It's a small thing to fixate on but really feel like Bennett would've been the best choice as fourth shooter. The guy has wicked dangles and it could've built his confidence a bit too. Also he's rolling right now. It just fits so perfectly in my head.
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Tkachuk: could see a fine, 0-3 games. Roll a dice.
Janko: by seasons end he could be the second most important centre, or even first.
Backlund/GG: sometimes, when one of your vets/important players wants the game on his stick you have to give it to him. (Reference: 2015 playoffs OT delayed penalty when Backs demanded the ice and scores the winner)
All good to criticize tonight, but remember, Backs likes the game one his stick and has come through.
The Flames played fantastic tonight. There is absolutely no doubt about that. However, one great game doesn't suddenly make them play "great hockey". A bad team can play great and win a single game, a great team can play a bad game and lose. What separates them is consistency. A great team will play great more often than not. Can you HONESTLY say that the Flames played great more often than not under Gulutzan?
I cannot, but, if they're going to become consistent under Gulutzan, it will start with a single game. We can hope that this was that game.
So if tkatchuk gets a suspension, and jagr still can't go, f. Hamilton in? Curious what the lines look like. Likely Brouwer or Lazar moving up to take his spot.
Andersen just has the Flames number. Not much you can do about it when the goaltender is having his best night. I will say that the Flames didn't exactly make good use of a lot of very good chances as Gaudreau in particular had some point blank scoring chances that he wasted on ill advised passes. Lots of pucks fired right into his pads along the ice as it was clear that he was going to take anything away at ice level. Still much better effort especially by the defense. Games like this show they can play a solid defensive game and it's something where this has to be the norm and not aberration.
So if tkatchuk gets a suspension, and jagr still can't go, f. Hamilton in? Curious what the lines look like. Likely Brouwer or Lazar moving up to take his spot.
Guessing Brouwer would slot in on the second line. If I recall this occurred when Matthew was suspended last time.
F Hamilton would replace Brouwer on the 4th Line.
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Very good game. Stajan has actually looked pretty good with Brouwer.
I don't think that is fair. I think that they should get rid of GG and said in this thread that if the Flames played every game like that they would end up with over a 100 points and easily be in the playoffs.
The reason I think they should get rid of GG is that he lacks any emotion. When I look at the coaches that traditionally get more out of their teams, they all have the ability to crank up the emotion level on the bench at the appropriate times (Sutter, Quenville, Laviolette, Babcock to name a few). Even Sullivan has it to a lesser degree. I can't really think of a coach who is as emotionless as GG who has driven his team to greatness in the recent NHL.
I don't think that is fair. I think that they should get rid of GG and said in this thread that if the Flames played every game like that they would end up with over a 100 points and easily be in the playoffs.
I agree that a person can be happy with how the team plays and want them to be successful and still want the coach gone. Its not all black and white. You don't have to have your feet planted firmly on one side.
- Flames played an excellent game but I am not sure if that was a byproduct of the Leafs looking flat or the Flames playing well. I think it falls in the middle somewhere.
- The ice was terrible. Like Saddledome bad.
- All 6 d-man played well. Perhaps Kulak's best game as a Flame.
- Gaudreau has stopped shooting the puck as much and is no longer putting up points at the same clip. He needs to get that selfishness back again.
- Bennett and Jankowski with another solid game. Bennett was lucky to not be called on some of his over zealous stick work but he had some quality scoring chances.
I really liked Hathaway with Jankowski and Bennett. I think that if need be, Jagr can play 4th line and really help those guys down there with the cycle game. Bennett's cycle game was not that good until Jagr was on his line. Jagr makes everyone better.
It's a small thing to fixate on but really feel like Bennett would've been the best choice as fourth shooter. The guy has wicked dangles and it could've built his confidence a bit too. Also he's rolling right now. It just fits so perfectly in my head.
I think they should give Jankowski a shot at some point. He has a pretty wicked shot, and the reach and hands to make a good deke. At least two of his goals have used his wingspan to reach right around the goalie with the the puck on his stick.
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That might have been Stajan's best game of the year. The whole team played well, but when that top line doesn't score, the team struggles to put up points.
