cross16

A well deserved lead and cushion. This has been a well played game by the Flames.

Flames neutral zone game has been excellent. Dallas really not getting through much tonight. those last few shifts were textbook

Big time players make big time plays in big time games. well done Johnny

If the flames can not take bad penalties that be great.

Best adjustment the Flames have made is putting Mang-Backs-Coleman back together. Been great

Ottenger is the story tonight. He’s been stellar. I do think the flames aim is a bit off but that happens. Ottengers made no mistakes despite constant pressure.

Like a perfect pass on the only goal of the game so far? I’ve liked his game. He is dominating below the dots.

i think you reaching if you think there is any flames player not playing hard right now. Pretty engaged from top to bottom in this one.

Backlund has been fantastic tonight.

Johnny has to bury that.

I mean the flames got away with a trip in the corner so it’s hard to be upset with that penalty. Mang shouldn’t be so lazy with his stick

they play against one of the worst defensive teams in the nhl.

Flames are doing a lot of things right but still don’t love their play in the o zone. The middle of the ice and slot is starting to open up but they arnt finding it.

i see it differently and so does the data. Top line has had moments but haven’t generated near the volume and quality they did during the regular season and haven’t been very consistent. Middle six has generated decent volume of chances just no finish. both would be great but I’m also a firm believer that I’m order to win a series you need your best players to be that. Hasn’t been the case so far.

i get why they went away from it, it was too top heavy. But since the acquisitions I think they have the depth to pull it off. kind of late to experiment now. There must be something wit the idea of Dube-Jankrok and Toffoli Sutter doesn’t like. And I’m all fairness he could be right.

This is the type of game where if you want to be a great player you need to be the catalyst in games like these. Gaudreau and Tkachuk have not been very good in this series and those are the 2 players I have my eye on tonight. Can’t be a franchise player if you don’t put the team on your back in key moments.

Mang- Backs - Coleman was a beast of a line this year. Their 2nd best line outside of the top line. If they are looking for a spark that is the line I would go back to.

Yikes...... Definetly not the way i'd go. Message to Backs-toffoli I think and try to get them a more physical presence on the line but someone who still isn't a liability defensively. Lewis was all over the ice in Game 3. Get him and Lucic to forecheck and hopefully open up some ice for Mang. That's my logic anyway. Still don't like it.

I think Winnipeg makes a ton of sense but i'm not sure they would be prepared to pay him. It's a interesting connecting given how in his post season press conference Statsny drew comparison to the Flames hiring Sutter and how they turned things around. i think the Jets needs a dman or 2 but the parallels are there and a coach like Trotz could pull it off. Would expect the Flyers to make the biggest push though. Most intriguing though to me is Vegas. I know Deboer is relative new there and I don't blame him for what happened there but the reality is Vegas wants to win, team wasn't good defensively, and they will pull moves like this if it means they can win. It checks some boxes.

boy in less than a year? I mean i'm not surprised as I don't think the hire made sense in the first place but still weird.

According to Weeks Markstrom will be a Vezina finalist. Don't think that's a surprise. This is Shesterkin's to lose I think though. Will be shocked if it's not him.

Big name coach available. Will likely be a bidding war for his services but I imagine he'll wait as I'm sure there are teams in the playoffs that would love to talk to him.

Been a strange series I think. I actually think Leafs have played pretty well but basically whenever TBay's stars decide they want to be stars they win and then follow it up with a less than stellar effort and Leafs take over. Hedman in particular seems to be the linchpin on that one. Kind of a weird way for a series to play out IMO.

I don't think this is fair and you can make the same argument for Dallas. I don't like some of what the Flames are doing, and I don't think they are playing to their full potential but Dallas is playing the best hockey they can (IMO) and the Flame are a bounce away from being up 2-1 or 3-0 themselves. Speaks to how close the series is.

Here is the difference for me in one image. Dallas is fighting to get to the net and the middle and the flames are not. Too content with easy perimeter shots which is why I don’t think the story is Ottinger. He’s been good don’t get me wrong but he isn’t the story IMO.