[PGT] Flames Blow Out Sens. BACK TO THE GYM!

[FlamesFanFromBC]

I couldn't resist

https://twitter.com/user/status/1366142780259536899

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

We didn't have those lines against Dallas though, loosing Tkachuk hurt a lot.

You're right, they should have turned him clockwise.

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Was watching the TSN/Sens broadcast and thought Gord Miller did a great job (as usual). Also he had Jamie McLennan aka Noodles as his partner if I'm not mistaken. Didn't think he was that good however, but he had quite a few good things to say about Gio's game.

I also listened to that feed and quite enjoyed it. Actually very balanced in commentary.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by New Era

The lifeless mess wasn't the lines. The lifeless mess was a result of Dallas adjusting to our breakout and trapping at the blueline, short circuiting Ward's systems, and then the team not making a single adjustment. Winning a series is all about adjusting and finding ways for your talent to be successful. Did Calgary change anything in their approach to their offensive game against Dallas? Did they adjust their defensive strategy when the Dallas defensemen were killing the Flames? A big no to either. Dallas adjusted to Calgary's strategy and neutralized the offensive and then took advantage in Calgary's end. The Flames never made an adjustment and got crushed as a result. It's like running between the tackles and getting shutdown series after series and not trying anything else. When 11 (12) guys are lined up in the line of scrimmage, do something different to force them off the line and maybe open that game back up. Ward kept running inside the tackles guards. That's why we got embarrassed. Not a single adjustment was made other than pugging in the line blender. The lines still ran right into the brick wall between the guards. How this idiot got an extension is a question that people will ponder for generations to come.

I agree he got out coached.

I agree he didn't make the right adjustments.

Don't agree with giving that lifeless first line a pass for their complete disappearance five on five.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanFromBC

I couldn't resist

https://twitter.com/user/status/1366142780259536899

Where was this version of Gio in the playoffs?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Where was this version of Gio in the playoffs?

I’m going to go on a limb and bet I can find Gio hitting someone to the ice in the POs. As for a funny chirp afterwards? Who cares if he did that in the POs.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I’m going to go on a limb and bet I can find Gio hitting someone to the ice in the POs. As for a funny chirp afterwards? Who cares if he did that in the POs.

Really... Try to find an impact hit from Gio in the playoffs. There are not a lot of places to look.

Last year in 10 games 10 hits.. In his total of 23 career playoff games 34 hits.

Watching Gio having the ability to run down Dustin Brown shows he has the strength and ability to physically make an impact and just chooses not to do it.

I think the back o the Gym trash talk was from Brouwer (Chicago) manhandling Dustin Boyd in front of the Flames bench in the 2009 playoffs. Brouwer and Boyd were line mates in Moose Jaw and likely hit the Gym together.

Connor Brown and Gio may have crossed Gym paths in Toronto where they off season train.

[Bingo]

What exactly is the point here?

That Giordano didn't care in the playoffs? Because that doesn't fit any narrative attached to the player in any form.

I said it before ... I think a lot of his NHL success comes from effort and will, but when he gets to the playoffs he comes back to the pack because everyone else is working their tail off too.

Bottom line I couldn't care less about his hit count, or how hard he hits guys ... or if he chirps them afterwards.

Just need him to be a decent 3-4 defenseman for the final year and a quarter of his contract.

He's already money in the bank for the first three (really four) years of his deal.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Watching Gio having the ability to run down Dustin Brown shows he has the strength and ability to physically make an impact and just chooses not to do it.

Yeah, he "chooses" not to.

[JTech780]

This game was a lot closer than the score suggests. The difference in the game was that Murray was terrible and couldn't make save. Nice to get the win, but that effort still wasn't good enough if you want to beat good teams.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by JTech780

This game was a lot closer than the score suggests. The difference in the game was that Murray was terrible and couldn't make save...

Nonsense. The game result appears somewhat close only because of score effects. The Flames scored 6 goals and had registered 33-shots through the first two periods, and every one of Ottawa's goals was scored on the powerplay.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Nonsense. The game result appears somewhat close only because of score effects. The Flames scored 6 goals and had registered 33-shots through the first two periods, and every one of Ottawa's goals was scored on the powerplay.

And Rittich maybe should have had 2 of those goals. He left a lot of room for the far side wraparound by Tkachuk and the shot from the slot beat him over the shoulder, which is not his best area.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I don’t see where you got those stats and they just don’t match the game logs.

