GDT FLAMES @ Oilers Sat 16 Oct 2021

[travel_dude]

That was a blwon icing no call.

But anyway, typical result for Flames season opener.

Did we learn anything?

Nope

[LouCifer]

1 minute ago, travel_dude said:

That was a blwon icing no call.

But anyway, typical result for Flames season opener.

Did we learn anything?

Nope

I learned something. McDavid is a good player from the 2015 draft. Wonder if there’s any other good players from that draft that we could acquire? 

[Thebrewcrew]

The streak continues.

 

Played well. Tough playing with 11 forwards, this team isn't deep enough for that. 8 quality NHL forwards and then Lewis/Ritchie and a still-learning Gawdin. 

 

Had a lot of shots, but a ton from the perimeter. 

[The_People1]

We played well.  45 shots.  Had many sequences where we pinned the Oilers in their zone but nothing to show for it.  Smith played great.  We didn't let McDavid score 5-goals so that's a positive.

[robrob74]

The Effort was fine. They held the play, but I feel the same story, a lot of peripheral Play and shots without a lot of bodies for screens or rebounds. We make it too easy on their goalies. They see too much. Even Smith can stop a pick most of the time when he sees it. 

[robrob74]

8 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

We played well.  45 shots.  Had many sequences where we pinned the Oilers in their zone but nothing to show for it.  Smith played great.  We didn't let McDavid score 5-goals so that's a positive.

I think smith also saw most of the shots so the quality of shots were ok, but nhl goalies should stop every one of them. Plus, not enough bodies to the net to wreak more havoc.

[robrob74]

Backlund looked like he was wheeling out there. He has two slugs with him. I’d put Coleman with him when back. It would give us almost 2 second lines. 

[Addicted]

Well the good news is Bennett got a hat trick tonight!!!

 

……oh….

[robrob74]

22 minutes ago, Addicted said:

Well the good news is Bennett got a hat trick tonight!!!

 

……oh….

i heard that too! I might have to go look at the highlights.

 

Our top 6 still look pretty bad. Maybe it looks better with Coleman, but we lack a #1c and play our good #2C as a #1. Backs would be a decent #2 but there just isn’t a #3C to cover. 
 

it’s only game 1 but monahan didn’t look that great and maybe still recovering from his surgery. There’s still a bit of a miss in the top 6 for my liking.

 

thing about Benny is, they weren’t ever going to give him a chance as a C with actual talent so it wasn’t ever going to work. I always said to trade him so he could live up to some of his draft status… but he’s now with a coach that knows how to set up a lineup and has talent there.

 

maybe Dube would work well with Backlund though. I really felt Backlund pushed the play but the guys he was with couldn’t do anything… 

 

I still think we are a RW away and the injuries and suspension shows just how much we lack depth or the carrying of 8D is hurting.

[robrob74]

39 minutes ago, Addicted said:

Well the good news is Bennett got a hat trick tonight!!!

 

……oh….

thing is, just watched the Bennett goals, the thing with the first one, we could use that traffic in front and placement of shot helps for a better rebound. We don’t shoot with that intention enough, placement for a proper rebound. the second goal, he had traffic in front and play moving that way and a good rap around. 
 

again, 3rd goal, he had a 3-on-2 and had options. How often do we have those options? And how often do we close out on those opportunities. 
 

 

[The_People1]

36 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

it’s only game 1 but monahan didn’t look that great and maybe still recovering from his surgery. There’s still a bit of a miss in the top 6 for my liking.

 

Ya sad.  Monahan was mostly invisible tonight.  He's just not fast enough to make plays.  He's a one trick pony and teams don't give him space and time to make that shot anymore.  He has to find another dynamic to his game because he's just not dangerous out there.  He's not making something out of nothing.  He's going to fade into a 4th liner by the end of the year, not even exxagerating. 

[rickross]

Sigh. We pretty much expect to lose the season opener. It wasn’t all bad and it’s only game 1 of course… but they are going to have to find a way to a winning record within the first 15-20 games. Think we’ve become complacent as Flames fans to slow starts, and that’s just heaping piles of bs, we deserve better. I’m really not trying to endure yet another season of mediocrity from this franchise. Hopefully once we have Coleman, Pitlick and Richardson back the team would’ve have found a groove. Looking for a better result on Monday!

[MP5029]

Seems like they payed hard though? I’m on the east coast so did not see the game…hopefully Monahan shows up next game…sounds like he wasn’t too involved. The only other thing is Seems like Markstrom didn’t play well either, but I didn’t see the game…just looking at Stats.

 

all and all, looking at stats alone it looks like they at least out shot the oil sot that’s good… seems like they may have out played them? 
 

