Why does every goalie look good against the flames?

[ST20]

Editing the original post to show data since the discussion seems to have gotten a bit off track...

Flames rank as per NHL.com and hockey reference:
- 5th in shots for per game
- 18th in goals for per game
- 24th in team shooting %

Yes, Smith sucked but I want to talk about the rest of the team. So let's keep Smith comments for the the PGT.

First, I thought it was all GG's fault last year by seeming to prioritize shots over everything else even if they were low percentage bad angle shots but #@$#@ this team just isn't good at shooting (outside of the top 5 fwds). You could call last year an anomaly but we are going on 100 games of this.

Thoughts on how to break this? Seems like our PP and and even strength lines are way too top heavy and we really need to try something different. I always see posts about moving Monny off the top line but maybe we move Johnny off it so he can set up guys that are less skilled for easier goals. I'd try to leave Mohnny and Lindholm together and see if Johnny can spark our other lines. Our something way out of left field might be putting Johnny, Monny and Tkachuk on 3 seperate lines and evening out the minutes and scoring a little. The top 5 (Johnny, Monny, Lindholm, Backlund and Tkachuk) all averages 20ish give or take minutes a game and everyone else seems to range from 8 to 16 minutes depending if they have been slotted with the top 2 lines. Maybe giving more time to the bottom 6 will help them with their shooting woes? I don't know. This is my rant trying to forget about that third goal lol.

[getoverit]

Because we like shooting at the chest of the other goalie lol. Smith would look brilliant playing against us too For the most part we’re predictable

[bigrangy]

My first guess would be a relative lack of dangerous passes in the o-zone. Yes, they are risky and lead to odd man rushes against sometimes, but they're also the easiest way to score.

I don't know if it's system related or lack-of-passing-talent related but it's a good place to start.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by ST20

First, I thought it was all GG's fault last year by seeming to prioritze shots over everything else even if they were low percentage bad angle shots but #@$#@ this team just isn't good at shooting. You could call last year an anomaly but we are going on 100 games of this.

Or maybe Peters' system doesn't really get different kinds of offense from GG's system.

I like Peters as a coach because unlike GG he is not incompetent, but that doesn't mean his system necessarily generates the best offense. We barely use the stretch pass and our entries are still pretty slow.

Thoughts on how to break this? Seems like our PP and and even strength lines are way too top heavy and we really need to try something different.

I would agree with this, but that something different is probably something scary.

I always see posts about moving Monny off the top line but maybe we move Johnny off it so he can set up guys that are less skilled for easier goals.

Whatever line Gaudreau is on is the top line. Gaudreau-Bennett-Neal would be the top line. Gaudreau-Jankowski-Czarnik would be the top line. Gaudreau-Ryan-Hathaway would be idiotic outside of a double shifting situation.

Maybe giving more time to the bottom 6 will help them with their shooting woes? I don't know. This is my rant trying to forget about that third goal lol.

I think having a better PP2 setup would go a long way. We have way too many capable pieces for that PP unit to STILL be scoreless.

[SeanCharles]

This thread shouldn't have come out after losing to a team back stopped by Carey Price..

The guy may have had some up and downs recently but he is a world class goalie and is easily one of, if not, the best in the world when he is on his game.

I can understand the sentiment but we lost tonight because Smith was bad and Price was playing the way we all know he can.

[ST20]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Whatever line Gaudreau is on is the top line. Gaudreau-Bennett-Neal would be the top line. Gaudreau-Jankowski-Czarnik would be the top line. Gaudreau-Ryan-Hathaway would be idiotic outside of a double shifting situation.

I agree I just mean spreading out the offence to 3 lines rather than having a clear 1,2 and 3 line.

Johnny-Jank-Neal
Bennett-Mohnny-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Backlund-Czarnik

As you said, probably scary and way too out of left field but it would be interesting. Potentially switch Neal and Czarnik above and slot Dube swap Dube in and out depending on how Jank, bennet, neal and Czarnik are playing.

[ST20]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

This thread shouldn't have come out after losing to a team back stopped by Carey Price..

The guy may have had some up and downs recently but he is a world class goalie and is easily one of, if not, the best in the world when he is on his game.

I can understand the sentiment but we lost tonight because Smith was bad and Price was playing the way we all know he can.

Smith has been good more recently that Price has been (Price was terrible all year last year) but I get your point. It's not just price though, Jones was struggling all year and found his game against the flames as well. Even in our wins against the kings, sabres, leafs, avs, etc. the goalies on the other team are posting approximately 930+ save percentage on us.

[ckendall]

Originally Posted by ST20

Yes, Smith sucked but I want to talk about the rest of the team. So let's keep Smith comments for the the PGT.

