[Game Takes] Flames 6 Avalanche 5

[Bingo]

Flames 6 Avalanche 5

- Smith struggles
- Powerplay goal!
- Neal snipe
- huge comeback
- Bennett bout

[cam_wmh]

Great write-up, except I give Rittich the reins indefinitely, not until he loses. I even consider calling up Gillies.

Smith was beyond bad.

[Strange Brew]

Thanks again Bingo.

I'm not so sure Rittich gets the net against Chicago. I am quite sure that Peters and company still believe that Smith is their starter and the priority is to get him going. The W, combined with Smith's play in the third I think means Smith gets another start.

I know it's not popular, but that is what I would do too. Give Smith the net on Saturday and if he is still shaky, look at giving Rittich two of the three starts in California next week.

But I get the other argument. A few days off after Saturday so you don't want Rittich going cold.

[DeluxeMoustache]

So a friend of mine has a beer league goalie who tells his team “You guys score 10, I’ll take care of the rest.” Funny guy. Because he is a beer league goalie.

It’s not funny if he is a NHL goalie. Just saying

Bennett. Never mind needing to get points. I can’t believe his TOI was only 8:54. How much more involved does he have to get in order to get more ice time?

Outraged

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Great win

[simonarea]

Hamonic is solid. He plays physical, simple and solid game. Every team needs a guy like him to win

[Kovaz]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

So a friend of mine has a beer league goalie who tells his team “You guys score 10, I’ll take care of the rest.” Funny guy. Because he is a beer league goalie.

It’s not funny if he is a NHL goalie. Just saying

Bennett. Never mind needing to get points. I can’t believe his TOI was only 8:54. How much more involved does he have to get in order to get more ice time?

Outraged

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Great win

Bennett missed the whole third period with his penalties. 9:00 in 2 periods puts him on pace for 13:30 which is pretty reasonable 3rd line minutes

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Kovaz

Bennett missed the whole third period with his penalties. 9:00 in 2 periods puts him on pace for 13:30 which is pretty reasonable 3rd line minutes

I was kidding

Bennett was the TSN turning point

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

So a friend of mine has a beer league goalie who tells his team “You guys score 10, I’ll take care of the rest.” Funny guy. Because he is a beer league goalie.

It’s not funny if he is a NHL goalie. Just saying

Bennett. Never mind needing to get points. I can’t believe his TOI was only 8:54. How much more involved does he have to get in order to get more ice time?

Outraged

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Great win

It seems like Frolik and Bennett has taken turns on getting their TOI slashed, which is strange since both has been playing well. On the other hand it's probably sort of a numbers game for Peter, as he also has Czarnik sitting who has not been bad either. Bennett needs to get more TOI consistently though, he seems hell bent on breaking out but have not quite found the groove yet. Get him there Bill!

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by crapshoot

It seems like Frolik and Bennett has taken turns on getting their TOI slashed, which is strange since both has been playing well. On the other hand it's probably sort of a numbers game for Peter, as he also has Czarnik sitting who has not been bad either. Bennett needs to get more TOI consistently though, he seems hell bent on breaking out but have not quite found the groove yet. Get him there Bill!

Bennett had like 17 minutes of penalties.

[DeluxeMoustache]

What were the matchups. I know the Avs big line came up empty.
Did the Backlund line actually get most of these minutes and shut down the MacKinnon trio?

[Hockey-and_stuff]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

What were the matchups. I know the Avs big line came up empty.
Did the Backlund line actually get most of these minutes and shut down the MacKinnon trio?

3M were a combined 6 points and +8 against MacKinnon and co. who ended the night at -9 with the only point from the top line being Landeskogs late tally.

[shutout]

Dube is starting to have less of an impact on games and is starting to remind me of Lazar in Ottawa. Playing on the fourth line and worrying about energy instead of offense. Time to send Dube down to Stockton and get him playing top six minutes and help him develop his pro offensive upside. This is just going to destroy his future.

I would push Rittich slowly to see how much work he can take. Start by alternating him and Smith each game regardless of how they played. Then see if Rittich does well at 50% if he can play two of three games, or if he needs to play only one of three games. Smith looks like he is destined to be a backup to a young goalie somewhere next year, time to see if Rittich is that guy or if he is just a future backup. But make the transition smoothly, instead of just all or nothing.

I like the way that Czarnik plays and would definitely have him playing and Hathaway sitting.

