[PGT] Flames beat Sharks 3-2.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

that's not saltiness

that's pure depression

understandable. Imagine the Flames hadn't made the obvious top 10 picks in the last few years and instead picked Valeri Nichushkin, Michael Dal Colle and whatever off-the-board pick in 2016. We'd be depressed too. Being a Canucks fan must suck these days lol

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Flames_F.T.W

That was the least noticeable I've seen Gaudreau. He didn't stand out at all. I find that more than a little concerning.

Least noticeable may be improving though, as he has been mostly noticeable by giving up glorious odd man chances against.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Haha I do this all the time but no one gets the reference...

[PugnaciousIntern]

Elliott's obviously the more proven goalie, but it's so nice to have Joneson playing life this too.

[LIP MAN]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Least noticeable may be improving though, as he has been mostly noticeable by giving up glorious odd man chances against.

As a plus, he's drawing penalties even while slumping. Too bad our PP is anemic.

[Erick Estrada]

Mitch Marner scores two goals and it's TSN's opening and closing story. Tkachuck also scores two goals and possibly the highlight of the night with his 2nd and crickets. That's just the reality of being a Canadian sport fan outside of Toronto.

I'm not on board with everything Gulutzan has done but there are things he's doing much better than Hartley in that he's maintained continuity in the bottom six group which has resulted in continued solid play and he's benching players for selfish play. I love Bennett but he simply can't be taking stupid penalties game after game. I expect he will learn because if he doesn't he's not going to play.

[AcGold]

For the first time in a long time they looked like a team. When the Flames were in the D zone there were times when they were skating as a synchronous five man unit where they all moved together and maintained equidistance between each other.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Elliott's obviously the more proven goalie, but it's so nice to have Joneson playing life this too.

[hockey.modern]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Good win.

Ferland is really coming along nicely - whomever said that he is what he is was dead wrong - he is still very much a developing player.

Underrated Engelland stood out this game.

Tkachuk was the hero.

Johnson was solid.

Frolik and Backlund were... hmm... Frolik and Backlund of every single other game. Dependable, efficient and almost dominant. Put anyone with those two, and they excel.

Defence was definitely much better tonight. Nice to be able to win these close games. Awesome to kill a 5 on 3. At least the PK seems decent.

PP - man on man, fix this thing. Launch Cameron into the eye in the sky, and bring down Gelinas. Please. Flames had one of the NHL's top PP units after the first month last year. Gelinas must be smirking being the eye in the sky every time the PP fails to produce.

Gaudreau and Monahan - well, they aren't a total waste. For some reason, they are still drawing the better defenders. That helps the rest of the team score. Other than that, nothing really positive to say. I don't see improvement. I am still going with the assumption that Monahan's back is not ok, but Gaudreau is still playing terribly out there. And no, it is NOT Chiasson's fault. In fact, Chiasson seems like the most capable player on that line more often than not. The great thing is that the Flames are 3rd in the Pacific even though their PP sucks, and their top line is non-existent. Fix those two things, and this team will be so good.

Huge shout-out for the Flames' 4th line. I too want to see Ferland promoted, but man that 4th line is so good exactly how it is.

I am worried that Bennett is working his way into Gulutzan's doghouse. Hopefully not.

I don't think Bennett will be in the doghouse. In the post interview, Gully talked about how much he loved the kid and how he is such a competitor that wants to win every night. He just needs to learn from his mistakes and be taught how to control his discipline. It's all a process.

EDIT: If anything, Wideman is in the Gulutzan doghouse.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Mitch Marner scores two goals and it's TSN's opening and closing story. Tkachuck also scores two goals and possibly the highlight of the night with his 2nd and crickets. That's just the reality of being a Canadian sport fan outside of Toronto.

I'm not on board with everything Gulutzan has done but there are things he's doing much better than Hartley in that he's maintained continuity in the bottom six group which has resulted in continued solid play and he's benching players for selfish play. I love Bennett but he simply can't be taking stupid penalties game after game. I expect he will learn because if he doesn't he's not going to play.

Meh. Whatever. You should have access to the replay on any goal you want now. Just go to NHL.com.

[Robbob]

What really hurts Sam is that the teams have scored on 5 of the last 6 powerplays according to a Haynes tweet.

