[Game Takes] Leafs 2 Flames 1 (OT)

[Bingo]

Game Takes:
Leafs 2 Flames 1 (OT)

- wasn't pretty!
- David Rittich was ON
- Late goal almost gave the Flames a victory
- right team won

[Jeff Lebowski]

Is this a team of checkers? Is that what they tried to achieve in the draft and trades??

[David Struch]

#Flames C Mikael Backlund: “Coming in here, playing against the best team in the division so far and getting three out of four, that’s pretty good. The way we were playing going into this trip, we’ll take three out of four.”

https://twitter.com/WesGilbertson/st...74096408514560

[Strange Brew]

Goalie controversy!

[Enoch Root]

God, I hate the'3 out 4 points against the best team in the division' garbage.

The Flames should be the best team in the division

[FlamesAddiction]

Getting constantly outshot by a large margin is an issue.

That game where Vancouver outshot us 47-19 was only 2 shots away from tying the regular season record for outshooting an opponent. Anaheim outshot the Sharks 43-13 in 2008 and holds that record. We came close to seeing barf that hadn't been seen in 13 years.

And this has been almost every game this season where they get outshot substantially. IF there is a record somewhere for shot differential over a whole season, the Flames might make a good run at it even in a shortened season.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Getting constantly outshot by a large margin is an issue.

That game where Vancouver outshot us 47-19 was only 2 shots away from tying the regular season record for outshooting an opponent. Anaheim outshot the Sharks 43-13 in 2008 and holds that record. We came close to seeing barf that hadn't been seen in 13 years.

And this has been almost every game this season where they get outshot substantially. IF there is a record somewhere for shot differential over a whole season, the Flames might make a good run at it even in a shortened season.

Probably not, as there are 10 teams with a worse shot differential in the NHL this year. The Flames are -1.8 per game.

So, they are certainly not getting outshot substantially almost every game. In fact, other than that Vancouver game you mention, the Flames have been around even.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

God, I hate the'3 out 4 points against the best team in the division' garbage.

The Flames should be the best team in the division

Wait...you expected this team to be the best in the division??

Based on what..........adding Markstrom?

This is the same group of core players that was close to missing the playoffs last season, was a minus differential as goals go yet had special teams among the top half pf the league...and you think one significant addition was changing the entire ability of the club to the degree they would be among the best in hockey?

Do you think that maybe your expectations were unrealistic?

[Bingo]

I thought they would be 2nd/3rd in the division. Still possible.

But I don't like the trend to sit on tie games and hope for the best. A decent first with too many penalties and they literally played for a tie the rest of the way.

Ugly to watch.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

God, I hate the'3 out 4 points against the best team in the division' garbage.

The Flames should be the best team in the division

This is where we are falling down right now as a fanbase.

From a talent perspective, this is the 4th or 5th best team in the division. The talent we do have is rather lazy talent. We have elite goaltending, above average D, and depth up front that lacks high end skill.

Nothing about our roster construction to me screams the Flames should be the best team in the division.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I thought they would be 2nd/3rd in the division. Still possible.

But I don't like the trend to sit on tie games and hope for the best. A decent first with too many penalties and they literally played for a tie the rest of the way.

Ugly to watch.

I agree its ugly to watch...but then again it was last year as well even if not to the same degree.

But from the start (and after they announced that it would be 6 different opponents all season with "sets" of games), i thought they would be fighting for a playoff spot right to the end...just like last year. It's hard to beat the same team 2 or 3 times in a row in the NHL. Its why we rarely see sweeps in the playoffs even between the top team and the bottom seed.

Not sure anything occurred that should have changed that perception for this club beyond Markstrom, and one guy is not enough to make up the gap this club has in regards to the elite teams of the regular season. The Leafs have been on the verge of getting there for a coupe years now, and it looks like they have arrived. Calgary was behind the Oilers and tied with the Canucks when covid interrupted things. Then you add the Jets into the mix and all of a sudden things get quite muddled...at least on paper.

I dunno...i think 3rd or 4th was written all over Calgary from day 1, and i was fine with that at least for this season. just get in and then with the addition in the crease, maybe get on a roll and see what happens. That is still well within their grasp with not even close to half the year played. Obviously this next 2 weeks will decide a lot however.

