[PGT] Down and Out in Las Vegas: Flames lose 3-2 to Golden Knights

[Huntingwhale]

Really hope the Flames don't play Vegas in round 1, even with home ice. That team seems to have had our number since day 1, and frankly it sucks. I prefer literally any other team in the league in a series rather then Vegas.

[Poe969]

It's too bad but you can't win them all. Get back out there and start winning again.

[OminousFlames]

The loss stings a bit less with the Oilers losing as well. Close game.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

They were, but the Flames also weren't skating, and were fumbling the puck all over. In the third they sharpened up and stopped doing that, and suddenly they had sustained zone time in Vegas' end.

That's no fluke.

You saw Vegas sit back. I saw the Flames take it to them.

The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. But I think you're definitely skewing a little on the side of Vegas due to history.

Flames play differently this year than years past. However, they didn't play they way they have 22 or 23 of their games this year in those opening 40 minutes.

Rick Ball thought they looks fatigued/out of it. I agree with his assessment.

Regardless, bad game for the Flames and a narrow 3-2 outcome in Vegas, a crossbar from OT? If all things are actually equal, looks like the Flames have taken a step in Vegas' direction at least. They were routinely blown out in that building before.

Vegas flu?

It's clear to see why they lost that game. Vegas sorted out how to stifle their d-zone exits and their o-zone entries by being overly aggressive. The Flames didn't seem to have the legs to chip and chase the way they normally do, so they turned the puck over a lot and generated no offense. They also had quite a few breakdowns in defensive coverage that indicate mental fatigue. A few days rest would do them wonders.

That being said, you aren't always going to be on top of your game, so I'll give them a pass on this rough road trip. However, they need to start becoming a pain to play against at home. They play SJ on Tuesday, then home for a couple games before a quick back to back on the road. After that, they'll be home for over 2 weeks on a 5-game homestand over the holidays. I hope they get some much needed rest and find their energy again over that stretch.

[edslunch]

Three so-so games in a row but two wins and a close loss. Hopefully this isn’t a case of ‘a losing starts before the team actually loses games’.

[kyuss275]

I’m hoping they go back to the old forward lines. Not quite sure why they changed them 2 games ago? The pension line was rolling . Now 4th line looks horrid and lucic shouldn’t be anywhere near the 2nd line .

[BigRed]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Still unimpressed with Ruzicka.

Yup. Not much of a motor. What does it say about a call up when you can’t even give them an A for effort?


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[Toonage]

So, yeah.

T-Mobile Arena, its a thing.

[Royle9]

Lehner is the most unathletic goalie I've seen since Medvedev.
The guy just drops to the butterfly and hopes pucks hit him, no up and down or side to side movement its such a strange style.

Thankfully he's big so he fills most of the net.. and it obviously works for him but I cant help but notice it every time he's playing.

Tough loss, though the Flames definitely looked slower and not as puck hungry as normal. That Saturday night off didnt help.

[Always Earned Never Given]

Vegas should rename themselves as the Golden cherry pickers.

Its amazing, not only in the game yesterday, but how many times their F1 flies the zone when there is still a puck battle in their own end.

[BigRed]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Tonight is basically the first time Vegas has had their whole roster healthy. Pietrangelo also had a rough start along with Lehner too.

I expect Vegas' stats to be pretty similar to Calgary's stats for the final three quarters of the season, based on their stats in the past couple of seasons.

And all that is ignoring Jack Eichel.

Sure. But Vegas is going to have to drop $9+ mln in salary to activate Eichel in order to be cap compliant. Wonder how they do that?


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[GioforPM]

I think Zadorov may be in next game for Stone, who just wasn’t very good. Unless Sutter figures it was all rust. I think Sutter played a hunch on Stone v. Stone.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think Zadorov may be in next game for Stone, who just wasn’t very good. Unless Sutter figures it was all rust. I think Sutter played a hunch on Stone v. Stone.

It's pretty clear he threw a bone to Stone because it was a game vs his brother but as you say he wasn't very good. At this point I don't think you put Stone in the lineup unless it's dictated by injury.

[talladega.25]

Good litmus test for this Flames group. We need some more depth to compete with the big guns of the conference. The Wild, Avs, and Blues will also show where this group is at. We need more forward depth to match-up against these teams come playoff time.

I have a feeling Eichel won't be activated until after the trade deadline or even playoff time, so his cap won't count. Very similar to the Kucherov situation last year.

[Heavy Jack]

I think too is we are going to start to see teams ‘get up’ when they play us with the identity and image we are presenting to the rest of the league. They know they have to come to play if they are going to stand a chance against a D Sutter team.

[Tsawwassen]

Post game links
http://sportsstats.cbc.ca/hockey/nhl...cap139950.html
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/games/2367001/
https://scores.nbcsports.com/nhl/rec...s=3&final=true

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It's pretty clear he threw a bone to Stone because it was a game vs his brother but as you say he wasn't very good. At this point I don't think you put Stone in the lineup unless it's dictated by injury.

Even then, anything long-term will likely see Valimaki or Mackey get the call.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

https://twitter.com/user/status/1467734216670519300

Interesting timing. Clearly saw first-hand who the best Swedish goalie in the world is.

Directly from Lehner himself re: Olympics:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1467751315224731653

https://twitter.com/user/status/1467751316323647491

So yeah, it sounds like the protocols and/or bubble had something to do with it.

[heep223]

Vegas was putting pucks over and through the Flames forecheck all night. Masterful scouting and prep mostly neutralizing the Flames pressure system.

To me this was mostly the difference.

[Monahammer]

Another 3 in 4 and people in here bashing our top pairing d man for having conditioning problems.

Some of you have no grasp at all on reality, it is frightening.

Flames stayed in it. I agree that the game can be chalked to preparation by the other team and a couple of gaffes by our squad that they capitalized on. What I saw is that we would still probably crush these guys in a series.