cross16

The effort is fine but the execution isn’t very good and the composure is worse. For a team that was so strong I’m both of those areas during the season that is where the disappointment is coming from for me. They are also trending down. I liked a lot of what they did in game 1 and I think they lose a little more every game. that’s where the comparison to previous playoffs is for me. Getting pulled away from their game and not adjusting as they as good or respond to other teams adjustments. And of course the theme of the flames best player not being their best players, or being out played by the other teams best players is continuing as well.

that’s a miss read from Anderson imo. There was no need for him to play it that aggressively with Dube there on the back check. hard to blame Hanifin, or any player, for not reacting fast enough to another players error.

if we are being fair,that was Anderson on the Pavelski go ahead goal.

yes but you knew that was going to be the case. That’s how Dallas plays. So it highlights the importance of the PP and the need to get to the net. 2 areas the flames have not been good at during the series.

I don’t agree. Teams have played this way against Calgary for months, if they weren’t prepared for this thats on them. once again the Flames best players are laying an egg in the post season. I have a hard time giving Dallas that much credit when players don’t play at their best.

I don’t know what it is with this franchise and the first round but so far they are continuing the theme Back to back poor games from the flames who are slowly choking away this series. Once again Flames best players don’t get the job done. the flames still CAN win this series but boy is it hard to believe they will with how they are playing right now.

This is just stupid. There is no need for the flames to play this way.

More dumb hockey and a lack of composure from the flames. this series isn’t over but this is feeling like Colorado all over again.

Flames just not getting to their game. Composure lacking,not coming out of the zone well and still not getting to the front of the net enough. It feels like they are trying to be a different team and are getting away from what was so successful during the season. PP a huge impact too. The number one unit has been good but the number 2 unit has been terrible. im very surprised with how the Flames have played these last 2 games.

Backlund is drawing the Robertson line and shadowing them so where they start is tied to them. I personally don't like the idea of Jankrok as the shadow, especially given that Mang/Backs have been really good at it. If there were to make a change I think you swap Toffoli and Coleman but at the same time i get the rationale of keeping Coleman with those 2. End of the day I don't think it matters if players are not playing at their best and I think that is the culprit here, not the lines.

I don't see the rationale in making changes or panicking. it's a 1-1 series that also is essentially tied 1-1 too (I don't count empty net goals) in terms of goals and the Flames have been in control far more than the Stars. They need to make some tweaks in certain areas and I think play a little harder game in the o zone but i don't see what mixing things up is going to accomplish. Be harder in front of the net and have their best players be their best players and they will be fine.

This is the biggest storyline for me so far. I understand the Flames top line not necessarily putting points on the board but they haven't even been a pace or momentum changer. Really under performing. I think the lack of flow and lack of consistently 5 on 5 is a reason but at the same time can't be an excuse.

I thikn they need to focus on the cycle game. I thought they were too quick to shoot last night and were shooting from bad areas. Must have been at least 8-10 point shots where someone fired it directly into a Dallas player. That puck has to start going low-high in an effort to get those high dmen out of the way, or they need to stop directly shots and not just blasting it. Start moving the puck low-high or around the boards and grind them down similar to what they did in Game 1 and I think you'll loosen up coverage and start to wear them down a bit if they are on their heels defending all the time. Then get some traffic and people fighting towards the net. They are gaining the zone and moving through the neutral zone pretty well, even against the trap, and I thought were doing an above avg job on puck retrievals too. Just not maintaining enough o zone time and settling for bad shots. For as well as Ottingers stats look i don't actually think he's been great. He gave up multiple rebounds last night there was just no one there to get them. Again, really need some players to get to that home plate are and starting putting those on net.

Interesting thanks. Happens way more than I would have guessed haha.

