[PGT] Flames HabNoted 4-3 OT loss

[Travis Munroe]

It was an even game.
Rittich faced way more shots but quality shots were close to 50/50.
Each team had a handful of grade A chances and the goalies made equal unreal saves.
Rittich let in what would be considered softies but I struggle to fault him.
The first goal shows no room at all and Rittich has it covered. It's not like a Elliot goal against where he left room. The 2nd goal was the weaker one IMO as he didnt look set and was far to deep.

I am not sure who Rinaldo can take out although I really like his game. Frolik is playing great as a 4th liner. Bennett has a real jump to his game. If it is a matter of bringing Rinaldo in more so than worried about who you take out, perhaps you sit Dube or Mangiapane, more as a learning and watching from above experience while Bennett moves up the lineup?

Ward has been 9/10 as a head coach IMO. I love how much fun he seems to be bringing around the team. From the practices to no helmets in warm up to pre game speeches, he seems like a coach you want to play for. My only gripe would not be getting on the officials a bit more when needed but very few of the great coaches in this league do so perhaps doing so does more harm than good.

I challenge anyone watching Gaudreau to forget who he is and watch as an unbiased fan. Within his first 5 shifts, you can tell if he is feeling it or not. If he is carrying the puck and going after pucks, he has a great game. If the puck isn't on his stick, he isn't effective. This is why playing with Lucic and Ryan not only affords him the right to hold onto the puck as long as he wants or try his low percentage plays but it also frees up Monahan and Lindholm to be more creative with the puck on their own line.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Joborule

I'm really sick of Backlund being slotted as a top 6 player. How long does he have to show he can't produce whatsoever until he finally is placed into the bottom 6 where he should've been all this time?

Also, Mangi shouldn't be on the top line. He gets chances, but is not finishing them. He's a player who should still get chances in the bottom six in the meantime. He's growing still.

I would bump Dube and Bennett up to the top 6 lines. Either give Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett a look for a few games since it's been done in the past with success, or try Dube with them instead.

The team has had good first of late, but can't sustain that energy throughout the 2nd and 3rd. Switching up the lines to squeeze out even more juice from the top 6 by having more offensive capable players could be the solution.

Last night game though they should've won if it wasn't for weak goals against. The game really turned after Rittich let in the first bad one.

Both players aren't skilled enough to be on a contender top 6. Backlund has zero hands whatsoever now in tight. His near breakaway chance shot looked at least 3 feet wide.

It's a pretty bad contract in my opinion. I'll definitely think even less of treliving if backlund isn't moved before next season.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I like this group but a shake up is needed.

Flames locker room is like a country club. I think these guys are generally happy with life. Make a good living, have a hot wife/gf. Who really cares if they miss the playoffs or go out early?

There is no winning culture.

Pretty sure this describes every single NHL player in the league. I really don't understand your point... Do the Blues players all have ####ty lives and ugly wives?

[flamesfever]

I thought Rittich was solid for most of the game, except for the odd goal which he should have had e.g. shot from the corner. I thought the main problem was our defense let him down, and allowed far too many shots.

IMO Backlund is a good 3rd line centre, and shouldn't be on the top two lines. I hate to see Johnny playing with Lucic. Mangiapane worked very hard and showed streaks of brilliance. I thought Dube should have been played more.

I was disappointed with our effort in overtime. Allowing them to control the puck most of the time, holding back in an obvious two on one, and being unable to get it together as they have shown in the past, IMO showed a lack of confidence.

However, all in all it was a fun game for both the Flames and Hab fans. Shot wise the Habs deserved the win. At least we came away with a point, which stopped a three game pointless streak.

[CaptainYooh]

I came home late from the Dome last night and didn't wanna post. Anyone saying it was an "even game" is daydreaming. It was nothing but an even game. We sat in Section 106 (defensive side), and did not see any action for most of Period 2. When you watch the game on TV, cameras keep up with players and the absence of offense action is not as noticeable. It was pathetic. Defensive effort was pathetic Offensive effort was pathetic. And, to finish it all off, Rittich was awful last night. No excuses for being an "off-night" for him. He was really bad and should have been pulled after the first goal. To add an insult to injury, Montreal didn't even look good as a team, which explains an "even game" and an overtime. And the awful "ole, ole, ole" chants from all over the Dome. F..k, that hurts. Very unhappy!

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by VilleN

Pretty sure this describes every single NHL player in the league. I really don't understand your point... Do the Blues players all have ####ty lives and ugly wives?

They all got divorced from their hot wives in January to focus on hockey

[keeper34]

Honey moon's over

[AC]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Does anyone have video of the Lucic hook? Can't find it anywhere.

https://gfycat.com/acrobaticunripeemperorshrimp

https://gfycat.com/illustriousfarawaybluetickcoonhound

Completely baffling. Someone should lose their reffing assignments over a missed called like that.

[Travis Munroe]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

I came home late from the Dome last night and didn't wanna post. Anyone saying it was an "even game" is daydreaming. It was nothing but an even game. We sat in Section 106 (defensive side), and did not see any action for most of Period 2. When you watch the game on TV, cameras keep up with players and the absence of offense action is not as noticeable. It was pathetic. Defensive effort was pathetic Offensive effort was pathetic. And, to finish it all off, Rittich was awful last night. No excuses for being an "off-night" for him. He was really bad and should have been pulled after the first goal. To add an insult to injury, Montreal didn't even look good as a team, which explains an "even game" and an overtime. And the awful "ole, ole, ole" chants from all over the Dome. F..k, that hurts. Very unhappy!

