[PGT] Red Wings 3 @ Flames 2

[Erick Estrada]

Yeah the Flames really have to stop falling behind in the first 40 minutes of games. Turning things on in the last 10 minutes of the game isn't a recipe for success over 82 games. Special teams are starting to become the difference maker for this team as they play generally well 5 on 5 but when they are on the PP/PK the momentum shifts to the opposition. The penalty kill is bad and the powerplay has dropped off the face of the earth as teams don't even have to break a sweat to kill them off. Still have half a season to sort out the powerplay but another month like December and we may as well move on to draft talk.

[ForeverFlameFan]

^ A 60 minute effort is needed

50% we have a good 1st period
0% chance we have a good 2nd period.

It happens every game. We can't quit playing catch up. We got the first goal of the game early, and it looked like we didn't do much in the first after that. It didn't look like we wanted to make it 2-0.

[Resolute 14]

I really don't like the phrase "60 minute effort", actually. This team gives effort for the majority of games. But, as I said, we often don't work smart. So something as small as as trying to force a pass up the middle despite having no play rather than chipping out ends up with the flames spending the next 90 seconds having to work hard to recover the puck against Detroit's cycle. Get it back, ice the puck, repeat. It is why things like a 2:36 shift for Brodie happens, which basically eliminates one of our top offensive threats from the blue line for a quarter to a third of the period.

That is still effort, but it is wasted energy.

[Ozy_Flame]

Went to the game. The difference maker last night was the passing. Detroit's were always on point, planned, and playing heads up. Countless time the Flames just aimlessly passed the puck hoping it would land where it should and tried suicide passes. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[Skaloper]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Went to the game. The difference maker last night was the passing. Detroit's were always on point, planned, and playing heads up. Countless time the Flames just aimlessly passed the puck hoping it would land where it should and tried suicide passes. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Mason Raymonds pass to the point when no one was there was the worst.

[davidbjordan]

Originally Posted by Skaloper

Mason Raymonds passes to the point when no one was there were the worst.

FYP

it's the composure, a team like detroit with their ability to move the puck can disjoint a team structure during a game.

[Poe969]

at least it didn't end up in our own net again. I think Resolute nailed it with the whole working smarter not harder issue. Too often they looked like dogs chasing a tire last night, they'd run like crazy and most of the time they didn't know what to do when they caught it. I think Hartley has done a great job at getting the team to buy into the whole "give it 100% all the time" but they have to work on execution of plays more than anything now. Their lack of skill is really starting to show against smarter teams who just make smarter plays.

I think the second half of the season is going to be much like last night, they were able to get a bunch of wins by outworking other teams but now the rest of the league has figured out that they can play smarter and win against the Flames.

[BigFlameDog]

I wonder what the fans Corsi rating was for items thrown vs. how many actually hit the ice?

[bubbsy]

glencross was fine out there, and that goal (no goal) is even close because he's a net front presence.

raymond other than the goal and first PP is just not helping. Gaudreau didn't look comfortable all night, likely missing hudler on that line. liked backlund's game. His speed at C could be an awesome addition to the style that this team is success in playing.

[Drury18]

According to a Czech news article, Jiri and his wife welcomed a baby girl last night.

Congrats to them!

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yeah the Flames really have to stop falling behind in the first 40 minutes of games. Turning things on in the last 10 minutes of the game isn't a recipe for success over 82 games. Special teams are starting to become the difference maker for this team as they play generally well 5 on 5 but when they are on the PP/PK the momentum shifts to the opposition. The penalty kill is bad and the powerplay has dropped off the face of the earth as teams don't even have to break a sweat to kill them off. Still have half a season to sort out the powerplay but another month like December and we may as well move on to draft talk.

the special teams seems to have really fallen off. really need to get that sorted out if any kind of success is desired.

[SuperMatt18]

The PK has been an issue all year.

Haven't really liked them playing the diamond on the PK feel like our forwards are often lost and can turn their back to the play.

