Should Johnson or Elliott Start Game 4?

[Iceman90]

Can I vote for Mason McDonald?

[Vinny01]

Voted Johnson as I think he deserves a shot being a local guy and a player that saved our season early. I get the Gillies love but I feel that unless he stands on his head it would be an ugly loss

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Elliott got you here, he deserves a chance to redeem himself.

And as much as you all want to perform mental gymnastics trying to rationalize Johnson or Gillies, Brian Elliott is the best goaltender this franchise has. Any coach doesn't want to perform career suicide will always go with his biggest guns when the season is on the line.

I have a feeling the Flames will come out flying and Elliott will be great, but I ultimately think the Flames lose the series 4-1. I would obviously be over the moon if they tie it up and force seven.

6 losses in a row, isn't that enough time to get back on track?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by pepper24

Elliott has lost 6 straight games now, 5 against the Ducks.

Johnson starts game 4.


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Yeah, this is pretty damning.

Hard not to go with a different goalie, but Johnson has been terrible in 2017 himself and Gillies has 1 NHL game ever.

Tough call. Pick your poison type deal it seems.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

6 losses in a row, isn't that enough time to get back on track?

Not always. I wonder if the coaches will wait to get a look at both Johnson and Elliott tomorrow before making a decision.

[KingMoo]

people are just picking Gillies because he's the unknown and we need a miracle that we know Johnson can't provide. That said, choose.... Gillies!!

[Itse]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

I'm shocked by the early returns of the poll numbers with Gillies doubling both Elliott and Johnson.

Either people are trying to be cheeky or have zero desire to even try and win the next game.

Because if you want the Flames to win, and there's no reason to not want them to win and at least try to pull off the miracle, starting Gillies makes zero sense in my eyes. He has one game experience and a mean nothing game to boot. You want to throw him into a playoff game where if he loses, the season is over? I don't get it.

Between Elliott, Johnson and unknown, the unknown is the right now the most likely option to win the series.

If Gillies has a good game, it's much easier to think that Gillies is going to be our Matt Murray and solve our goaltending problems, which could still turn the series. Yes it's a bit of magical thinking, but at this point I think the team could use some magical thinking.

Experienced players can also fold under pressure much worse than young players. When you look at the Toronto-Washington series, it's the Caps that are looking nervous and Leafs that are playing loose. The Leafs have nothing to prove yet, the Caps have everything to prove.

But most importantly for me, Gillies is the one who would most benefit from the experience. So no, I wasn't being cheeky.

Yes it would be a risky move, but we've essentially already lost the series so what the heck. Go for the hail mary instead of guys that can maybe win us a couple of games.

[dino7c]

pretty sad both their goalies have badly outplayed Elliott

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

I'm shocked by the early returns of the poll numbers with Gillies doubling both Elliott and Johnson.

Either people are trying to be cheeky or have zero desire to even try and win the next game.

Because if you want the Flames to win, and there's no reason to not want them to win and at least try to pull off the miracle, starting Gillies makes zero sense in my eyes. He has one game experience and a mean nothing game to boot. You want to throw him into a playoff game where if he loses, the season is over? I don't get it.

Frustration + impatience + overrating of prospects = Idiotic proposal

If it were up to fans, every prospect would be starting in the NHL at 18 years of age. But hey, maybe all those other NHL teams (you know, the ones that are actually good at developing goalies) are idiots for giving their goalie prospects 75 to 150 games in the AHL before throwing them into important NHL games.

Originally Posted by Itse

Yes it would be a risky move, but we've essentially already lost the series so what the heck. Go for the hail mary instead of guys that can maybe win us a couple of games.

Putting the short-term interests of the team ahead of the long-term interests of prospects is a desperate strategy of badly-run franchises.

[Racki]

Here's why I go with Johnson if he's healthy despite the fact that he's had a couple of tough starts himself recently.

a) He's shown the ability to get very hot for short periods of time and seem almost unbeatable.

b) His game is based on size and positioning. He's not scrambly like Elliott. It's his fundamentals not his athleticism that allows him to make saves.

The back breaker at the end of the second last night is exactly the type of save that Johnson would make more often than Elliott just on account of being a big, sound, butterfly type of goalie.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Itse

Between Elliott, Johnson and unknown, the unknown is the right now the most likely option to win the series.

