[PGT] 2-1 Flames OT win in Buffalo!

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by codynw

This would make it seem like the team won by accident? That was no accident. If not for good goaltending from Hutton, that's a blowout.

Fair enough

[bubbsy]

Flames deserved it. I was getting ultra frustrated but great to see the team not do so.

I thought Rittich looked fantastic also.

GO wild!

[Darth Tkachuk]

They deserved that W. But can we get Ryan off the 2nd unit PP? I also really liked Backlund with Tkachuk and Neal.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Mark Giordano with another point to give him 11 points in 13 games to start the year with a very strong defensive game to give him a tidy +8.

I'm gonna throw this out there.

If Giordano keeps playing like this all year, he should be one of the Norris finalists.

I had Giordano experiencing a large increase in production with Hamiton departing. I have a bet with a friend that Giordano will hit 60 pts this year (if he stays healthy - knock on wood). That's Norris territory for sure, and I argue he is the most underrated defencemen in the NHL as he is excellent all over the ice (as that OT goal attested to).

[Classic_Sniper]

Gio is an absolute animal. Can’t believe people question anything about this guy. A monster defensively, a beast offensively and incredible in the community. An amazing captain.

- Really like Rasmus at the point when 6 on 5. Gets hard, dangerous shots through traffic
- Took the 1st line a bit longer to get their goals tonight, but once again come up clutch
- Rittich kept the team in it, showing more and more that he can be a potential starter one day
- Overall, great job sticking with it and not giving up. A big 2 points that might be incrediblely important later on

*Refs trying ro screw us again? What’s up with the constant disallowed goals?

[Mike F]

Very, very happy with the W. . . .

But. . . .

The EN goal and big OT win covered up for the fact that another inept game for the PP had them coming from behind late when they should have been buttoning down a regulation W. Changes need to be made. Now.

On changes, one things that is often cited as being the difference between very good and elite players is that elite players never stop working on their game. IMHO, Johnny needs to work on his shot. Out front I'll say that I hate the Canucks more than any other team, Oilers included, and hate everyone that dons one of their sweaters. But in watching Pettersson this year what's jumped out to me is that he combines shiftiness and vision with a snapshot that can beat a goalie clean. Kane has a similar repertoire. Johnny needs to add that last ingredient, and it may come from getting away from his 55-flex stick. As it is, he's no threat on the PP to take the puck on the half-wall and hurt the opposition with anything other than a pass.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Travis Munroe

Great game all around.

Still not thrilled with this mickey mouse PP. Tie up the 2 middle guys and we just pass on the outside with no plan.

Also thought Buffalo didn't deserve the penalty for the hit on Dube but the PP was useless anyway.

These 2 wins help put the 3 game stretch of poor hockey behind us!

Bennett hit Bogosian, Bogidiot then put a hard high hook on Bennett who then didn’t retaliate, Boganus then charged down the ice with full strides to hit someone. In the arena it was a blatant charge.

Also, Sabres fans apparently didn’t know charging was a penalty in hockey. There was a bunch of “what?! This isn’t basketball!”

Saw my first game in Toronto last night, and first (and only) game in Buffalo tonight! Successful trip!

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Another great character win by the Flames. They stuck to their game plan and for about 50 minutes they out-worked and out-chanced the Sabres. Hutton had to make spectacular saves tonight. I seem to always look for goalies having to move a lot to make a safe, and boy did Hutton have to move quite a lot to keep the Sabres in it.



Flames were lucky to tie it so late in the game, but the Sabres were even more lucky not to lose in regulation IMO.



The only complaint I have this game is Ryan... but I will save my whining for a future (hopefully DISTANT future) loss.


I haven't seen the Flames compete level this high since Hartley's Flames, and before that not since Darryl's Flames. Those teams experienced success that was beyond expectations.