 

 

 

[rocketdoctor]

Actually I thought Mony had a good first until the questionable hit by a dicksplash toothless moron in blue.

 

Effort was there all night.  D pairings do not look right but Gudbransson did not look as bad as I thought he would and Vali and Kyl had some really nice plays.

 

On to the Ducks and then a nice road trip for some team bonding.

[JA_Boomer]

9 hours ago, robrob74 said:

Backlund looked like he was wheeling out there. He has two slugs with him. I’d put Coleman with him when back. It would give us almost 2 second lines. 

I thought about this too, but Lucic-Backlund-Dube won't be the end of the world. Lots of decent play together between them.

[cross16]

I didn’t catch the full game but from what I saw there was a lot of good. If the flames play like that more often than not they’ll be in good shape. 
 

PK and Zadarov are the only two things that jump out as problematic. The rest of the game came down to the flames giving up a little too much high quality( that will get fixed) and some bad bounces. 

[flames-fan-in-jets-land]

1 hour ago, cross16 said:

I didn’t catch the full game but from what I saw there was a lot of good. If the flames play like that more often than not they’ll be in good shape. 
 

PK and Zadarov are the only two things that jump out as problematic. The rest of the game came down to the flames giving up a little too much high quality( that will get fixed) and some bad bounces. 

As much as I dont want to say it but Gudbranson looked way better than Zadorov last night. Sure its only one game but I hope Zadorov can settle in sooner rather than later.

[LouCifer]

The PK looked ok to me actually. The first McDavid PP goal was a lucky deflection that happened to land on his tape for a wide open cage. The 2nd McDavid PP goal was us forgetting where 97 was on the ice, and a beautiful one-timer setup. In fact, I find it extremely odd that we continue to keep players on their strong stick side on our PP. that Gaudreau to Lindholm pass would have been buried in the net if Lindholm was left-handed. But, we’ll just keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
 

The Derek Ryan goal was good hand-eye on Ryan’s part, and poor body coverage on ours. We were inside on Ryan and somehow allowed him to get a whack at it 🤷🏻‍♂️. 

 

Gudbranson skated better than I anticipated, but he is a 100% reactionary player. 0% anticipation or hockey smarts. His play is as follows: 1) Ignore the play in the defensive zone  2) only focus on being physical with the opponent in front of the net 3) Allow the opponent to get 3 or 4 whacks at the puck and goalie in front of the net 4) punch or cross check him from behind after the fact. 5) repeat. 
 

As for the offense, I don’t care what the shot clock reads. It’s the same old 1 and done flames. No one in front of the net. Not for a deflection, a pass, nor a rebound - it blows my mind how we create a pentagon in the offensive zone and everybody is within 5ft of the boards. Of course we can’t score. 100 shots from the perimeter might net you 1 or 2 I guess. But, Mangiapane… for all of you who put him in trade proposals I don’t get it. The one guy that BRINGS the puck to the net. HOUNDS the puck in the offensive zone. I mean, name me another player on the flames that looks like he’s trying to score every shift? Im sorry, but I can’t. Im not knocking Chucky’s net front presence, nor Johnny’s penchant for setting up his teammates in the Ozone, but every shift Mangiapane looks like he’s trying to score. I don’t see that from anyone else. 
 

Go ahead and tell me it’s only game 1, and I’ll ask you what you’ve been watching the last 4-5 years. There were some bright spots, but not in the areas we need it the most. 
 

[travel_dude]

3 hours ago, cross16 said:

I didn’t catch the full game but from what I saw there was a lot of good. If the flames play like that more often than not they’ll be in good shape. 
 

PK and Zadarov are the only two things that jump out as problematic. The rest of the game came down to the flames giving up a little too much high quality( that will get fixed) and some bad bounces. 

 

I figured the Zad-Tanev pairing was going to be a problem.

It might be okay for a more grinding style game, but the Oiles are not a grinding team.

Pairing should be a work in progress if they are not absolutely lights out.

Hanifin-Ras was good.

Valimaki-Gudbranson good.

Kaylington-Gudbranson good.

Zadorov-Tanev mixed results.

 

Kylington was flying out there, so the decision to use Zadorov and Valimaki over him were strange.

Zadorov's strengths were not used or absent.

His inabilities were exposed.

 

I do think they need to rework the top 9 a bit, since Lucic and Lewis played okay, but not good enough without the puck.

Yes, the Coleman suspension hurt.

 

Gaudreau-Lindholm is a great combo, but need someone else in there.

Maybe it's Coleman or Dube or Mangiapane.

I would try Coleman I think.