First, I thought it was all GG's fault last year by seeming to prioritze shots over everything else even if they were low percentage bad angle shots but #@$#@ this team just isn't good at shooting (outside of the top 5 fwds). You could call last year an anomaly but we are going on 100 games of this.

I really don’t think we’re the only team with this issue. Give me 45-22 in shots and an average goalie and we win 9 of 10. That’s sustainable. The issue isn’t shooting %, defensive zone coverage or quality scoring chances given up. It’s goaltending.

Please someone pull out the stats. How many teams have shooting % outside their top 5 forwards (or top 5 players, whatever) that’s considerably higher than us?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by getoverit

Because we like shooting at the chest of the other goalie lol. Smith would look brilliant playing against us too For the most part we’re predictable

not at all true

[Ped]

Originally Posted by getoverit

Smith would look brilliant playing against us too

That would be the new version of the unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.


If a team that can't score takes a shot on a goalie that can't stop the puck, what happens?

[TheAlpineOracle]

Because we don’t remember as Flames fans as to what good goaltending looks like. It’s all relative. We just hope for routine saves.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by getoverit

Because we like shooting at the chest of the other goalie lol. Smith would look brilliant playing against us too For the most part we’re predictable

This is fake news, reverse the goalies in this game and the Flames win 6-1.

[djsFlames]

Mix between these guys not working at their shooting as much as they may need to and our goaltending being below average on more nights than not.

It probably feels more like an even playing field where the flames dont have to out generate the opposition 2-1 to have a shot when you're getting .920 game in and game out.

All it takes is that one more iffy goal allowed to be the difference and it has been in 3 of the past 4.

[Classic_Sniper]

This team is full of muffin shots. They work hard, but nobody has an elite release (Monahan is the closest). No great one timer options. Poor accuracy and a possible lack of playmakers. I saw the Jets play the other day and marvelled at their PP that consisted of 2 elite one timers on the same unit.

New coach and still the bottom 6 is having trouble scoring same as last season. I will never forget last season when this team’s group of shooters made currently struggling AHL goaltender Christopher Gibson of the NYI look like a perennial Vezina winner. When the playoffs were on the line and we needed these guys to come up clutch and score a couple goals, they were legitimately incapable of doing so.

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by ST20

Yes, Smith sucked but I want to talk about the rest of the team. So let's keep Smith comments for the the PGT.

First, I thought it was all GG's fault last year by seeming to prioritze shots over everything else even if they were low percentage bad angle shots but #@$#@ this team just isn't good at shooting (outside of the top 5 fwds). You could call last year an anomaly but we are going on 100 games of this.

Thoughts on how to break this? Seems like our PP and and even strength lines are way too top heavy and we really need to try something different. I always see posts about moving Monny off the top line but maybe we move Johnny off it so he can set up guys that are less skilled for easier goals. I'd try to leave Mohnny and Lindholm together and see if Johnny can spark our other lines. Our something way out of left field might be putting Johnny, Monny and Tkachuk on 3 seperate lines and evening out the minutes and scoring a little. The top 5 (Johnny, Monny, Lindholm, Backlund and Tkachuk) all averages 20ish give or take minutes a game and everyone else seems to range from 8 to 16 minutes depending if they have been slotted with the top 2 lines. Maybe giving more time to the bottom 6 will help them with their shooting woes? I don't know. This is my rant trying to forget about that third goal lol.

That was Carey Price... You genius.

[badger89]

We also hit more posts than anyone in the league as well. Poor shooting accuracy, just bad luck, or what?

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by ST20

Smith has been good more recently that Price has been (Price was terrible all year last year) but I get your point. It's not just price though, Jones was struggling all year and found his game against the flames as well. Even in our wins against the kings, sabres, leafs, avs, etc. the goalies on the other team are posting approximately 930+ save percentage on us.

It's probably because our alleged forward depth is not producing anything meaningful as of yet.

We have 4 forwards carrying the offensive weight of the team.

Backlund gets a bit of a pass but the rest need to show more.

[Toonage]

Feels like they're instructed to shoot at particular areas of the net some nights. Ignore your instincts, shoot here, this goalie is prone to give up chances in this spot, etc.

Not true obviously, but it sometimes feels like it.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Ped

That would be the new version of the unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.


If a team that can't score takes a shot on a goalie that can't stop the puck, what happens?

They'd probably miss the net.

[crapshoot]

Maybe it is because fans of everyone team says exactly this, as it's a natural reaction when you don't score many goals in a game. It's not true though, a lot of goalies has had trouble with the flames as we have scored plenty of goals so far. The issue is foremost the goals against, goals for are fine, and we should have won a few low-scoring games the last little stretch here.