[PGT] Flames Win Home Opener 5-3!

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Considering that Huska was saying the team turned over the puck too many times in the defensive zone, I wouldn't even be sure of more shots against. I think that will settle down once they can just play the system instead of thinking about each move.

I think it’s more of a natural byproduct of playing zone defense as opposed to playing man on man. If you’re going to look to defend the house more, then the opposition will likely end up with more open looks, but from the outside. The team’s analytics will definitely take a hit, but who knows, Markstrom might be more effective with that style.

Secondly, I think the turnovers had more to do with the team’s lack of success breaking out than the way they defended. It’s still early though and there’s definitely some chemistry issues that’s for sure.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I think it’s more of a natural byproduct of playing zone defense as opposed to playing man on man. If you’re going to look to defend the house more, then the opposition will likely end up with more open looks, but from the outside. The team’s analytics will definitely take a hit, but who knows, Markstrom might be more effective with that style.

This is definitely true. I seem to recall that when they signed Markstrom, they figured he would flourish in that style, and I think he suffered last year because they got so far away from it.

Still, I'm sure once they're more used to the new system, they won't be turning over the puck as often. The analytics will take a hit, but not to the extent we saw tonight.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Locke

That was a good game.

The Jets arent Chumps, they're likely looking to be a playoff team this year and just committed hard to their core.

And its not like the Flames walloped them or anything, that game was tight right to the end.

That was actually a pretty decent test of both sides. I'll take it.

Personally, I don’t think the Flames played well at all and the coach pretty much echoed the same sentiments. I think the team was very opportunistic and took advantage of shaky early season goaltending while conversely receiving a great goaltending performance by Markstrom in return.

The Flames will have to play waaaay better if they want to match up against the elite teams of the league. The Jets were basically in the same boat as the Flames last season, a bubble playoff team. Honestly I don’t even know what to make them now that they’ve lost PLD and Wheeler.

Regardless though, it’s game one of the season and it’s 2 points in the bank. I think It’ll definitely be interesting to see how this system compares to last season.

[Ashasx]

I think it's hard to draw any conclusions on the first game of the season, so you take the win and run with it. These could be 2 points you need at game 82 when you deserved a win.

And you have to like the individual stat lines.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Considering that Huska was saying the team turned over the puck too many times in the defensive zone, I wouldn't even be sure of more shots against. I think that will settle down once they can just play the system instead of thinking about each move.

I recall at least 2 or 3 times tonight where the puck was in an open area in the defensive zone and two Flames took a quick glance at each other to see who was going after it. They're definitely still not dialed in to the system Huska wants, but that should come in time.

They'll be better defensively, hopefully sooner than later. They are still unsure at times and that won't happen nearly as much once they are comfortable. The giveaways should lessen starting next game, that was a huge issue tonight.

Good signs for me were the PP, the 4th line, and of course Markstrom was great. Good building blocks. I think a road trip will do the team a world of good. Just get away from home and concentrate on hockey. Next time they play at home I'm expecting a much better team game.

[N-E-B]

Flames? Win.
Oilers? Smoked.
Dodgers? Swept.
Night? Perfect.

[AC]

I really liked how Coronato is looking to shoot, especially on the PP. What you sometimes hear referred to as a good kind of "selfish" mindset with the puck.

We've have plenty of frustrating powerplays where everyone is too afraid to take a shot, instead forcing the puck around until a mistake is made or a bad bounce ends the possession. I think he'll get a bunch of PP goals this year, especially with Huby looking for him both backdoor and cross-box with that lethal shot.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Personally, I don’t think the Flames played well at all and the coach pretty much echoed the same sentiments. I think the team was very opportunistic and took advantage of shaky early season goaltending while conversely receiving a great goaltending performance by Markstrom in return.

The Flames will have to play waaaay better if they want to match up against the elite teams of the league. The Jets were basically in the same boat as the Flames last season, a bubble playoff team. Honestly I don’t even know what to make them now that they’ve lost PLD and Wheeler.

Regardless though, it’s game one of the season and it’s 2 points in the bank. I think It’ll definitely be interesting to see how this system compares to last season.

Wooooah....hey...uh...we are not in that League.

You're right, the Flames and Jets were in the same boat...Bubble Teams. I dont think the Flames have done anything to graduate from that area.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by Sutter4Mayor

BOOM!!!

YOU GOT Kronwalled!!!! CLAP CLAP CLAP
YOU GOT KRONWALLED CLAP CLAP CLAP

[Tsawwassen]

Postgame links
https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/winnip...boxscore-40025
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/games/2566470/
https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/401559242


The quote below is from https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl...ight-1.6992782

"Andrew Mangiapane scored twice and had an assist for the Calgary Flames in a 5-3 win over the visiting Winnipeg Jets in the NHL regular-season opener for both clubs.
Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom made 35 saves in the win and stopped all 14 shots he faced from Winnipeg's power play.


