[Game Takes] Sabres 4 Flames 3 (OT)

[Bingo]

Game Takes:
Sabres 4 Flames 3 (OT)

- Flames toy with an opponent again, get burned
- two points for Gaudreau
- two points for Lindholm
- Rittich gives up three goals on three shots to finish.

[DeluxeMoustache]

No controversy in my mind with Rittich giving up 3 goals on 3 shots in a row. As you mention, deflection, screen, superstar roofing it. It’s just a coincidence they were consecutive. Whether or not they sprinkle some stoppable shots in between wouldn’t change the type of shots they are.

Ullmark’s glove on Frolik was great and his blocker on Tkachuk was unbelievable. Not likely replicable. Those saves stole the game.

Or we could treat Frolik and Tkachuk like they are Rittich. Should have buried them. Just not good enough.

[sa226]

If the Flames are going anywhere this year, they need to allow Rittich to have a bad game and bounce back. Its the next step in his development. Don't just go run with Smith until he craps the bed. Give Rittich the chance to bounce back.

[sa226]

It is slightly amusing the night of a disappointing loss, where some bad habits came back to bite them, they still created a tiny bit of separation with SJ

[FlamesAddiction]

This might be a lesson they needed to learn and better against an Eastern team than a rival.

They have been winning a lot lately, but some of the wins were a little lazy and sketchy. I thought they played well enough tonight, but maybe little too easy going.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

No controversy in my mind with Rittich giving up 3 goals on 3 shots in a row. As you mention, deflection, screen, superstar roofing it. It’s just a coincidence they were consecutive. Whether or not they sprinkle some stoppable shots in between wouldn’t change the type of shots they are.

Ullmark’s glove on Frolik was great and his blocker on Tkachuk was unbelievable. Not likely replicable. Those saves stole the game.

Or we could treat Frolik and Tkachuk like they are Rittich. Should have buried them. Just not good enough.

Be good if you could say this at least another 15 times.
We get it. You are a Rittich fan.
It's OK if he has an off game bro. It happens

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by sa226

If the Flames are going anywhere this year, they need to allow Rittich to have a bad game and bounce back. Its the next step in his development. Don't just go run with Smith until he craps the bed. Give Rittich the chance to bounce back.

I think you're worried too much. Chances are with it being back to back Smith is going to get a game this weekend but it's going to take Rittich going on a losing streak for Smith to get a string of games. Personally, I'd rather Rittich play the Oilers.

[EVERLAST]

I hope Bill echoes what he’s been saying lately. Yes we are skilled but the work has to match the skill. Get working.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

No controversy in my mind with Rittich giving up 3 goals on 3 shots in a row. As you mention, deflection, screen, superstar roofing it. It’s just a coincidence they were consecutive. Whether or not they sprinkle some stoppable shots in between wouldn’t change the type of shots they are.

Ullmark’s glove on Frolik was great and his blocker on Tkachuk was unbelievable. Not likely replicable. Those saves stole the game.

Or we could treat Frolik and Tkachuk like they are Rittich. Should have buried them. Just not good enough.

All I actually did was pose the question about slotting on the weekend, and does a rough finish change that at all?

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Bingo

All I actually did was pose the question about slotting on the weekend, and does a rough finish change that at all?

Ok. Depends what you mean or are implying by the word rough.

I don’t find a superstar sniping to be a ‘rough’ finish. All teams lose sometimes, losing on a shot you do not expect to save to me is not a problem requiring some knee jerk reaction. I should think the coaching staff is more measured in their approach to things

Say, you know who said he liked the Flames game last night? Peters.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Ok. Depends what you mean or are implying by the word rough.

I don’t find a superstar sniping to be a ‘rough’ finish. All teams lose sometimes, losing on a shot you do not expect to save to me is not a problem requiring some knee jerk reaction. I should think the coaching staff is more measured in their approach to things

Say, you know who said he liked the Flames game last night? Peters.

3 goals on 3 consecutive shots is a rough finish, regardless of the caliber of goals.

I am assuming the finish to the game doesn't change whatever was planned for the weekend.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Ok. Depends what you mean or are implying by the word rough.

I don’t find a superstar sniping to be a ‘rough’ finish. All teams lose sometimes, losing on a shot you do not expect to save to me is not a problem requiring some knee jerk reaction. I should think the coaching staff is more measured in their approach to things

Say, you know who said he liked the Flames game last night? Peters.

First my bias ... I hate short side high goals on goaltenders. Hate them even more when he's essentially the only guy on the ice and there's little need to lean away and give him a hole.

But other than that he has to stop pucks. Giving up three straight shots when your team is outplaying the opposition is a rough night. There's a reason the best goaltenders stop 85% of the tough ones, 95% of the medium ones, and 99.5% of the easy ones.

Smith wouldn't be given any rope if that happened to him.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Bingo

First my bias ... I hate short side high goals on goaltenders. Hate them even more when he's essentially the only guy on the ice and there's little need to lean away and give him a hole.

But other than that he has to stop pucks. Giving up three straight shots when your team is outplaying the opposition is a rough night. There's a reason the best goaltenders stop 85% of the tough ones, 95% of the medium ones, and 99.5% of the easy ones.

Smith wouldn't be given any rope if that happened to him.

Haha, it’s the opposite. Good god, I think Cassie Campbell has a picture of Mike Smith on her fridge right beside the picture where her kid first coloured inside the lines. Every routine save the guy makes is now celebrated. (Who was talking about Smith?)

Since you brought it up, I wouldn’t blame Smith for letting in that shot. Many would, but you know that because this is your site.

Anyways, there is a lot to unpack with your stats. I don’t think those numbers are based in fact.

Consider the shot quality project. Just based on approximate shot location, by my recollection, goaltenders’ expected sv% on shots from that approximate location alone would be around .850 ish.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...ality-project/

Now that is a number that applies generally to all shots taken from that location. Is Eichel a relatively skilled shooter, and did he have time and space to place his shot? Did he just make a move on Gio to change his shooting angle? Does the goalie have 85% likelihood of stopping that particular shot? No way. It is not the same as all other shots taken from that location.

That’s not how statistics work, and I am pretty sure you know that.

Now say you take a representative sample of, say, 20 shots from that location. Are some straight in the bread basket? Likely. Are some along the ice that lend themselves to a pad save? Probably. Some routine shots that are blocked by an ordinary butterfly? Probably. Are some shot by less skilled players than Eichel, who are just banging a puck toward the net? No doubt. Is Eichel’s shot in the top, say, 2 or 4 or 5 of 20 shots you typically see from that location? Say it’s one of the top 5 of those 20 shots. (Do you really want to argue against that? Eichel is arguably in the top few percent of NHL players, and got off a shot he wanted). If the expected sv% for all shots from that location is .850, then 3 goals are expected on 20 shots. I think that particular shot from that particular player is likely to go in. That’s why superstars are superstars.

If Monahan and Gaudreau can snipe, and just beat goalies with good shots, then other teams’ stars can beat our very good goalie with their own snipe.

Sprinkle in some routine and meaningless shots between those that went in, and people can’t make that weak claim about 3 consecutive shots going in.