[PGT] Devils 4 - Flames 3 - OTL

[D as in David]

Will be interesting (scary?) to find out whether Tanev and Stone are on the road trip. If not, this team will really have to do a 180 to come home with some points.

[CFO]

End of the day. The PP needs to produce. Can't consistently win without a PP.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Players/Coaches/Media say whatever suits their narrative in interviews.

Winning during a busy stretch of games? "It's great to get a good stretch of games so we can get in the rhythm."

Losing during a busy stretch of games? "We have had too much travel and no chance to practice which hasn't helped us get in the rhythm."

Home teams win more than away teams.
Tired teams, second night of back to backs, and especially third game in four games lose more than rested teams.

All the data I've ever seen backs up that playing at home and being rested is superior to playing tired and on the road.

I'll go with the data over what may be rationalizations.

If a team were to start the season 10 games behind everyone else and just sat home and practiced for a month, no travel, hang out with the family, just a little daily skate with the boys, then they started playing games against teams that had played all month, how do you feel that would go?

Now imagine that team's core was replaced in the off season and the critical pieces are all new.

If you have any experience playing or coaching, you'd know habits are instilled during game play and reinforced during practice. You cannot fully form an in game habit from practice, scrimmage or even exhibition.

The home game part of the narrative may be a red herring, but the deficit in games compared to the rest of the league is not. Team needs to play some games.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by CFO

End of the day. The PP needs to produce. Can't consistently win without a PP.

Well, they only had one shot at a PP IIRC.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Well, they only had one shot at a PP IIRC.

But what are they, 0 for their last 11 or something? It's a problem.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

But what are they, 0 for their last 11 or something? It's a problem.

PP's slump and they also get hot. For every team.

The whole club is in a funk right now for the most part.

It's a long season and things will get better both on the PP and overall.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by D as in David

Will be interesting (scary?) to find out whether Tanev and Stone are on the road trip. If not, this team will really have to do a 180 to come home with some points.

I imagine they'll be flying out to New York very soon given the time difference and almost 6 hour flight to get there. Arrive around 7-8ish eastern, check in, have a nice team dinner and then sleep. So we'll likely hear from the media who stayed behind.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Huberdeau may have not had a great game (I didn’t think he was horrible) but Francis decided to be Francis and use a nice thing he did to insult him:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1589111369269641216

Hmm... Turns out the woman hit is actually pro golfer, Kim Valleau.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1589126789410226176

[D as in David]

The PK has been strong, for the most part. There's that, at least.

[flamesfever]

I went to my first game and was really disappointed in how the team was playing. There was no flow, and a lot of firing the puck up the boards and hope for the best. There was only the odd time where they seemed to have any semblance of control in the Devil's zone. This was the first time in many years that there was not a single Flame on the ice that I could get excited about, although perhaps Markstrom and Kadri came close.

[Nandric]

I watched a team last night that looked to be playing at 50% of their abilities relative to what we saw in the first 6 games of the season.

But, I think there is a lot of over-reaction to the play of late when you consider their play declined at the same time there has been a huge spike of respiratory/Covid/Flu cases and illnesses within the province. If any of those guys playing are experiencing even a percentage of the lingering brain fog/fatigue that my wife has the last week.... There is no way they would be able to play top level hockey physically let alone thinking hockey at game speed.

It'll be interesting watching them play over the next 10-20 games and see if players start looking more like their selves.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Major Major

If a team were to start the season 10 games behind everyone else and just sat home and practiced for a month, no travel, hang out with the family, just a little daily skate with the boys, then they started playing games against teams that had played all month, how do you feel that would go?

Now imagine that team's core was replaced in the off season and the critical pieces are all new.

If you have any experience playing or coaching, you'd know habits are instilled during game play and reinforced during practice. You cannot fully form an in game habit from practice, scrimmage or even exhibition.

The home game part of the narrative may be a red herring, but the deficit in games compared to the rest of the league is not. Team needs to play some games.

Ironically the Flames were doing better when they were getting more time off in October. They have struggled recently when playing every second night.

The difference between the Flames and majority of the rest of the league is 2 games. Not really comparable to your example.

They haven't had 3 games in 4 nights yet. That's the difference.

So if you are telling me that the Flames are at a disadvantage because they haven't had the chance play a game, and then sit on a plane and arrive at a new city at 2 am, then play the next night and then fly to another city and have a half day off and then play versus having 1 game and two practices, not sure I buy it.

I'm not a pro player but seems like a game and two practices in a steady routine is better than flying all over the continent playing three games in four nights.

