Playoffs GDT Stars @ FLAMES - Game 7 - Sunday 15 May 2022

[cross16]

If the Flames can play like they did last night they are going to be just fine. Could for sure stand to clean up a few things in their own zone but they really showed up really to battle and take it to Dallas. Pretty impressive showing in a game 7 from this group. I've criticized the approach at times in this series to Ottengers great play but the Flames threw everything at him last night. Sutter is right they deserved that one. 

 

Smith has been real good in the playoffs but the odds that he is going to give you Ottenger level goaltending are pretty small. The health of Tanev is a big question mark but if the Flames play the Oilers they way the played Dallas (for the most part) they are going to be just fine. 

[travel_dude]

Two games this series where we put 54+ shots on net.

Last night was 52 in regulation.

Against a tight defensive team.

Yes, a lot were perimeter.

 

The Oilers will be a challenge, but more from their speed than anything else.

They don't block nearly as much as Dallas.

[phoenix66]

29 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

Lucic has moved on.  He was slighted there.  It took some time for him to develop the healthy Oilers hate.  He's not about to run a player like McD, but he's not going to avoid contact.  You do what you need to.  If McD plays dirty the way he did against LA, then he is fair game.  Drai will see a lot of the boards, no doubt.

 

The thing about this series is that we need to play physical to draw them off their game, but slow down the speed to a grinding type.  Look for the seams and exploit them.  Pick off the Nurse passes because he doesn't see the ice, just one player.  Backlund needs to continue his stellar play from the last few games.  Good to see a full games of Coleman playing with him.  Mangiapane was actually playing much better when passes went to him or Coleman for the first strike.  Rebounds existed.

 

Get to Smith early.  Don't give him shoot-ins to get a chance to play the puck.  Put it in diagonal so he gets frustrated.  He will then come out  at the worst time to get a touch.

whats the over under on the Lucic -Kassian Fight Game?  I'll say Game 3 in Edmonton lol

[The_People1]

32 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

Lucic has moved on.  He was slighted there.  It took some time for him to develop the healthy Oilers hate.  He's not about to run a player like McD, but he's not going to avoid contact.  You do what you need to.  If McD plays dirty the way he did against LA, then he is fair game.  Drai will see a lot of the boards, no doubt.

 

The thing about this series is that we need to play physical to draw them off their game, but slow down the speed to a grinding type.  Look for the seams and exploit them.  Pick off the Nurse passes because he doesn't see the ice, just one player.  Backlund needs to continue his stellar play from the last few games.  Good to see a full games of Coleman playing with him.  Mangiapane was actually playing much better when passes went to him or Coleman for the first strike.  Rebounds existed.

 

Get to Smith early.  Don't give him shoot-ins to get a chance to play the puck.  Put it in diagonal so he gets frustrated.  He will then come out  at the worst time to get a touch.

 

Lucic was a huge factor against DAL.  All series long, DAL just gave Lucic the puck along the boards.  Didn't even want to engage with him... It almost costed DAL in OT that one shift where Lucic/Lewis got in on the cycle.  DAL just let Lucic have the puck.

 

It was weird to see actually.  I don't think the Oilers will play Lucic that soft.

[phoenix66]

5 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

Two games this series where we put 54+ shots on net.

Last night was 52 in regulation.

Against a tight defensive team.

Yes, a lot were perimeter.

 

The Oilers will be a challenge, but more from their speed than anything else.

They don't block nearly as much as Dallas.

The advice Bill Torre Gave Brian Burke is still accurate :

 

 

“My whole philosophy of building teams, I owe to Bill Torrey (legendary Islanders GM). After we won (in Anaheim), I called him and thanked him. I asked him once, you won four straight Cups — people can argue that might have been one of the greatest teams ever — I’m a young GM, can you educate me on this? He said, it’s very simple. You have to win four playoff series to win a Stanley Cup, 16 games. He said, your whole team should be built for 16 games. He said, in the course of those four series, you’re going to play a big team. You’re going to play a really fast team. You’re going to play a team that relies on special teams, more like a trap team might in Jersey, a team that has great special teams. Then you’re going to see a hybrid of one of them. In no particular sequence. You’ve got to be big enough to beat the big team. Quick enough to beat the speed team. Special teams have to be good so you need power play specialists and PK specialists. Then, the hybrid, you need a blend of all it. And goaltending, obviously they had great goaltending.”