 

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Coleman

Mangiapane-Monahan-Tkachuk

Lucic-Backlund-Dube (until Pitlick is back, then Dube-Backlund-Pitlick)

The 4th line needs work.

With Lucic there, you have two RHS and Lucic.

Without him, three RHS.

 

 

[robrob74]

9 hours ago, MP5029 said:

Seems like they payed hard though? I’m on the east coast so did not see the game…hopefully Monahan shows up next game…sounds like he wasn’t too involved. The only other thing is Seems like Markstrom didn’t play well either, but I didn’t see the game…just looking at Stats.

 

all and all, looking at stats alone it looks like they at least out shot the oil sot that’s good… seems like they may have out played them? 
 

 

 

 

they had control of the puck a lot of the time, had effort around there and kept pucks alive but like in the past few years we were fully kept to the outside and one of the few times we attacked the net, Mangiapane scored. I think Lindholm scored on the PP. Tkachuk had a chance in front but was tight. The rest from what I remember were perimeter shots and no traffic in front. To me it is reminiscent of the years we’ve dominated the corsi stats but still barely won. 
 

markstrom needed to have the Puju goal to keep us only one goal down. They were well positioned to tie it. But it was a play where both D let the middle of the blue line go and no one covering back .D breakdown first and foremost, but it was also a shot from higher slot that a lot of goalies probably save.

 

good effort, especially after a long break. Johnny and Monny didnt play with each other, but aside from a few shifts, Johnny was quiet. Tkachuk played well, but had one dangerous chance but had the most shots I think… 

 

Monahan looks slow still, so I don’t think he had fully recovered. But may need to put Gaudreau back with him so that he isn’t running the offence or trade him with Dube when it comes to the on ice duties. Monny takes the draws but plays a wing for the play. Dube has more mobility. 
 

or try Monahan on Backlund’s wing as Backlund drives the play all over the ice and Monahan can Brett Hull it!

[robrob74]

5 hours ago, JA_Boomer said:

I thought about this too, but Lucic-Backlund-Dube won't be the end of the world. Lots of decent play together between them.

i would do

 

Monahan, Backlund, Dube…

 

or keep it 

 

Mangiapane, Dube, Monahan

 

Monahan takes the draws as he’s great at that.

[robrob74]

5 hours ago, cross16 said:

I didn’t catch the full game but from what I saw there was a lot of good. If the flames play like that more often than not they’ll be in good shape. 
 

PK and Zadarov are the only two things that jump out as problematic. The rest of the game came down to the flames giving up a little too much high quality( that will get fixed) and some bad bounces. 

while I agree, my biggest problem is the perimeter play and getting more higher danger chances. There’s still not enough bodies in front to get the rebounds. Smith could see almost every shot. We shot 45 times but made his life hard on Mangiapane’s goal and maybe Tkachuk’s chance. Any goalie will stop almost all of those shots they took of the 45 and you just make them feel good about themselves. 
 

but I agree, the effort was there. They kept pucks in on the forecheck and made jt hard on their D. But if it continues like this that’s great! But we just need that one more element of giving the goalies a harder time. 

[robrob74]

3 hours ago, lou44291 said:

The PK looked ok to me actually. The first McDavid PP goal was a lucky deflection that happened to land on his tape for a wide open cage. The 2nd McDavid PP goal was us forgetting where 97 was on the ice, and a beautiful one-timer setup. In fact, I find it extremely odd that we continue to keep players on their strong stick side on our PP. that Gaudreau to Lindholm pass would have been buried in the net if Lindholm was left-handed. But, we’ll just keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
 

The Derek Ryan goal was good hand-eye on Ryan’s part, and poor body coverage on ours. We were inside on Ryan and somehow allowed him to get a whack at it 🤷🏻‍♂️. 

 

Gudbranson skated better than I anticipated, but he is a 100% reactionary player. 0% anticipation or hockey smarts. His play is as follows: 1) Ignore the play in the defensive zone  2) only focus on being physical with the opponent in front of the net 3) Allow the opponent to get 3 or 4 whacks at the puck and goalie in front of the net 4) punch or cross check him from behind after the fact. 5) repeat. 
 

As for the offense, I don’t care what the shot clock reads. It’s the same old 1 and done flames. No one in front of the net. Not for a deflection, a pass, nor a rebound - it blows my mind how we create a pentagon in the offensive zone and everybody is within 5ft of the boards. Of course we can’t score. 100 shots from the perimeter might net you 1 or 2 I guess. But, Mangiapane… for all of you who put him in trade proposals I don’t get it. The one guy that BRINGS the puck to the net. HOUNDS the puck in the offensive zone. I mean, name me another player on the flames that looks like he’s trying to score every shift? Im sorry, but I can’t. Im not knocking Chucky’s net front presence, nor Johnny’s penchant for setting up his teammates in the Ozone, but every shift Mangiapane looks like he’s trying to score. I don’t see that from anyone else. 
 

