@ Ottawa (we scored a bunch but Hiller choked the game away. I specifically remember someone hitting Gaudreau, and Bennett came and destroyed that guy)
@ Edmonton (That was Frolik's hat trick game but Bennett also had a great assist to Brodie. I think Jooris was on the RW not Frolik)
VS MTL (That was the game we dominated and Ortio was atrocious)
@ Colorado (Ramo was really bad, but we dominated)
In those four games, Bennett had 2G 4A 6P
Then Hartley moved him to the wing for the next three months.
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"May those who accept their fate find happiness. May those who defy it find glory."
That game was a lot of fun to watch live. Some of my impressions:
- Gaudreau is so much fun to watch when he's on, and tonight, he sure was. He was dancing all around the ice and really stuck with the play. I loved his extra effort on his second goal.
- That game was the best I've ever seen Sam Bennett play live, and I was in attendance when he scored four goals. He was just phenomenal. He moved the puck well, and just meshed perfectly with Johnny. Love it!
- Ferland was fine. He scored a goal, which is always a plus. Not too physical, but it wasn't like he was shying away from rough areas -- he was involved in the odd scrum here and there.
- Jankowski was absolutely flying. He did every little thing perfectly. It'll be a crying shame if he doesn't make the team out of camp.
- Tyler Wotherspoon was awfully impressive on the bottom pair. He even looked good on the powerplay -- his shot is surprisingly good. I like his chances to make the team out of camp, likely as the 7, but perhaps even as the 6.
- Mike Smith plays quite deep in his crease, but he tracks the puck well and made all the right saves tonight, even if his save percentage was south of .900. The two shots which beat him both deserved to.
- Travis Hamonic was downright unnoticeable tonight, in a good way. He really is a true stay-at-home defenseman, sort of in the mold of a more skilled Deryk Engelland -- not afraid to use the body, but also a decent-enough puck-mover. I found that his more conservative playing style really allowed Brodie to take more chances with the puck and join more rushes, which was great to see.
- Matt Stajan was not good tonight. It seemed like the plays just recursively died on his stick. One such play sticks out from the first period -- Curtis Lazar made a really cool play at the red line on the right side of the ice, receiving a stretch pass from a defender and deflecting it right onto Stajan's tape with his skate, and Stajan brought the puck into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Brouwer and promptly gave the puck away with a terrible attempt at a backhand pass. That was Stajan's night in a nutshell. Jankowski clearly has the leg up on him for the #4C spot.
- Tanner Glass was surprisingly effective in his role tonight. He never seemed out-of-place in terms of skating or offensive ability, and he definitely got involved in the rough stuff when needed. Zac Rinaldo is a tough customer, and Glass handled him with ease. I wouldn't be surprised to see Glass handed a contract, just for depth purposes -- although by no means am I endorsing him playing on opening night or any substantial minutes for the Flames during the season.
- Troy Brouwer seemed to have been supplanted as the "big body" on the first powerplay unit by Ferland tonight. Instead, he filled in on the second unit, and definitely played well. Brouwer seems rejuvenated to start the season, which is definitely a big plus.
- Morgan Klimchuk was okay. He is strong on the puck and a good two-way player, but I can't see him playing in the NHL this year except on the odd call-up, perhaps.
- Among the more unnoticeable players tonight: Hunter Shinkaruk (the most notable play of his being just pounded in the face by Lawson Crouse over and over); Garnet Hathaway (I think I noticed #21 on the ice like three times total in the game, and two of those were just me looking out for the number change); and Curtis Lazar (other than the aforementioned skate pass to Stajan in the first, he was largely invisible).
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I have been saying for some time that the Flames need an elite centre to become a true contender and Monahan isn't an elite centre. I think Bennett has a better chance of becoming that player.
After Johnny scored his 2nd goal, the Coyote's player gave him a shot in the back - which was promptly met with Bennett throwing a forearm right back at the Coyote. Really nice to see the reaction. Johnny isn't going to get abused this year the way he was last year.
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I have been saying for some time that the Flames need an elite centre to become a true contender and Monahan isn't an elite centre. I think Bennett has a better chance of becoming that player.
This again. He regularly puts up as many points as , Tavares, Toews, Kopitair, Getzlaf and many other top 1c players . He is often ranked in the top ten in many lists baeed on his production.
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After Johnny scored his 2nd goal, the Coyote's player gave him a shot in the back - which was promptly met with Bennett throwing a forearm right back at the Coyote. Really nice to see the reaction. Johnny isn't going to get abused this year the way he was last year.
Need to see that same reaction from Monny...
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Janko was an absolute beauty all night, they really put him through the tests. On the ice for O zone face offs, D zone face offs, PK, PP, 5v3, 4v4, 6v4(at the end) he was always being deployed and never disappointed.
Bennett was an all around beauty
Giordano he took 2 penaltys right off the hop, seems like his over thinking everything, I think the no slash thing is really making him change his game.
Brouwer took a solid roughing penalty for punching a yote in the face, impressed me anyways. Hope to see more of that toughness in games to come.
Freddie stood out tonight, skated harder then any prospect and threw his body around (his experience as a 13th forward really showed, he can play when called upon) also took the double minor for standing up for Johnny which was nice to see.
Wotherspoon looked really good, I could see him and Kulak swapping for that 6th spot.
Klimchuk blended in to me, didn't do anything to stand out.
Hathaway was much of the same it's like he was trying to show more aspects to his game but kind of skipped the part which made him crack the roster last year.
Stajan didn't look very good tonight either, I see occasional bench warming duties in his near future.
Hamonic, I felt they were putting him threw the tests aswell, as the night went on the better he looked, not before long I think he'll find his place and fit in perfectly.