 

 

We can scratch the trap team off the list 

Next up .. speed and special teams 

[travel_dude]

2 minutes ago, phoenix66 said:

whats the over under on the Lucic -Kassian Fight Game?  I'll say Game 3 in Edmonton lol

 

Kassian Kaveman may want to and may have to, but he would be stupid to do it.  Lucic is there to keep the peace and prevent the other team from taking advantage of us.  Kassian is just a plug that looks to justify the overpay.  Wouldn't waste much time with him, especially not Guddy or Zaddy.  At most Ritchie faces him directly or Lucic challenges him after a cheap shot.

[travel_dude]

4 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

Lucic was a huge factor against DAL.  All series long, DAL just gave Lucic the puck along the boards.  Didn't even want to engage with him... It almost costed DAL in OT that one shift where Lucic/Lewis got in on the cycle.  DAL just let Lucic have the puck.

 

It was weird to see actually.  I don't think the Oilers will play Lucic that soft.

 

When it was Benn against 4th line, it wasn't pretty.  Benn was the only one able to overpower them.  That shift in OT was a beauty to behold.  Jarny was the C with them, so they didn't worry about defensive responsibility.  Lewis was able to play big boy hockey with Lucic.  

 

I have no idea how they play Lucic.  Probably try to use McD and Drai with Kane if they get the chance.  Dangerous line to play 4th line against, but Kane gets off his game when the rough stuff comes out.  McD plays though it, but Drai will back off if he can't dangle with the puck.

 

It will be a fun series.  Oilers have to put their money where their mouth is.  It's not regular season where the refs call free passes.  It's 2nd round where the play gets a little slower.  And goaltending has to be better than the first round for the greasy plays.  Flames just came out of that type of series.  The Oilers were content with run and gun.  We didn't look bad, but we have to keep the games to low speed.  

[tmac70]

Oilers are Satoshi Nakamoto 5 vs 5, it will come down to special teams. The miss the net Satoshi Nakamoto needs to stop with this club too in that series. The Greasers will take advantage of that. It should be a little easier to get to the net. Smith is can be rattled easy and Chucky already leave rent free in Smith, Kassian and Dry saddles heads any way. Dry Saddle is hurt so get heavy on him and don't puck watch Mc Baby. Lay his Hash Rate out every chance you can. This is a series where Gubrasson and Zadorov can be the differance in the corners. Puck possesion, neutral zone turnovers, and penalties is where you are where this series turns. AS mentioned earlier Coilers are a special team club, 5 vs 5 are only a threat if Mc Baby gets free. Play him and Dry Saddle one on one and they have nothing

[travel_dude]

7 minutes ago, tmac70 said:

Oilers are Satoshi Nakamoto 5 vs 5, it will come down to special teams. The miss the net Satoshi Nakamoto needs to stop with this club too in that series. The Greasers will take advantage of that. It should be a little easier to get to the net. Smith is can be rattled easy and Chucky already leave rent free in Smith, Kassian and Dry saddles heads any way. Dry Saddle is hurt so get heavy on him and don't puck watch Mc Baby. Lay his Hash Rate out every chance you can. This is a series where Gubrasson and Zadorov can be the differance in the corners. Puck possesion, neutral zone turnovers, and penalties is where you are where this series turns. AS mentioned earlier Coilers are a special team club, 5 vs 5 are only a threat if Mc Baby gets free. Play him and Dry Saddle one on one and they have nothing

 

Agreed.  I will say that the Stars limited shot as best they could.

Many times I thought it was wide and actually it was a blocked shot.

Even the one where Chucky put the shot over the net, it went off Otter first.

Same was true of some of the shots from the D.

Slicks got in the way of a lot of our chances as well.

 

We were over 115 shot opportunities last night.

That is insane.

Who does that.

Do that on the Oilers and they would be lucky to generate 20 shots.

[420since1974]

Calgary's D will probably frustrate the Oilers forwards.

Gudbranson, Stone, and Zadorov are quite good at pinning players to the boards to slow the play down.

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, 420since1974 said:

Calgary's D will probably frustrate the Oilers forwards.

Gudbranson, Stone, and Zadorov are quite good at pinning players to the boards to slow the play down.

 

We also have a couple of guys that stick like glue.

Kylington has an incredible knack of backchecking without taking penalties.

Ras follows like a shadow and doesn't buy into the head fake.