[slybomb]

One thing I noticed on almost every dump and chase play was that Detroit is very good at running interference on almost every guy trying to retrieve the puck.
We had almost no chance to retrieve the puck because our guys were slowed down enough for their defence to get the puck and make a play before we could get to them.
This is either very clever by Detroit or brutal officiating. Anyways, Calgary should have adjusted to this and tried to carry the puck in a few more times to keep puck possession. It was frustrating to watch time and time again.

[Resolute 14]

Detroit has always gotten away with copious amounts of that kind of obstruction. The new rules put in place in 2005 never applied to them. It has always been something one had to deal with and fight through.

[Kaine]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Hahaha, I barely post anymore, but that's what I do. Ok.

That's exactly what you do, you wait until a controversial loss happens and take every opertunity to call people Flames homers and point out why everything questionable that happened to us was the right call in a very condescending manner.

This is coming from someone that used to really enjoy your post a year or two back by the way. Sorry just had to get that in since I missed the party last night.

Back to Flames related talk... I hate Detroit. I do however like Backlund.

[Nme-Territory]

I thought Raymond really brought the team down tonight. Yes, he scored, but he really seemed to lack any higher level decision making that would help maintain possession. He's fast but when he's forced to make a quick decision he seems to lag behind the rest of the team.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Kaine

That's exactly what you do, you wait until a controversial loss happens and take every opertunity to call people Flames homers and point out why everything questionable that happened to us was the right call in a very condescending manner.

This is coming from someone that used to really enjoy your post a year or two back by the way. Sorry just had to get that in since I missed the party last night.

Back to Flames related talk... I hate Detroit. I do however like Backlund.

Complete BS. On the rare occasions I do post here, I now do so to come in here after controveriaal losses to talk down to people? I would love some proof to back up that claim.

If you wanna say I used to do that, I certainly wouldn't agree, but I could at least stomach that a bit. But to say I do that now and that's my thing is flat out false.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Glad to see Backlund come back and have such a strong game. I had said before that the PK has been missing Backlund. Really great to see him come in and get a shorty.

[CsInMyBlood]

What a game by Backlund. Easy to forget just how poised he is with the puck, zero panic to his game. Can speed the play up, or slow it down. What a great backhand pass to Raymond in that first shift and another beautiful one to Jones in the third that Jones shot wide. Nice to have him back.

Byron also had a strong game, a couple of good hits, 3 takeaways (one where he totally picked Datsyuks pocket - doesn't happen often to Pavel to be sure) and that nice feed to Backlund on the PK for the shorty.

Raymond continues to be frustrating to watch. Great first shift and then beyond meh. Guy has to learn how to use his teammates more, its like he gets tunnel vision and fires shots with no awareness where his linemates might be. When he did pass last night, it was to no one. When he doesn't have the puck he reminds me of Valeri Bure. Just weak, desperately swinging his stick at the puck or man in futile hope.

Certainly not Giordano or Brodies best game, but to be fair they were forced to play almost 28 mins a piece. To me that is ridiculous when you are on the first game of three in four nights. The ice of the D last night:

Gio 27:59
Brodie: 27:39
Russell: 25:51
Wideman: 24:02
Engelland: 8:05
Diaz: 6:24

So obvious our biggest problem is that third pairing. Hartley does not trust them enough to put them on the ice, which puts the first two pairings playing way too many minutes. I also don't think Smid is the answer, but who knows, he may help here. If we do actually make a push and find ourselves in a playoff spot when all is said and done, how much gas will be left in the tank for those top four D-men? We saw this every year we made the playoffs with an overplayed Miikka Kiprusoff.

Pretty physical, fast game. Could have gone either way.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

So obvious our biggest problem is that third pairing. Hartley does not trust them enough to put them on the ice, which puts the first two pairings playing way too many minutes.

To be fair though, the Flames got down and Gio and Brodie, along with the second pairing played a lot more in an attempt to comeback. Engelland isn't going to score you many goals or transition from defense to offense the way the top 4 can.