It was a spirited affair. Calgary looked spent at times but a few guys had good legs. If backlund scores on one of his extra chances beyond his lone goal scored already, the flames could have rebounded. Who knows? The reality was we couldnt finish those chances we had. He played well but it had been sometime since he showed us his 50 point ability. You know chucky was feeling it being home again yet just couldn’t capitalize. It was a closer game than the score showed but St. Louis looked like the team I thought we were supposed to play in Calgary. That game wasn’t competitive at all. Flames owned them. St. Louis and berube have too much pride and fear he wields over those guys is too real lol. Schenn is a beast. O Riley is a beast. They were more noticeable than lindy.
Lindy is a fine center ice man but he just isn’t a number one by the eye test. I know his “stats” say different but there are a lot of centers I would take over him. He has been very good for us but he’s not a dominating physical force nor has the unbelievable and consistent offensive dominance to our shine strong players he matches up with.
Zadorov looked sloppy and brain farts in coverage cost us at a crucial time. He easily could have followed his man down low and prevented that shot instead of puck watching. But man that guy has some ability if only he could take his game to the next level. A bit frustrating.
I actually liked monnys game. It’s come a long way since the start of the year. He looked really fluid out there.
Regarding marky- sutter made the right play. There will be a lot of chances for vladar to become more powerful in his sith hatred for his enemies !! Marky hadn’t done much the game before. That game vs Columbus was a tale of two vastly different groups. Imagine being them with a player like laine ? They looked putrid. The flames didn’t have a hard time but couldve won the rare back to back. Still a piece or two away that can show some grit and offence.
Pavelski is probably sky high of a price rn. Maybe giroux? His stats seem like he’s still driving play just on a team with ristolainen. That team stinks. Tanev is so much better. He even looked really good against st Louis. He was much more willing to skate. So close on a couple of occasions. I think Kravtsov is good value to give good ice too. We need size and scoring ability to play through physical defensive units.
I think DJS flames is right, just one of those games where the back to back stats get u. It’s a Herculean effort to play two nhl games in back to back days and be competitive when the other team was just spanked by u four days earlier and was licking their chops to play a tired Calgary team just getting in from Columbus for redemption.
Calgary routinely deals with the worst travel and schedules. It should be par for the course. And the refs still begrudge wideman I feel. Poor wideman was concussed and never knew what he was doing but the flames are still paying for it. I mean that linesman lost his career. Dangerous game.
Flames look like a one line team most nights and St. Louis came at us in waves of center depth and offensive wingers. Plus their defensive structure did do a good job of keeping the flames to limited zone time, out of the crease areas for rebounds. Sure the expected goals for showed that they flames out chanced them but husso is why those stats are just numbers and the game is inscrutable in that sense and goalies stealgames or lack of finishing sinks you at the pro level.
Flames had chances but I’m still seeing positive signs until the stretch run is fully arrives here. Post all star break things are gonna start seeing some separation. Flames wretched schedule is gonna be a major obstacle to overcome. I hope the refs take it easy on us.
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My Sig is terrible...le sigh
Last edited by Ziggy Lidstrom; 01-29-2022 at 03:42 AM.
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