[Bingo]

The McKinnon summary (proxy for top line)

Numbers from McKinnon's side

Brodie/Giordano
14.5 min 32% CF 30% SCF 30% HDCF

3M Line
10 min 26% CF 23% SCF 30% HDCF

Cgy's Top Line
4 min 55% CF 67% SCF 67% HDCF

Hamonic/Hanifin
2.5 min 25% CF 25% SCF 50% HDCF

Bennett/Jankowski/Neal
3 min 30% CF 25% SCF 0% HDCF

Only crack of light they saw all night was against the Monahan line, everyone else shut them down. Brodie / Giordano were amazing.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Great write-up, except I give Rittich the reins indefinitely, not until he loses. I even consider calling up Gillies.

Smith was beyond bad.

Just what this team needs, a 3 headed goalie monster again.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by shutout

Dube is starting to have less of an impact on games and is starting to remind me of Lazar in Ottawa. Playing on the fourth line and worrying about energy instead of offense. Time to send Dube down to Stockton and get him playing top six minutes and help him develop his pro offensive upside. This is just going to destroy his future.

I would push Rittich slowly to see how much work he can take. Start by alternating him and Smith each game regardless of how they played. Then see if Rittich does well at 50% if he can play two of three games, or if he needs to play only one of three games. Smith looks like he is destined to be a backup to a young goalie somewhere next year, time to see if Rittich is that guy or if he is just a future backup. But make the transition smoothly, instead of just all or nothing.

I like the way that Czarnik plays and would definitely have him playing and Hathaway sitting.

Dube had a big impact on last night's game. He was tremendous on the forecheck.

Stockton is more likely to harm him than help him IMO. Did Poirier/Shinkaruk/Sven etc. benefit or "find their NHL game" there? That was what was expected each time and it didn't happen. Players seem to learn more when thrust into the NHL game as soon as possible, these days.

If Czarnik comes in I suspect it might be Jankowski sitting.

[The Boy Wonder]

I think you have to give the net to Rittich if you want long term success this season and in the future. Now is the time to test him. If smith is the classy veteran who is as driven as everyone says then losing his defacto starter status hopefully lights a fire and turns it into a battle between the two.

Smith will go on a run of good games this year, but I am not convinced it will be very lengthy and we need Rittich to be the Kincaid to Smith's schneider if we plan on making noise in April.

I would debate that smith had a solid third period, he looked extremely shaky on most saves, and got lucky more than anything else. Again, he wasn't making saves to bail out the team when there are defensive breakdowns, which is what you need from your #1. The team played so well defensively in the third that he wasn't truly tested.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by simonarea

Hamonic is solid. He plays physical, simple and solid game. Every team needs a guy like him to win

He had the one misplay on the lob, but the goal was mostly on Hamonic there. the rest of the game he was great, and he was up on the offence more than usual too (especially in the first).

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He had the one misplay on the lob, but the goal was mostly on Hamonic there. the rest of the game he was great, and he was up on the offence more than usual too (especially in the first).

The puck dies and he has to turn flat footed ... Hanifin races over to make sure the guy can't drive the net.

The culprit? Monahan coasting into the slot covering nobody.

[Huntingwhale]

I think Dube is doing fine with the Flames. He's not getting goals, but he's getting chances. It also should be noted that this is the best 4th line the Flames have had for a long time. They actually dictate the pace, get chances, pin the other team in the offensive zone, and can skate and make plays. Dube is a big part of that. Same with Ryan. Sure there's some concern about their lack of offence. But they aren't hurting the team and Peters isn't afraid to use them.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Dube had a big impact on last night's game. He was tremendous on the forecheck.

Stockton is more likely to harm him than help him IMO. Did Poirier/Shinkaruk/Sven etc. benefit or "find their NHL game" there? That was what was expected each time and it didn't happen. Players seem to learn more when thrust into the NHL game as soon as possible, these days.

If Czarnik comes in I suspect it might be Jankowski sitting.

I thought Jankowski may have had his best game of the season last night. He stays in.

I do agree on Dube though, his speed is making things happen, and his intelligence means he's not a fourth line liability. As I said yesterday he's good as long as they don't think he's losing his confidence and needs some AHL time to get his mojo back.

Hathaway certainly adds grit and anger ... pretty consistently this season. He looked good last night, but his numbers suggest they get out played when he's on the ice pretty badly.

Czarnik just looks to be the guy out right now. When he's come in he hasn't done enough to stay.