Even Brouwer jumped somebody (Dustin Brown?) to stand up for Gio.

I loved seeing that from Lucic, not to mention his strong boardwork and actual hockey sense.

[ricosuave]

Originally Posted by AC

To repeat what a few others have said, Lucic literally provided more to this team in one game than Neal did all year last season IMO.

Neal coasted all season, barely putting an effort in at any point. He went out of his way to avoid contact despite having a physical/dirty reputation.

Meanwhile Lucic manhandled multiple Avalanche players, and immediately stood up for a teammate after a cheapshot. That's honestly not something we've seen much from this team for years. Lomberg last year going after Dumba comes to mind. Even Brouwer jumped somebody (Dustin Brown?) to stand up for Gio.

I loved seeing that from Lucic, not to mention his strong boardwork and actual hockey sense.

And he wasnt near as slow as I had been led to believe.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Frolik would clear waivers...Flames need to upgrade the 2nd line

Flames got better as the game went on, almost tied it up, evened up the shots despite the terrible reffing

Even Frolik’s agent will understand if he loses his spot on the second line.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by AC

To repeat what a few others have said, Lucic literally provided more to this team in one game than Neal did all year last season IMO.

Neal coasted all season, barely putting an effort in at any point. He went out of his way to avoid contact despite having a physical/dirty reputation.

Meanwhile Lucic manhandled multiple Avalanche players, and immediately stood up for a teammate after a cheapshot. That's honestly not something we've seen much from this team for years. Lomberg last year going after Dumba comes to mind. Even Brouwer jumped somebody (Dustin Brown?) to stand up for Gio.

I loved seeing that from Lucic, not to mention his strong boardwork and actual hockey sense.

And don't forget Hamonic stepping up.

But yeah, not much of it. And yes, what Lucic did is exactly what this teams needs.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by ST20

Everyone needs to relax with the Frolik hate. It's one game. The 3M line is great together and they will be better. The flames need him playing well if they are ever going to trade him.

1 season, 1 playoffs 1 game.

[Dion]

Loooooooooch!