If Gillies has a good game, it's much easier to think that Gillies is going to be our Matt Murray and solve our goaltending problems, which could still turn the series. Yes it's a bit of magical thinking, but at this point I think the team could use some magical thinking...

Yes it would be a risky move, but we've essentially already lost the series so what the heck. Go for the hail mary instead of guys that can maybe win us a couple of games.

I completely disagree. Gillies has ONE GAME of NHL experience under his belt, and while he played well it was in a fairly meaningless game. There is a chasm of difference between where he is at today and where Matt Murray was when he started the playoffs last year. Murray was a dominant AHL goalie for two straight years, and won 9 games in 11 starts down the stretch before the playoffs started.

I have much more faith in Elliott recovering his form than I do in Gillies performing an utterly unheard of miracle.

[kukkudo]

Looking at the poll it seems to me people think the series is pretty much over which it looks like it maybe. That is why going with Gillies is the lets see what he can do type of thing. I am onboard with either Johnson or Gillies.

[Azhouse]

Why would it hamper the kid's development to play game 4?

Throw him in and see what you got.

As this series has progressed every time the Ducks throw a puck on net I cringe. I can only imagine what the players on the ice feel.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Azhouse

Why would it hamper the kid's development to play game 4?

Throw him in and see what you got.

As this series has progressed every time the Ducks throw a puck on net I cringe. I can only imagine what the players on the ice feel.

I imagine the players on the ice would feel better in front of the goalie who had exceptional stretches the past two months and who was terrific in Game 1 than they would in front of a rookie who looked good in a single meaningless game.

[Two Fivenagame]

Gillies.

It would be the perfect scenario:

Gillies comes in, has a shaky start, settles down at home, gains some confidence and wins.

Goes on the road with nothing to lose - Flames can't win in Anaheim anyway - and wins!

Ducks just can't solve Gillies and the Flames win the series!



And Gillies becomes Anaheim's....


GILLIES HEEL!!

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I imagine the players on the ice would feel better in front of the goalie who had exceptional stretches the past two months and who was terrific in Game 1 than they would in front of a rookie who looked good in a single meaningless game.

I think this team has watched Elliott choke at other points in the season and lack confidence in him. I agree Gillies is not the answer but I would have him over Elliott if it came down to the 2. I just think Johnson is the answer for Wednesday

I understand the Gillies love though. Perhaps he could be our Cam Ward who came in for the Cames when they were down 2-0 and took them to the Cup

[TheOnlyBilko]

Slightly off topic question...

Curious about Brian Elliotts "nickname", Moose? Why does he have this nickname and how did he get it? I'm jus curious cause I never knew he had that nickname till he came to the Flames. Also isn't that Mark Messier's nickname? Jus my opinion, but having/using the nickname of one of the greatest players of all time, is pretty lame. I'll probably get a lot of hate about that opinion but I couldn't imagine another player calligraphy themselves "The great one" or "Mr Hockey" etc etc

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by TheOnlyBilko

Slightly off topic question...

Curious about Brian Elliotts "nickname", Moose? Why does he have this nickname and how did he get it? I'm jus curious cause I never knew he had that nickname till he came to the Flames. Also isn't that Mark Messier's nickname? Jus my opinion, but having/using the nickname of one of the greatest players of all time, is pretty lame. I'll probably get a lot of hate about that opinion but I couldn't imagine another player calligraphy themselves "The great one" or "Mr Hockey" etc etc

This post is terrible...

Originally Posted by Brian Elliott

"'Moose' is actually from a family friend who passed away my freshman year of college. He was a world champion moose caller. Ever since he passed away I put a moose on the back of my helmet. He’s been back there ever since having my back. Guys eventually started calling me 'Moose.'"

[Scrambler]

I'd bring in The Chad. Sure he struggled recently when Elliott was kicking ass, but think for a second it was the other way around earlier in the season when Johnson was saving the day. Maybe we can witness the same effect again now.

Change things up and see what happens. It worked for Anaheim putting in Bernier.

I hope they put a full effort into winning tomorrow. Even if coming back all the way to 7 games is not realistic sure would be nice to get one more crack at that bloody Honda Centre this year.

[Vulcan]

Gillies and I'm not expecting any miracles from him. Let him get a taste of the NHL playoffs and we'll see what happens.