[Bingo]

Always had a feeling that gimme points that were getting piled up against Ottawa wouldn't be there with Calgary not playing them in their first 20 games ... and here we are.

Doesn't change anything.

Calgary has to beat teams that won't make the playoffs, but it's going to take more focus than just showing up and winning 7-1.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Wait...you expected this team to be the best in the division??

Based on what..........adding Markstrom?

This is the same group of core players that was close to missing the playoffs last season, was a minus differential as goals go yet had special teams among the top half pf the league...and you think one significant addition was changing the entire ability of the club to the degree they would be among the best in hockey?

Do you think that maybe your expectations were unrealistic?

No, I think that you have to reach further to achieve your goals. Demand more. (referring to the team, not the fans)

This team led the division 2 years ago. They slipped last year, but it is the same players, the same core, that was 2nd overall the year before. So obviously, they are capable. And they added an elite goalie, which is a big difference maker.

Run properly, and with a better coach, this team should be competing for the division lead, not trying to squeak into the playoffs.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

This is where we are falling down right now as a fanbase.

From a talent perspective, this is the 4th or 5th best team in the division. The talent we do have is rather lazy talent. We have elite goaltending, above average D, and depth up front that lacks high end skill.

Nothing about our roster construction to me screams the Flames should be the best team in the division.

lol

You are right about one thing: "this is where we are falling down right now as a fanbase"

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

No, I think that you have to reach further to achieve your goals. Demand more. (referring to the team, not the fans)

This team led the division 2 years ago. They slipped last year, but it is the same players, the same core, that was 2nd overall the year before. So obviously, they are capable. And they added an elite goalie, which is a big difference maker.

Run properly, and with a better coach, this team should be competing for the division lead, not trying to squeak into the playoffs.

I've honestly wondered if the Colorado playoff series was the end for this group as it is.

The Avalanche gave the rest of the league the book on managing Gaudreau and Monahan and they haven't been the same since.

I don't think they can just go back to the 2018-19 (first three quarters of the season) Flames.

The league is wise to that group, and that group was also probably playing unsustainable hockey.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I've honestly wondered if the Colorado playoff series was the end for this group as it is.

The Avalanche gave the rest of the league the book on managing Gaudreau and Monahan and they haven't been the same since.

I don't think they can just go back to the 2018-19 (first three quarters of the season) Flames.

The league is wise to that group, and that group was also probably playing unsustainable hockey.

It's about adjustments.

And the Flames - the whole team, not just Gaudreau and Monahan - have been very slow to the take on making adjustments.

But that does not mean they aren't talented. They didn't just lose their talent as a group.

[Enoch Root]

Look at the new guys like Leivo and Simon

Leivo: 0.527 PPG last year, 0.118 this year

Simon: 0.344 PPG last year, zero this year

Nordstrom: 0.354 PPG last year, zero this year

Did they all forget how to hockey? Or is there something wrong with the system?

[Enoch Root]

Look at the Flames over the last 3 years (5 on 5 goals):

2018/19: 188 goals, 2.29 GPG (2nd)

2019/20: 133 goals, 1.90 GPG (21st)

2020/21: 32 goals, 1.60 GPG, (24th)

Are they getting less talented?

Is the league 'wise' to them, but not to the other teams in the league - just the Flames have been figured out?

It isn't complicated - they are the same team but they are not performing at the same level

[Enoch Root]

One thing I was thinking about last night, while watching the game: I think they are out of shape.

They play slow. They play at 70% most of the time. When they get the puck, they slow it down.

These things were not the case 2 years ago. Under Hartley, they were one of the fittest teams, and played at a very high tempo. Now, they play at the slowest tempo of any team I have watched this year.

I don't get to see practices, but I am willing to bet that they practice at a very slow tempo as well.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Look at the Flames over the last 3 years (5 on 5 goals):

2018/19: 188 goals, 2.29 GPG (2nd)

2019/20: 133 goals, 1.90 GPG (21st)

2020/21: 32 goals, 1.60 GPG, (24th)

Are they getting less talented?

Is the league 'wise' to them, but not to the other teams in the league - just the Flames have been figured out?

It isn't complicated - they are the same team but they are not performing at the same level

18/19 was the exception, not the norm.

I don't know what else we need to see to reinforce this.