If the Flames had been scheduled 2 sets of 3 games in 4 nights in October and had a similar record as they do now, what do you think would be the fan reaction?

If you are being honest with yourself I think you would say that fans would be complaining about the opposite scheduling as well.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Until the team learns how to defend things won't change. It's crazy how a Darryl Sutter coached team is so awful defensively. Sutter himself seems out of sorts this season.

[sa226]

The top lines' instant chemistry covered a lot of the growing pains last year. Add in a Markstrom that was excellent off the bat as well.

Even with the current struggles, I would say their current record is more indicative of where they should be.

Too many roster changes to just have a seamless transition.

They'll figure it out.

[dammage79]

Stone to IR, Gilbert and De Simone called up.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Ironically the Flames were doing better when they were getting more time off in October. They have struggled recently when playing every second night.

The difference between the Flames and majority of the rest of the league is 2 games. Not really comparable to your example.

They haven't had 3 games in 4 nights yet. That's the difference.

So if you are telling me that the Flames are at a disadvantage because they haven't had the chance play a game, and then sit on a plane and arrive at a new city at 2 am, then play the next night and then fly to another city and have a half day off and then play versus having 1 game and two practices, not sure I buy it.

I'm not a pro player but seems like a game and two practices in a steady routine is better than flying all over the continent playing three games in four nights.

If the Flames had been scheduled 2 sets of 3 games in 4 nights in October and had a similar record as they do now, what do you think would be the fan reaction?

If you are being honest with yourself I think you would say that fans would be complaining about the opposite scheduling as well.

You can say the schedule is a factor on either extreme. If you look at both extremes though, you have the flames and Blues on the low end with 10 or fewer games played. They are both under performing to expectation. Blues have struggled mightily and are routinely playing teams with 30-50% more game action as the team with great GP.

If you look at the top extreme, it is a mixed bag, but between WSH, LV, LA, SEA, SJ, they have a combined win pct of .554.
On paper, 2 good teams, 2 bottom teams and 1 middle of the road. Probably marginally outperforming expectation.

I've always thought less games at the beginning of the year compared to a more packed schedule when fatigue and injuries are more of a factor is not desirable. Weird that it even needs to be stated... Feels like common sense.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by activeStick

I imagine they'll be flying out to New York very soon given the time difference and almost 6 hour flight to get there. Arrive around 7-8ish eastern, check in, have a nice team dinner GO OUT AN TIE ONE ON THAT WOULD MAKE RHETT PROUD and then sleep. So we'll likely hear from the media who stayed behind.

A good old #### facing is what the boys need. I predict a much better performance on the road. No wives or girlfriends nattering at them. No kids. No hangers on/friends. No household chores. No shovelling. No appearance. No getting snow tires on. Focus on the boys and the games. No distractions.

They will be better.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

But 9 of the team's 41 home games have already been played. This team had better find some serious mojo on the road or this could be a long season.

Last year they were 25-9-7 at home, and 25-12-4 on the road.

This year, they are 1-0-0 on the road. I get your point, but I am not worried about that.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Players/Coaches/Media say whatever suits their narrative in interviews.

Winning during a busy stretch of games? "It's great to get a good stretch of games so we can get in the rhythm."

Losing during a busy stretch of games? "We have had too much travel and no chance to practice which hasn't helped us get in the rhythm."

Home teams win more than away teams.
Tired teams, second night of back to backs, and especially third game in four games lose more than rested teams.

All the data I've ever seen backs up that playing at home and being rested is superior to playing tired and on the road.

I'll go with the data over what may be rationalizations.

If only people were capable of a little nuance. Maybe not all situations are exactly the same.

Also, the Oilers are 4-5-1 at home, and 3-0-0 on the road. If not for the reprieve they got from a road trip, Oilernation would be in complete meltdown right now.

Oilers are -1 in penalty diff at home. They are in a four way tie for 19th for most favourable home penalty differential.

Don't let facts get in the way of a good story though.

Clearly the NHL is out to get the Flames by giving them 9 out of their first ten games at home.

Nice strawman to start the conversation, BTW... You obviously looked up the stats, so why not post what the Flames' differential is? In the last 7 games, the Flames are -11 (20 PPs to 31 for the opposition). Overall for the season, they are -8. Considering that the league explicitly seeks parity, and keeping penalties roughly even, being -8 after 10 games is pretty surprising.

[Enoch Root]

Some positives:

• the PK has been great, all season
• Markstrom has been very good for the last 2 games

that's all I've got

I expect the road trip to be just what the doctor ordered