Sorry for the delay, forgot to hit submit reply. But the stats I posted are just the averages of GF/GP from Oct 1, 2019 to Feb 7, 2020 then from Feb 8, 2020 to the final game of that regular season (including rankings). That was the approximate date of when I remembered Backlund moving back to center with Andrew Mangiapane and Matthew Tkachuk.

The below articles outline the journey in which Backlund found his playing on the wing with Monahan and Gaudreau, then finally ending back at center with Bennett and Jankowski to finally Tkachuk and Mangiapane by early Feb.



https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey...ars-to-be-over

Which is exactly what the club has tried to do by moving Mikael Backlund to the wing from centre this season, starting with his presence on the right side with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau.

Then, at the break, I told him I wanted to go back to centre.”

That’s where he played on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks, between Mark Jankowski and Sam Bennett as Calgary’s fourth-line centre. And he skated at pivot for the previous three games after the NHL All-Star break, indicating that the experiment might have been somewhat short-term.


https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl...hall-1.5485037

Shuffled from centre to the wing, Backlund struggled with just four goals and 21 points before the Christmas break.

C But since the all-star break, Backlund has centred arguably Calgary's best trio between Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane

His resurgence of late — including nine goals and 19 points in the month of February — is one of the main reasons the Flames (34-26-7) are still in the thick of the NHL Western Conference playoff race.

[GioforPM]

Backlund was on wing for a pretty short period of time, not the longer Oct. - Feb one in your estimate. 10 games or so.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Connor Brown and Gio may have crossed Gym paths in Toronto where they off season train.

Confirmed.

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/say-...ng/c-321961042

Originally Posted by Mark Giordano

I worked out with Brownie (Connor Brown) one summer. A little inside joke there, so that's where that comes from. … I was a little bit embarrassed. I didn't want it to be such a big deal. But at the same time, I think it's important for fans and spectators to see. It gives them a different look at the game. I mean, I enjoy going on the Internet sometimes and watching those clips of when guys are mic'd up and stuff, so I'm sure the fans enjoy some of that stuff, too.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

I'm not advocating for any changes currently because it's working and they need wins and points in the standings. I think they are playing good and have a style of play they feel comfortable with, the players like, the coaches like and they should stick to it. I think they are all smart and know what works. Keep doing it! Keep building on this game - so many good things and just buy in 100% to what the coaches want.

I'm for whatever works and has the team feeling good. I'm behind them no matter what.


Aside from other points people brought up about Tkachuk being hurt for DAL there were some things that I noticed that series (But really this is just for high stakes, high pressure games):

DAL had 2 guys on Gaudreau (and sometimes it looked like 4 guys collapsing on him). DAL was trying to take away Gaudreau being the engine to CGY offense.

I would see Gaudreau get the puck in his end. Playoff time (in past series too) this was key. Where was Johnny getting the puck? I heard Conroy on the radio prior to this season's start essentially break this down: saying Johnny would get 2 guys on him BUT Conroy thought Johnny should go even deeper into his end to get the puck (I'm guessing so he could wind up more going into the attack).

To me, again I know nothing, the fact an opponent is putting 2 guys on you is something to exploit - use the space that is open when 2 guys are on 1 guy. Make Johnny a decoy until the puck is in the offensive zone perhaps?

Is it Monahan then carries the puck? (Yes but also have d that can lug it) and have Johnny up ice for more quick strike option but also just keeping the opponent occupied with him and creating even more space for the puck to come up underneath Gaudreau. Mix it up - use all of that: Johnny go deeper and wind up, Monny lug it, D carry it (Hanifin etc). Yes play connected and puck support but if they are trying to take away something - use that to your advantage. Can you use Lindholm (on the purple gatorade line as the RW or slipping into the middle but still on that line) more to carry it. Monahan continues to look good in that 3 on 3 game down low, the centre in the pocket. These are the questions.

How were CGY other lines successful in getting out and into offensive zone? If you have to dump it, I don't see putting it in Gaudreau's corner and asking him to take a hit to make a play is wise. I don't know how to solve that but use the other two 200+lbs guys on that line to get in there and have Gaudreau in space (and be the one dumping not retrieving), not up against the boards expecting him to absorb punishment. Heck use the LD to forecheck if it goes into that corner and have a fwd cover until the forecheck has traction and the LD can back out. But I like Gaudreau near the opponent net, in space because he can turn those touches into instant great chances - he is relentless at that.