Go ahead and tell me it’s only game 1, and I’ll ask you what you’ve been watching the last 4-5 years. There were some bright spots, but not in the areas we need it the most. 
 

I agree! It doesn’t make sense to me, especially with a great passer like Gaudreau! He should be setting up those passes for either Monahan or lindholm.

 

[robrob74]

2 hours ago, travel_dude said:

 

I figured the Zad-Tanev pairing was going to be a problem.

It might be okay for a more grinding style game, but the Oiles are not a grinding team.

Pairing should be a work in progress if they are not absolutely lights out.

Hanifin-Ras was good.

Valimaki-Gudbranson good.

Kaylington-Gudbranson good.

Zadorov-Tanev mixed results.

 

Kylington was flying out there, so the decision to use Zadorov and Valimaki over him were strange.

Zadorov's strengths were not used or absent.

His inabilities were exposed.

 

I do think they need to rework the top 9 a bit, since Lucic and Lewis played okay, but not good enough without the puck.

Yes, the Coleman suspension hurt.

 

Gaudreau-Lindholm is a great combo, but need someone else in there.

Maybe it's Coleman or Dube or Mangiapane.

I would try Coleman I think.

 

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Coleman

Mangiapane-Monahan-Tkachuk

Lucic-Backlund-Dube (until Pitlick is back, then Dube-Backlund-Pitlick)

The 4th line needs work.

With Lucic there, you have two RHS and Lucic.

Without him, three RHS.

 

 

we already know Tkachuk works with either Lindholm or Backlund. 
 

We know Gaudreau works with Lindholm and sometimes Monahan. 
 

go 

 

Gaudreau, Lindholm, Coleman

Tkachuk, Backlund, Mangiapane 

Dube, Monahan, Pitlick

Lucic, Xxx, Lewis

 

Hanifin, Andersson 

Kylington, Tanev

Valamaki, Stone

 

 

[rickross]

4 hours ago, lou44291 said:

The PK looked ok to me actually. The first McDavid PP goal was a lucky deflection that happened to land on his tape for a wide open cage. The 2nd McDavid PP goal was us forgetting where 97 was on the ice, and a beautiful one-timer setup. In fact, I find it extremely odd that we continue to keep players on their strong stick side on our PP. that Gaudreau to Lindholm pass would have been buried in the net if Lindholm was left-handed. But, we’ll just keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
 

The Derek Ryan goal was good hand-eye on Ryan’s part, and poor body coverage on ours. We were inside on Ryan and somehow allowed him to get a whack at it 🤷🏻‍♂️. 

 

Gudbranson skated better than I anticipated, but he is a 100% reactionary player. 0% anticipation or hockey smarts. His play is as follows: 1) Ignore the play in the defensive zone  2) only focus on being physical with the opponent in front of the net 3) Allow the opponent to get 3 or 4 whacks at the puck and goalie in front of the net 4) punch or cross check him from behind after the fact. 5) repeat. 
 

As for the offense, I don’t care what the shot clock reads. It’s the same old 1 and done flames. No one in front of the net. Not for a deflection, a pass, nor a rebound - it blows my mind how we create a pentagon in the offensive zone and everybody is within 5ft of the boards. Of course we can’t score. 100 shots from the perimeter might net you 1 or 2 I guess. But, Mangiapane… for all of you who put him in trade proposals I don’t get it. The one guy that BRINGS the puck to the net. HOUNDS the puck in the offensive zone. I mean, name me another player on the flames that looks like he’s trying to score every shift? Im sorry, but I can’t. Im not knocking Chucky’s net front presence, nor Johnny’s penchant for setting up his teammates in the Ozone, but every shift Mangiapane looks like he’s trying to score. I don’t see that from anyone else. 
 

Go ahead and tell me it’s only game 1, and I’ll ask you what you’ve been watching the last 4-5 years. There were some bright spots, but not in the areas we need it the most. 
 

This exactly. F all this “it’s just 1 game” and it’s “early”. We adopted a bit of a losers mentality as Flames fans. This team  has been notoriously plagued by poor starts , think we actually hold the record for consecutive season opening loses so yeah let’s stop this bleeding right now. Instead of the consolation always being about how hard they tried it’s time the final result is the all about the W. Not to mention we lost to the filthy Oilers…we’re already 4 pts back of them now. It’s go time, every single game should be a must win mentality for this team of underachievers