Oddly enough, I had 2 friends at the game who were texting me that it was all Montreal all game. One of them rewatched it from home and had a different take.

I thought Calgary was without question the better team in the first. I looked at the shot clock in surprise only to realize how many shots from 30+ ft out Montreal had taken from the perimeter.

The Habs completely dominated the second, in part to 2 penalties.

The third was sloppy with teams exchanging equal good opportunities. Tkachuk in tight, Backlund in tight, Brodie getting robbed, Gio almost catching a lucky break at the end vs the double breakaway by the Habs and a handful of other plays.

OT was all Habs in terms of puck control but again, the opportunity to score was pretty equal.

Saying Rittich was awful simply isn't correct. Did he let in a couple that he saves 99% of the time, yes. Did he stop 4-5 that had they gone in, we would have put no blame what so ever on him, yes. It isnt fair to judge a goalies performance in a game because of a loss. If the flames win, people are talking about his Rittich bailed the team out despite a couple weak goals.

You would have pulled him after the first goal? Has any coach ever pulled their goalie after a single goal against ever?

I get the frustrations... I was frustrated from home let alone listening to ole chants in person but we took away a point. Our top players were far from being top players. Our goalie let in a couple soft ones but still performed well and we were up against Price who is one of the worlds best goalies, if not the best when on his game.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Joborule

I'm really sick of Backlund being slotted as a top 6 player. How long does he have to show he can't produce whatsoever until he finally is placed into the bottom 6 where he should've been all this time?

Couldn't agree more. Backlund has been pathetic offensively this year. The guy misses the net on more glorious opportunities than anyone I can remember for a while. The team needs to rely on him for some offense but he's not getting it done.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by AC

https://gfycat.com/acrobaticunripeemperorshrimp

https://gfycat.com/illustriousfarawaybluetickcoonhound

Completely baffling. Someone should lose their reffing assignments over a missed called like that.

Holy ****

This should be Exhibit A for why the officials in this league need to be held accountable.

[AC]

Speaking of different standards for teams / conspiracy theories.

Adrian Aucoin was on Spittin Chiclets this week and told a story of when Chris Osgood went to the Isles from Detroit he remarked after a few weeks "What is going on? Not one of these penalties we're getting would be called against us in Detroit."

[CsInMyBlood]

Backlund has 6 points in his last 10 games.

5 points at even strength which puts him ahead of Lindholm, Tkachuk and Mangiapaine.

Gaudreau has 6. Monahan leads with 8.

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Originally Posted by AC

https://gfycat.com/acrobaticunripeemperorshrimp

https://gfycat.com/illustriousfarawaybluetickcoonhound

Completely baffling. Someone should lose their reffing assignments over a missed called like that.

Hey Looch

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by AC

Speaking of different standards for teams / conspiracy theories.

Adrian Aucoin was on Spittin Chiclets this week and told a story of when Chris Osgood went to the Isles from Detroit he remarked after a few weeks "What is going on? Not one of these penalties we're getting would be called against us in Detroit."

After Selanne retired, he also made a comment about how ridiculous the officiating was in favor of Detroit(especially IN Detroit). Not sure of the exact wording.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Couldn't agree more. Backlund has been pathetic offensively this year. The guy misses the net on more glorious opportunities than anyone I can remember for a while. The team needs to rely on him for some offense but he's not getting it done.

He must be doing something right to get all those chances. When they review the game tape they should show everybody what Backlund does, then cut it off right before he gets his scoring chance and just tell all the forwards to do what he does. Then maybe someone with a hot hand(I'll even take lukewarm at this point) can finish on those chances.

[The Familia]

This team is doing nothing different than it has for the past 30 years. The Flames are the epitome of mediocrity. Never good enough to be elite, never bad enough to be terrible. Win 7 in a row? Proceed to lose the next 5. Wash, rinse, repeat.

This is the main cause of my apathy towards this team. I no longer go through the high and lows that I used to when I was younger. I've come to realize that this team will never fully jump into the elite category nor will they fall to the bottom of the barrel. 7 wins in a row does not excite me because I know they will probably lose 6 of the next 8 and end up right where they had started. On the flip side, going through a 3-6 game slump is not the end of the world as they will probably end up going on a hot streak.

The reality is this team remains a playoff bubble team. Every year they barely make it or barely miss it. When they do make it they exit almost immediately. Two second round appearances since 1989 is downright pathetic for any franchise. It's quite sad when you actually think about it.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by The Familia

This team is doing nothing different than it has for the past 30 years. ....

You can't be serious. Are you suggesting that the level of our players' intensity and work ethics now is the same as it was in 1989 or in 2004?

[8sPOT]

I just don't understand that missed call on Lucic, really starting to ruin the game for me. It would be different if nothing got called, against either team, but the Habs were the ones with all the stick work throughout the game.

I just dont get it. Something has to be going on here, no?

[genetic_phreek]

https://imgur.com/CMjvai7

https://imgur.com/cYa9XVK

Glove on stick and corkscrewing. Even Stevie Wonder could see that.

These refs are despicable.

Don't know why the images aren't showing. Someone feel free to fix.