Pretty surprised with that game to be honest. I thought the Flames came out with the wrong game plan and seemed to think they could run Dallas out of the building. Focused on way too much of a physical game and multiple times they cost themselves by getting out of position to try and play physical. After all the Klingberg stuff you would have thought maybe it would be Dallas who would overcompensate physical, which is why I was very surprised to see the Flames do it. Need to trust in their game a lot more and realize they are the better team so play like it. No need to change your formula. Dallas wrote the book on how you defend a lead last night, but at the same time the Flames are making it way too easy on them. No one is battling to get in front of the net, no traffic, settling for low volume point shots even though there are 3-4 defenders in the way, shooting into blocks. It was a really poor offensive showing from the Flames last night and they are going to need to show a heck of a lot more effort and attention to detail in the o zone. I thought they struggled with breakouts in the first period but once they got out of the 4 on 4 game I thought they were fine entering the zone they just did nothing with it when it was there and that's the same story now 2 game in a row. Dallas is doing nothing offensively, but that isn't a surprise, but Flames are doing nothing to and that is a surprise to me so far through 2 games. Doesn't help that Gaudreau has been really ineffective and through 2 games he really looks like playoff Gaudreau. That's a concern for the Flames IMO. I hope getting on the road gets them to relax a bit and find their game but I have to admit my concern level for this series is not zero anymore. More than a few concerning trends for the Flames through 2 games.

Goalie of the year as a rookie would feel rare to me. Wonder if that's been done before? What a resume he has already. This is now the 3rd year in a row Wolf has won top goalie in the league he was in. He was back to back winner in the WHL and now the AHL so 3 straight years in a row. That's incredible.

I kind of of expect that series to go back and forth a lot depending on whose goalie plays better on a given night. Weakness for both teams IMO. But LA has to find some answers to the PP. Hard to do but real hard to win in the playoffs if your giving up 2 PPGs a game and have to still contend with McDavid.

And to be fair Dallas is one of the best defensive teams in the league so should come as no surprised that they would adjust like that or be very good at it. Just think the Flames will need to make adjustments but i'm sure they will. I think on a positive side it was nice to see the Flames being ok with how the game played out. Dallas was trying to slow them down, take away the middle and Flames just went "cool we're up 1-0 anyway.. go nuts". No panic in the game at all. I'm with you on Toffoli I don't think they've quite found a home for him yet. Thought he was solid in Game 1 though and that line, seemed to be the preferred line to face the Robertson line and I do think they did a good job limiting chances.

Mitch Love named coach of the year in the AHL. Looked like a pretty astute hire when they did it and seems to be playing out that way. Very real chance the Flames organization will have the coach of the year in both the NHL and AHL at the end of the year.

Be interesting to see if they try or Bowness tires to put a lid on that. I don't think Dallas is built to play that style of game they need to stay patient so if they want to "come after" guys and get away from their game I think that favors the Flames.

Mostly well played game from the Flames. Certainly were very sharp in their own end and came to play physically. Only critique I would have is their PP and they are going to need to make some adjustments in the o zone. Dallas did a great job taking away the middle of the ice so I think the Flames are going to have to tweak their cycle game to get some more quality on net. That game really shouldn't have been 1-0 given how well the Flames played in the first and the amount of PPs they had. But I thought outside of 10 mins in the 2nd the Flames were in full control of the game basically from start to finish. Score didn't really match how this game played out which is why more breathing room, especailly in the playoffs, would be nice. I really hope Gaudreau builds on his last few shifts. Didn't think he was very good in the first 2 periods. Playing very tentative but those last few shifts in the 3rd were excellent. Tkachuk and Dube were their 2 best forwards I thought. Fantastic game from both of them.

Even just in the playoffs. I mean I hate it all the time because I think the risk far outweighs the reward but in the playoffs why bother? Every goal against is such a killer in the playoffs it just makes no sense to me what coaches are allowing that style of play. It's a fair point to bring up someone like Favre in the sense of this has always been Smith so how do you just get him to stop but at some point enough is enough. But Smith is probably my least favorite goalie of all time so I am biased

Pretty crazy to me that after all this evidence and all the goals against caused that a coach wouldn't simply pull Smith aside as say "don't do that".

I don't have a rule that clarifies either way, but I've seen multiple players on ATO's play in the playoffs so I'm pretty confident the answer is Yes.

Beck to join Stockton. Good for him although i wondered if maybe they would want him to rest. Be good for him to keep skating though.