[PGT] Leafs 2 Flames 1

[AC]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Positives for me:

- 3/4 points against the best team in the division
- BDR had a great game
- Overall the team looked strong

My question is has this team scored an empty net goal under Wardo? They haven't yet this year, and I can't think of one last year. Passive play when down a goal is hurting this team.

By my count the Flames had 10 ENGs after Ward took over in 30 wins, including 4 in the series against Winnipeg. They had 3 last season while still with Peters in 11 wins.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

It has been four coaches now.

Is that not telling that the quality has not been as good as the quantity? The reason the team has gone through a lot of coaches is because the GM keeps hiring bad coaches. Fact: the last 6 head coaches this organization has hired have not been hired again to be a head coach in the NHL. Hell even two of the last Oilers head coaches in Eakins and McLellan have got gigs after the Oilers. Not only that I think only Hartley (with the Habs I think?) is the only one that's even interviewed for another HC job. Don't you think that's a little telling that the head coaches the organization is hiring aren't up to snuff? I don't think there's a better coach in Geoff Ward as this is what you get with him. It's not his fault he's in over his head as any of us would take the job if it was offered to us.

[JohnnyB]

20 games in the Flames have had a lot of good goaltending performances. Markstrom and BSD might be the best tandem the Flames have had in well over a decade. It's a bit wasted on this team right now.

Even so, they exceeded my expectations against the Leafs. I thought they were likely to get dummied in at least one of these games. Glad they didn't.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Oh, come on.

Most of everything I read in the PGTs whether they win or lose are complaints about the head coach. A handful of posters have resorted to making things up about him as a means to justify their anger.

It gets tiresome reading the same things over and over and over and over again, especially when this group of players HAVE NOT EARNED THE BENEFIT OF DOUBT AT ALL THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF CHANGING what has become a perpetual history of mental fragility.

Block capitals are a nice way to mix thing up and make the same thing seem different then, I suppose.

There is no coach on the team that has earned the benefit of showing he can put a game plan in place to generate sustained offensive pressure either.

It is fun sometimes to watch hockey coaching videos between Flames games to see examples of effective strategies.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

5 out of 8 points against Ottawa is a C- at best

if they want to get back in the race, they need 7 out of 8

I'm not cheering for 5/8 points.
5/8 points is me being realistic. Have you seen anything out of this team in the last ~10 games that tells you we're going to win 3/4 and take the loss to ot??
I haven't. I legit think 5/8 is the best we can hope for. Ottawa isn't going to roll over, and as others have noted, we tend to play down to our opponents.

[Jeff Lebowski]

If it wasn't for Rittich, how many SHG would CGY have given up these past 2 games?

[Burning Beard]

I still can't believe this team hasn't learned to clear the front of the net with around a minute left or any other methods to kill the remaining time. Especially after the Dallas series

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by mile

Just watched Ward's post-game presser. He said he was happy with the 3rd period...

That makes one of us

[BagoPucks]

I have been hard on the flames imo. However, since the Edmonton games, I see the team doing good things. Hustle, back checking, hitting and skating. Results havent been great but I think the players (especially Gaudreau) has been putting in the work on the ice.

I had this thought today, is it possible the coach is teaching these players to grow through the adversity? I dont if this is me trying to put a positive spin on what appears that the coach is not working to get positive results and instead is teaching these players how to work through challenges of playing and succeeding in this league. Am I being crazy?

[Jeff Lebowski]

PP can't enter and set up but when they do it's a 2 on 1 for the opponent or some other incredible chance. How does this improve?

[DeluxeMoustache]

I have to admit, I’m starting to wonder about the psychology of
‘It’s not the coach, it’s the players’.

Because some people stick to it, coach after coach.

Is it resigning yourself to some inevitability, or creating the illusion that perhaps there is hope for change, simply because a decision on coaching typically happens on a once in a few years basis (barring extraordinary circumstances)

I’m suspecting it’s some kind of defense mechanism

[AustinL_NHL]

Originally Posted by AC

Last week the team looked bad in net, bad defensively, and bad offensively.

2 games in a row with fantastic goaltending, elite penalty killing against the best PP, and overall strong team defense (most of the chances against were probably while the Flames were on the PP). Those are all big steps forward, they just need to get the offense going.

I still don't love the style of attack the Flames seem to deploy, but it also felt like poor passing was the biggest issue tonight.

How they play in these 5 out of 6 against Ottawa will be huge. The Sens are playing better, but they're still a disaster.

Yes, the Flames got incredible goaltending and were fantastic on the PP, but the Flames did not have overall strong team defense. They got absolutely caved in and were saved by back-to-back Godly performances by Rittich.

The Leafs this season, at 5v5, generate the following numbers:

CF/60: 51.65
FF/60: 39.85
SF/60: 28.05
SCF/60: 28.42
HDCF/60: 11.32
xGF/60: 2.36

Against the Flames these last 2 games, they generated:

CF/60: 69.86 (+18.21)
FF/60: 57.74 (+17.89)
SF/60: 37.78 (+9.73)
SCF/60: 31.37 (+2.95)
HDCF/60: 14.26 (+2.94)
xGF/60: 2.70 (+0.34)

The Leafs had an absolute fiiiiield day against the Flames.

The Flames' defensive effort was absolutely non-existent.