Smith, it felt as if he wasn't playing his game, you could see when he had chances to play the puck and he held back for the D to come get it, there were 2 moments were he played it in a tight spot n put the dome on edge but still was so calm about it. I just hope they don't want him to change the way he plays to much that it throws him off. He didn't face many shots at all, I think that's something he will have to get used to. I was probably the only person in the dome wearing a new smith jersey
Shinkaruk feel as if his ship has started to sail, didn't do much to impress most of the night, a yote took liberties on him, landed about 6 punches on him without giving one in return. Both got roughing penalties.. go figure
Johnny was an absolute beauty, just needs to master that break away finish and quit over handling the puck and he coulda had 4 goals tonight easily.
Dougie was finding his groove forsure, getting way more comfortable.
Lazar kinda felt like the Lazar that didn't work out in Ottawa. Skates hard but that seemed to be it. Set up one good partial breakaway for stajan right near the beginning but he dropped the ball on that one. Besides that kinda seemed 2 steps behind the play at all times, even the hits he did land put him out of position.
Summary: The teams gonna look really good with all the core on the ice at once. It is CRAZY how different this team looks without Tkachuk, I feel he is quickly becoming the teams MVP. Smith still needs to get more comfortable. 24/7 is well under way to work out as planned. Gio misses being able to slash. Janko is without question making this team. I just hope he keeps 77
Last edited by Braden; 09-23-2017 at 03:16 AM.
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Im actually hoping Glass continues to impress and makes the team. Not in a full time role obviously, but I really think we need someone who can take on Engellands duties. I realize Ferland and Hamonic aren't afraid to drop the gloves but I don't think those types of guys can stand in there with Lucic etc.
I know a lot of people aren't keen on Glass but if he signed for the minimum and played 30-40 games on the fourth line bringing the same energy he did tonight would it be that bad? He could be the perfect 13th forward since he doesn't need time to play to get better like one of the kids and can bring some toughness and energy occasionally.
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After Johnny scored his 2nd goal, the Coyote's player gave him a shot in the back - which was promptly met with Bennett throwing a forearm right back at the Coyote. Really nice to see the reaction. Johnny isn't going to get abused this year the way he was last year.
I also love that on the celebration huddle, Beard was staring down the Yote making sure he properly ####ed off.
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Smith: laughed out loud reading the game thread and the comments from people saying his puck handling is a negative. I was watching him and his impact on the D and the game closely last night, and there were at least half a dozen plays where, with a normal goalie, the dump-in would have resulted in time in the defensive zone. But he grabbed the puck and - this is what really jumped out at me - he made very quick and decisive decisions and moved the puck to either a Dman or a winger up ice, and the play immediately proceeded into the offensive zone, where it remained.
He had a huge impact on the transition game. Johnny is already looking for breakaway passes from him - and he is looking for Johnny.
There were also multiple plays where he quickly got it to a Dman, which aided their ability to make a play instead take a hit on the boards.
And it was great to see him try for the goal - gave it a good effort but a defenseman reached above his head to glove it down at the blueline.
Brodie / Hamonic: They are already figuring out how to play together. Hamonic's steady style is allowing Brodie to skate more. And skate he is! The other thing that is great to see is that Brodie is shooting more - that will make him a much more effective player offensively. These two are going to be a fantastic pairing, they are made to be playing together.
Wotherspoon: was really solid. Made a couple nice, patient plays on the offensive blueline as well. IMO, he leapfrogged Kulak as the front-runner for the #6 position.
Mr Andersson: solid. Would make the team if he was a leftie.
Jankowski: as so many have said, he was solid all night. Gulutzan was using him in every situation possible, and he looked good in all of them. The only worry is facoffs, and on the PK especially, faceoffs a re a problem for him. As for his goal, someone (Hamonic?) took a slapshot from the point, and the rebound went straight out to Jankowski at the top of the circle, where he had an empty net. What was awesome about it though, is that he absolutely hammered a slapper in - no babying it. His short-handed semi-breakaway was a thing of beauty as well. He will make the team.
Lazar: one of the nice things about being at the game is that you can focus on individual players. And I watched Lazar closely. I agree that he did little offensively, but he was greatly defensively. Always in good position, always making smart plays, and some fantastic back-checking. I believe he would be great on Backlund's line. Their offence would drop a little, but it would free up Tkachuk to play with Bennett (or Monahan) and even out the lines. I know people want to see offence, but I think Lazar is being under-rated by many fans for what he brings defensively. I think he will be in the opening lineup.
Shinkaruk: disappointment
Glass: he is seriously making a case for being on the 4th line. I think he has outplayed Hathaway (and definitely Hamilton) so far for that final roster spot, even if it's just the 13/14 spot.
Dougie Hamilton: absolutely nothing happened in his corner last night - an absolute stud in the D zone.
Bennett: was a force - he really made a case to be playing with Gaudreau. But if that doesn't happen, they better move Tkachuk to his line. He needs someone to play with because he is ready to take his game to the next level.
Ferland: had the nice tip-in goal, but was also instrumental in Johnny's first goal, with his presence in front of the net distracting the goalie. Ferland has all the tools to be really effective on the top line, he just needs a bit of time to learn what he needs to do (and what he doesn't need to do). As he settles in, he is going to be good. I think he is set for a 20+ goal season.
Gaudreau: was Gaudreau. He was flying all night.
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Stajan: I like Stajan, and I respect the role he plays on the team. And it is only pre-season. But man, he was bad last night. He has been struggling throughout the pre-season so far IMO. And the way Jankowski is playing... I don't know how any coach could dress Stajan over Jankowski right now. If he doesn't pick it up over the next couple games, I think he'll be munching popcorn during the season opener.
And I'm not hating on him, just saying that Jankowski is grabbing that spot right out from under him.
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