In your football analogy: if a team is doubling your WR then another receiver is getting 1 on 1. For nostalgic Stamps fans: If Allen Pitts or someother dynamic American WR was being doubled it was always the Canadian slot who would come up big in playoff games.

DAL was also going with 3 guys along the center line as CGY tried to stretch pass (indirect passes off the wall too) and DAL was just picking it off. So if the pressure is 5 guys from the centre line in - how does CGY beat that pressure and make plays to get out with possession or into the offensive zone?

Not comparing talent on teams but more of a game plan type example:

When Johnny was on Team North America - how was he used? Was he going deep to get the puck and wind up and bring it up? I saw a very electric Gaudreau in that tourney, getting sprung on breakaways, being the distributor on PP, making amazing passes like the one he did for Vali last game.

Against COL I recall reading how they didn't deal with speed down the middle as best as they could. I think these types of things are what they were trying to explore with Lindholm in the middle - and he's good there.

Lindholm and Backlund are excellent 2 way pivots because they play within the structure so well and they both skate (speed, agility etc) very well. Both are also very good offensively. But they aren't the pure offense guys who back people off. In football (soccer) terms they have a more holding midfielder approach than attacking midfielder. Don't get me wrong they are really good offensively and are very high end but I think people (though not me) think you have to have those break the ankle types like they grow on trees.

But chemistry, confidence and consistency in the entire mix of 12 matter. I'm for the team rallying around that. When those are there you get passes that connect, you get guys knowing where team mates want the puck and they kind of put it there early so a guy skates on to it (like a QB throws before the WR has made his break) the anticipation is there and needed with how good all the coaching is in the league.

Rittich, Markstrom the goalies have given me confidence from the outset because of their consistency. Build around that. Grow from that.

PP looked good last game! But the entire team game looked good last game. That should be the standard Flames hockey.

This is probably the biggest issue with the top line in the playoffs, once that line looks to break out of their own zone, the automatic reaction is to defer to Gaudreau and have him do what he does in the regular season and that's to drive hold on to pucks, gain the offensive zone and make plays. But what happens when the opposition decides to instead drop back, double team Gaudreau and keep a good gap on Monahan? Predictably, it lead to turnovers for the opposition and an instant counter attack.

Your center in the playoffs has to be the driver of that line IMO. It's the same reason why every Stanley Cup winning team in recent memory has had a legitimate #1 center or even better, 2 top line centermen. The Flames' top drivers are their wingers which leads to playoff failure as we've seen over the last several decades. Even first ballot Hall of Famer Iggy couldn't get this team over the hump through out his entire tenure as a Flame (minus one year). We have to ask ourselves, are Monahan and Backlund the 1-2 punch that can take the Flames to the next level? I doubt it.

Secondly, the best strategy to break up the trap? It's to probably have your center break out of the zone themselves. Backlund is probably the best example of this on the team. I've seen him defend, turn the puck up ice, skate out of the zone himself and distribute to whichever winger on the side that's the least flooded. It's probably the same reason why centers constantly lead the league in playoff scoring every year, they're just that important. The ability to lead the charge, hold on to pucks, speed up or slow the pace of the breakout and equally distribute to each winger to make things unpredictable is absolutely paramount in my eyes.

Lastly, I also remember an extremely electric performance by Gaudreau in the World Cup. He was arguably their best forward. If memory serves, he played on a line with Nathan Mackinnon and RNH? I do remember how good he was with Mackinnon though, so good that Mackinnon actually said on HNIC After Hours live on air that he wished he could've taken Gaudreau back with him to Colorado. If anything, it's too bad the Flames didn't have a chance to draft Mackinnon because he'd be the perfect franchise center for the Flames. His ability to drive up the middle, dish off to Gaudreau would make this duo probably the best in the league. Johnny as good as he is, he'd be so much more dangerous if he had a linemate that could draw defenders and give him more time and space rather than the other way around.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Backlund was on wing for a pretty short period of time, not the longer Oct. - Feb one in your estimate. 10 games or so.

I never once said that Backlund started the season on the wing. I said that by early February, the coaching staff went back to the top 6 we're currently seeing which is 100% accurate; as in they could've started the season that way, jumbled it all up for whatever time period, but then went back to it again.

[Tsawwassen]

Post game links
https://scores.nbcsports.com/nhl/box...s=3&final=true
http://sportsstats.cbc.ca/hockey/nhl...cap133924.html