Rittich deserves 10000% of the praise for getting the Flames 3 points. But it's also a shame that his incredible (biggest understatement of the year) performances masked the Flames brutal defensive effort (and of course that goes without mentioning their horrible offensive effort as well).

[djsFlames]

Their defensive work has been strong in these two games, a 180 from the previous three.

But the sloth-like transition speed and one and done plays in the offensive zone due to lack of hustle or physicality is glaring still.

Starts defensively but you cannot win games playing such east-west hockey in the neutral zone. Why isn't there emphasis on moving the puck north.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by BagoPucks

I have been hard on the flames imo. However, since the Edmonton games, I see the team doing good things. Hustle, back checking, hitting and skating. Results havent been great but I think the players (especially Gaudreau) has been putting in the work on the ice.

Yes those are very good improvements. No question and should be lauded.

[transplant99]

lol

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Oh, come on.

Most of everything I read in the PGTs whether they win or lose are complaints about the head coach. A handful of posters have resorted to making things up about him as a means to justify their anger.

Funny, most of everything I read in the PGTs whether they win or lose are complaints about the professional athletes' ability to complete 5 foot passes as if these professional athletes cannot complete five foot passes.

It gets tiresome reading the same things over and over and over and over again, especially when this group of players HAVE NOT EARNED THE BENEFIT OF DOUBT AT ALL THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF CHANGING what has become a perpetual history of mental fragility.

know what gets even more tiresome?

Coaching apologists pretending that player confidence a sign of "mental fragility" from players who, despite some awful coaches who will never again see a lick of NHL head time (barring a Bowness-esque 30 years later story) have clawed back in multiple seasons to make the playoffs in years where they're playing an unwatchable style (and will probably do it again this year).

Guess what, it's not just the core players who fall off the map. It's the role players too. The guys we cycle in and out every year. Look at Tampa's 4th line on an annual basis. It's never the same players, but it is always better results than our fourth lines.

[Winsor_Pilates]

How were Tkachuk and Monahan?

I didn't see the game tonight and was wanting to know if either would have 2 strong games in a row?

Great to see Rittich get some confidence and play so well.
Good job by Ward to use him these last 2 games, give him an opportunity to build confidence.

[bubbsy]

Good on Rittich, he's basically, single handedly gotten them 3 of the last 4 possible points.

Flames are such a blah team. That's basically the absolute best they can look against a top team. Basically, no chance unless the goalie steals the game.

Woot woot, let's chase down mediocrity.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Funny, most of everything I read in the PGTs whether they win or lose are complaints about the professional athletes' ability to complete 5 foot passes as if these professional athletes cannot complete five foot passes.



know what gets even more tiresome?

Coaching apologists pretending that player confidence a sign of "mental fragility" from players who, despite some awful coaches who will never again see a lick of NHL head time (barring a Bowness-esque 30 years later story) have clawed back in multiple seasons to make the playoffs in years where they're playing an unwatchable style (and will probably do it again this year).

Guess what, it's not just the core players who fall off the map. It's the role players too. The guys we cycle in and out every year. Look at Tampa's 4th line on an annual basis. It's never the same players, but it is always better results than our fourth lines.

Sam has been around for several seasons.

[AustinL_NHL]

Originally Posted by AustinL_NHL

Yes, the Flames got incredible goaltending and were fantastic on the PP, but the Flames did not have overall strong team defense. They got absolutely caved in and were saved by back-to-back Godly performances by Rittich.

The Leafs this season, at 5v5, generate the following numbers:

CF/60: 51.65
FF/60: 39.85
SF/60: 28.05
SCF/60: 28.42
HDCF/60: 11.32
xGF/60: 2.36

Against the Flames these last 2 games, they generated:

CF/60: 69.86 (+18.21)
FF/60: 57.74 (+17.89)
SF/60: 37.78 (+9.73)
SCF/60: 31.37 (+2.95)
HDCF/60: 14.26 (+2.94)
xGF/60: 2.70 (+0.34)

The Leafs had an absolute fiiiiield day against the Flames.

The Flames' defensive effort was absolutely non-existent.

Rittich deserves 10000% of the praise for getting the Flames 3 points. But it's also a shame that his incredible (biggest understatement of the year) performances masked the Flames brutal defensive effort (and of course that goes without mentioning their horrible offensive effort as well).

On the contrary, on the season, the Leafs have allowed the following 5v5:

CA/60: 53.04
FA/60: 40.21
SA/60: 28.66
SCA/60: 26.73
HDCA/60: 10.41
xGA/60: 2.22

Yet, in the 2 games, the Flames were only able to generate:

CF/60: 47.05 (-5.99)
FF/60: 35.64 (-4.57)
SF/60: 27.09 (-1.57)
SCF/60: 22.81 (-3.92)
HDCF/60: 6.42 (-3.99)
xGF/60: 1.44 (-0.78)

Not only did the Leafs generate a s*** ton more offensively against the Flames than they do on average, but the Flames also generated a s*** ton less than the Leafs allow on average.

Expectations must be soooooooooo incredibly low for the fans who think the Flames played well in this 2 game series against the Leafs.

The Flames played like total s*** against a team missing numerous key players and their top 2 goalies. Rittich singlehandedly won them 3 points.

That is all.