[FlamesAddiction]

wrong thread

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Gaudreau and Monahan - well, they aren't a total waste. For some reason, they are still drawing the better defenders. That helps the rest of the team score. Other than that, nothing really positive to say. I don't see improvement. I am still going with the assumption that Monahan's back is not ok, but Gaudreau is still playing terribly out there. And no, it is NOT Chiasson's fault. In fact, Chiasson seems like the most capable player on that line more often than not. The great thing is that the Flames are 3rd in the Pacific even though their PP sucks, and their top line is non-existent. Fix those two things, and this team will be so good.

Don't mistake energy for efficiency and capability. The reason why Hudler was so effective was because he wasn't just a north-south player. He used all the ice and was dangerous. He created space for the other two. Once Johnny has space, he's the most dangerous guy in the NHL. This line doesn't need players like Chiasson or Versteeg, they are simply too north-south without the threat of being creative.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

I'm going to beat on the dead horse....great game, but the Monahan line is sooooo terribad right now. Gulutzan has to do something, but the other 3 lines are all playing so well I can kind of understand why Gulutzan doesn't want to sacrifice any of their play. But, like he eventually had to put Brodie and Giordano back together, I think he'll have to split Monahan and Gaudreau - just try something.

[AcGold]

Johnny didn't play that bad. Every game he feeds Monahan 7-8 beauty passes and Sean doesn't do anything at all with it and then Johnny kind of stops passing it to him. Monahan blind passed away the puck and lost it in places he never should have so it drags everyone down, I doubt it's his back.

He's making panicky plays, in the first period he got the puck and as soon as he's challenged he tries to force it to Johnny without even looking. Nearly everytime he was along the boards Sean was making mistakes, Johnny was fine and Chiasson was ok. Can't do anything when the centerman gives it away as soon as he gets it.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Buff

Meh. Whatever. You should have access to the replay on any goal you want now. Just go to NHL.com.

Thanked and agree 100%. I get the annoyance from Jim Hughson talking about the Sedins while doing play by play of two teams, neither of them being the Canucks but never understood this whining / crying about the lack of coverage of the Flames by the media. With all the content online now, everything is accessible when you look.

Sounds like a bitter, 16 year old attention whore going "Look at me! Look at me! Why won't anyone pay attention to me or talk about me!?"

[foshizzle11]

How can we get these guys going?

Maybe a lineup like this...

Gaudreau - Bennett - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Chaisson - Monahan - Brouwer
Bouma - Stajan - Hamilton

Our top line would be the Backlund line, but then we would still have offense from the Bennett and Monahan line.

(if Versteeg is in, then I would put him with in Chaisson's spot and Hamilton would sit, Chaisson, moves down a line).

I don't think this will happen but I think it would be intriguing to see how it would work. I think the energy of Bennett and Ferland would be a great compliment for Johnny. No need to mess with the TBF line. Monahan would have someone on his wing that is capable of putting the puck in the net and is reliable defensively in Brouwer and Chaisson is a big body that can cause havoc in front of the net and on the forecheck.

I really don't know how else to get Monahan and JG going.

[Robbob]

I kind of want to try Tkachuk with Monahan and Gaudreau. I think he is a really smart player that has shown he can play and think the game at that elite level. Enthusiasm may get them rolling.

[AcGold]

It's Chiasson fyi foshizz, I like the concept but I'd put Backlund and Brouwer on the top line. Bennett needs to find his game yet, Backlund seized his like a boss.

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I kind of want to try Tkachuk with Monahan and Gaudreau. I think he is a really smart player that has shown he can play and think the game at that elite level. Enthusiasm may get them rolling.

The issue with that is, if you notice Tkachuck likes to setup from behind the net, so does Johnny. They can't both be there.

Regarding Johnny and his woes, he is really suffering from not having Hartleys system. That stretch pass allowed Johnny to usually be entering the zone on an odd man break.

Also, Monahan is not driving the net hard like he did last year. He's not engaging physically at all and his shot is missing some mustard.

Add those issues together and you're going to have a mis-firing top line.

I believe Monny is injured still or concerned about re-injuring his back is on his mind.

GG's system could perhaps be the first in a very long time that isn't built around Gaudreau and Johnny needs to figure out how to be as dynamic without always being fed the puck. Problem is, he's not going to body players off the puck.