Elias Lindholm had a goal and two assists, Rasmus Andersson scored short-handed and MacKenzie Weegar also had a goal for Calgary. Jonathan Huberdeau had a pair of assists. Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets, with starter Connor Hellebuyck turning away 17-of-21 shots in the loss. The Jets outshot Calgary 28-14 after two periods, but trailed 3-2. Scheifele scored with 5:42 left in the third period, but Lindholm notched the game winner at 1:32 when he was fed by Mangiapane behind the net. Mangiapane added the empty-netter.


Winnipeg's Iafallo knotted the score 2-2 at 11:19 when he redirected a Dylan DeMelo shot by Markstrom, but Andersson struck short-handed less than three minutes later.
After skating the puck end to end, Lindholm at the boards fed Andersson for a high shot that sailed over Hellebuyck's right shoulder at 13:49. Calgary led 2-1 at 17:50 of the first period when Weegar from just inside the blue line threaded the puck through traffic to the far side of the net.


After killing off an early Winnipeg power play, consecutive Jets penalties starting at 8:53 of the first period gave Calgary a man advantage for four minutes. Mangiapane scored during Josh Morrissey's delay-of-game minor. A puck off the skate of Jets defenceman Neal Pionk flew out to the Flames winger to wire past Hellebuyck at 12:28. But Connor drew the visitors even at 14:48 with a screened shot from the point that handcuffed Markstrom. Connor became just the fourth player in NHL history to score in six straight season-openers, according to the Jets."

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by Locke

That man has an ass...and he knows how to use it. That was an epic 'Moon Landing.'

That patented Zadorov hit will now be known as a Russian Moon Landing.

Love it.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

YOU GOT Kronwalled!!!! CLAP CLAP CLAP
YOU GOT KRONWALLED CLAP CLAP CLAP

If Z had left his feet, it would have been an Eddie Shack flying bum check.

[CalgaryFan1988]

2 kids with colds at my house so I wouldn't watch the game but happy to wake up to a Flames WIN!

[kehatch]

This was the opposite of last season. We were out shot and out played but we capitalized on their mistakes, won the special teams battle, and had the better goalie.

I wouldn't want to win that way every night. But I guess we were due.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by kehatch

This was the opposite of last season. We were out shot and out played but we capitalized on their mistakes, won the special teams battle, and had the better goalie.

I wouldn't want to win that way every night. But I guess we were due.

Hopefully the curse breaker we need.

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by kehatch

This was the opposite of last season. We were out shot and out played but we capitalized on their mistakes, won the special teams battle, and had the better goalie.

I wouldn't want to win that way every night. But I guess we were due.

Yeah this is what I saw too, total opposite of last year when they couldn't buy a goal. Now they were highly opportunistic. Better to be lucky than good!

[Gemnoble]

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I mentioned this a few times in the game, but you can tell that guys just aren't sure where to be yet in the D-zone, and that hesitation or skating slightly the wrong way is giving openings to the attackers. That will get cleaned up as the season goes on, I know that Huska can get them to play the system he wants defensively. I can see signs of what they want to do offensively, but again, a work in progress. Plays to the middle, creativity to confuse the defense, bodies to the net when possible. It all makes sense and isn't a perimeter style of offense. The powerplay looks a lot better so far, so that's encouraging.

However, there shouldn't be a lot of judgement about this team's level of play until about game 10. It's gonna take some real game action for a lot of these guys to adjust to the new system, and even after game 10, mistakes are still going to happen for a bit. I just hope that Marky continues to be strong to start the year while they figure it out.

The good news is that they now go on the road for almost 2 weeks against a group of teams that aren't locks to be in the playoffs this year. Pittsburgh, Washington, Buffalo, Columbus, Detroit. A couple of extra days in between games to practice these systems. No distractions from home life. It's the perfect recipe for fine tuning their game. Let's hope they take advantage of the favorable schedule to start the year.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I think Huberdeau was trying to hard to make up for last season with every play which led to the turnovers.

Hopefully the two clutch assists calm him down and he can just play now.

Once they learn the defensive system better I don't think shot volume goes down a ton but chances do. It's probably a harder system to grasp at the moment because not all teams make it look simple like we let other teams do to us last year by just skating around the boards. Most teams know you need to get inside to create and score.

The powerplay was a big improvement. Penalty kill looked pretty bad.

[MillerTime GFG]

Let’s hope that’s a game we look back on as one we got two points when we weren’t our best, and that that was not our standard.