[Game Takes] Flames 7 Vancouver 4

[Bingo]

Flames 7 Vancouver 4

- Powerplay bounces back
- Lindholm goes beast mode
- Third line worrisome
- Valimaki gets back on track
- Hey didn't notice Prout!

[DeluxeMoustache]

Good crap. Third line of Ryan- Neal - Dube? And Bennett - Janko - Frolik get 6 minutes? Never seen crap like that from a NHL coach with an actual deep lineup

A win goes a long way but, really, wtf?

[Jay Random]

Thanks for that, Bingo. I had to miss the game due to a minor bit of outside business – getting married.

[DeluxeMoustache]

^ Congrats and quit checking CP. I think you may have a marriage to consummate

[RM14]

Great game, enjoying my new seats. GFG

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

^ Congrats and quit checking CP. I think you may have a marriage to consummate

At the moment, the bride is having a couple of late drinks with various family members who came in late from out of town and have to bug out in the morning. The scheduling on this wedding was screwy as hell.

[GullFoss]

If Bennett asks for a trade, it's going to be totally understandable. Im not sure in what world Ryan and dube should be slotted ahead of Bennett and Jankowksi. The flames are seemingly treating Bennett and Jankowksi like fourth line plugs. If they're not going to be given a real opportunity, they're going to ask to get one elsewhere.

[JohnnyB]

Sure you have the puck a lot, and you have most of the chances, but the chances you give up are huge and often result in goals.

The resulting high-scoring games may make for a fun season as a spectator if this style works out. Concerning though that even Vancouver was able to exploit the style as much as they were. Against better teams the Flames are probably giving up more of those chances and converting fewer of their own. Fingers crossed that they improve in execution quickly.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

If Bennett asks for a trade, it's going to be totally understandable. Im not sure in what world Ryan and dube should be slotted ahead of Bennett and Jankowksi. The flames are seemingly treating Bennett and Jankowksi like fourth line plugs. If they're not going to be given a real opportunity, they're going to ask to get one elsewhere.

It's only 2 games... but pretty sure that they would be getting more ice time play a bigger role on other teams.

Mike Smith's .810 sv % is worrisome. If there was a legit 1A Smith would be on a shorter leash.

Hard not to see a trade of a forward for a goalie that would be good for the team.

[ricardodw]

A Head scratcher: Schaller played in 93 of 94 Bruin games last year ... Czarnik only 10 out of 94 when a few more keeps him as a RFA.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

A Head scratcher: Schaller played in 93 of 94 Bruin games last year ... Czarnik only 10 out of 94 when a few more keeps him as a RFA.

I don’t know the various free agent rules well but didnt he need to get into about 20 more games? That’s more than a few

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

It's only 2 games... but pretty sure that they would be getting more ice time play a bigger role on other teams.

Mike Smith's .810 sv % is worrisome. If there was a legit 1A Smith would be on a shorter leash.

Hard not to see a trade of a forward for a goalie that would be good for the team.

It's been two odd games though.

So I hear anyone concerned because a goalie has to stop 75% of the high danger shots, not just let them all in. And that's valid.

But the eight goals have all been somewhat 10 bells in my mind.

Last year when you look at the goalies that had 1200 minutes it was the opposite, Smith was well down the list on the easy ones (LD), ranked 40th of 46 at .967.

In medium danger he was 5th (.941)
In high danger he was 31st (.789)

so far this year Smith is ...

100% on easy shots through two games
87.5% on medium shots (way down from last year)
63.6% on high danger shots through, which again is a tire fire.

So the numbers support the eye test. He's facing too high a quality shot, and he's not stopping enough of them. But he's certainly not giving up shots from center ice.

The stat that is the most important to understand though is expected save percentage, a value that weights the shots he's facing by what he should be doing. It's only .900, which is 4th lowest of the goalies that have played thus far this season.

The Flames aren't giving up many shots, but the degree of difficulty in what they're giving up is off the charts.

And this certainly doesn't excuse the fact that Smith is well under the .900 to this point and doing his part too.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I don’t know the various free agent rules well but didnt he need to get into about 20 more games? That’s more than a few

Yeah he was a UFA based on NHL service games at his age.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Yeah he was a UFA based on NHL service games at his age.

So no matter how many games he played?

Pretty good to get someone like him for free and not having to commit crazy dollars or term like most UFA’s.

[FurnaceFace]

Thanks for the breakdown on the stats. My eye test was Smith didn’t have a hope on most of the goals and that seems to be the case. The one 10 (or 11) bell save he made in the 3rd against Goldobin is a good example. Goldobin gets to the slot and 5 skaters stand there and watch him. Smith bailed the team out on that one. That goes in and the game changes.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I don’t know the various free agent rules well but didnt he need to get into about 20 more games? That’s more than a few

Bruins dress him for 19 more games and he is a RFA.

Just saying that they had 83 times to play Czarnik instead of Schaller AND the Canucks , I would opine, have a weaker line-up than the Bruins don't dress Schaller for the 1st 2 games of the year.

[Bingo]

Well they're very different players.

Lineups are made for many reasons and I doubt planning UFA/RFA status is one of them for contending teams.

These things just aren't that linear man.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

If Bennett asks for a trade, it's going to be totally understandable. Im not sure in what world Ryan and dube should be slotted ahead of Bennett and Jankowksi. The flames are seemingly treating Bennett and Jankowksi like fourth line plugs. If they're not going to be given a real opportunity, they're going to ask to get one elsewhere.

Scoring chances.

Dube is consistently generating scoring chances for himself and his linemates.

Bennett is receiving 10-15 foot passes and bobbling them as he hits the blue line.

Bennett would've been on the 4th line last year as well if the flames had had any depth.

I like 4th line Bennett, but I would like to see him simplify his game even more in that role.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Scoring chances.

Dube is consistently generating scoring chances for himself and his linemates.

Bennett is receiving 10-15 foot passes and bobbling them as he hits the blue line.

Bennett would've been on the 4th line last year as well if the flames had had any depth.

I like 4th line Bennett, but I would like to see him simplify his game even more in that role.

Statistically that's not actually true.

Bennett has created more shot attempts, scoring chances and high danger chances per 60 minutes than Dube has through two games.

Dube has six more minutes of ice time so maybe you notice him more, but he's not doing more with his time than Bennett has.

Bennett is actually 6th in forwards in creating chances with his limited ice time.

Dube and Ryan are at the back of the bus on most categories.

[sempuki]

I get that Pettersson successfully head faked everyone on the ice, but Prout *has* to be stronger on the stick with Horvat on the doorstep. That's the most dangerous guy on the ice, and that's who scored.

I get that Ryan is in the second power play to win faceoffs, but other than that he just doesn't belong. The second unit needs a lot of work