Rittich was solid. That was a good goal that he let in. Though the Flames seemed to be having their way against the Sabres, I have always heard that these types of games are always the hardest on a goalie - not seeing a shot for 10+ minutes at a time, it is tough for them to remain sharp. Good on him for absolutely closing the door on everything else he faced.


This is a fun team to cheer for.

I actually think he's doing a great job as the 4C. Mostly very strong defensive play, pushing the forecheck deep and causing havoc in the offensive zone, getting some chances to score for his line, and dominating 5 on 5.

However, I have ZERO idea why he's still getting powerplay minutes. He does nothing but fumble plays and creates nothing offensively. I'd love to see Czarnik back in soon to see what he can add to the 2nd unit.


On another note, I was pretty disappointed by Jankowski's game tonight. Looked a little slow and lazy. Spent a lot of the night hemmed in his own zone. Peters really cut his ice time in the 3rd too.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

My university residence building had its third fire alarm of the night. A minute later, Tkachuk scores.

Fire alarm? FLAMES WIN!

Vic Hall, Queen’s?

[Redliner]

Beauty win! They stuck with the game plan even though it wasn’t going their way and battled through for the W. Love it.

[Jacks]

It would be amazing if Rittich turned into a legit starter, he's looking great so far.

[Puppet Guy]

[GioforPM]

Ryan is competent but his passing is just not good enough.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Won’t show up on the scoresheet but huge play by Rasmus to keep the puck in on that tying goal. Great stuff from him twice now for late tying goals.

Not bad for a rookie Dman.

That was a veteran play by Andersson to keep the puck in the offensive zone.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Like hearing the Flames cheering and seeing Johnny’s sass

On the OT PK, glad to see Peters trusting Valimaki, and secondly Brodie made a darn good play on the faceoff he took. Glad Rittich held it to get a 3 on 3 when Tkachuk came out

[Hi-Psi]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

I honestly can’t remember the last time I cheered out loud watching a Flames game by myself in front of my TV.

I didn’t just cheer, I shouted. That felt good.

Yeah not going to lie, I did the same... Scared my dogs haha

Great end to the Road Trip! Lindholm looks INCREDIBLE!

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Mark Giordano with another point to give him 11 points in 13 games to start the year with a very strong defensive game to give him a tidy +8.

I'm gonna throw this out there.

If Giordano keeps playing like this all year, he should be one of the Norris finalists.

He doesn’t miss Dougie at all. Not having to be the one who always stays back has unleashed his offensive game again akin to his 3 seasons from 2013-2016. Norris candidate if he can stay healthy *knocks on wood*

[Puppet Guy]

[simonsays]

Great to see the win. This team has so much damn talent.


I said this in the game thread but I'll say it again here. I think we need to pull Gaudreau off the top PP line. We have 4 other talented players basically waiting for whatever Johnny does. It doesn't make sense, put Gaudreau on the second PP and give them substantially more time. This could give us 2 different looks on the power play, and force our other stars to step up on zone entries.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

However, I have ZERO idea why he's still getting powerplay minutes.

Ryan is still getting power play minutes because he's one of only two right hand shot forwards on the roster who belongs on a power play outside of Lindholm. The other guy was a healthy scratch because the team loves their Garnet Hathaway no matter how many consecutive shifts die on his stick.

As bad as PP2 is, I don't know if loading it up with left shots is going to solve the problem.

I do however believe the best way to fix PP2 is to go back to something resembling what worked the last time we had a half-decent PP2:

Giordano-Hamilton
Bennett-Backlund
Tkachuk

That was actually a highly effective 5 man unit that year. We rocked the boat the next year because Versteeg got hurt, and it was a mistake.

So make it


Giordano-Andersson
Bennett-Backlund or Bennett-Czarnik if Backs isn't playing well
Tkachuk

Then make PP1

Brodie
Gaudreau-Lindholm (both off-wing though)
Monahan
Neal

People hate Brodie's propensity to pass on the PP but that's exactly what you need in that role as he basically lets the forwards do the work.