GDT: WCQF Game 4 | Anaheim Ducks (1) at Calgary Flames (WC1) | Apr. 19 10:00pm ET

[Calculon]

Honestly, the only liabilities were the bottom pairing, goaltending and to a certain extent, coaching for not shortening the bench when needed. Otherwise, at worst, some guys were invisible or less effective then you'd like. Brodie, Monahan and Bennetts were the standouts while Hamilton, Giordano and Backlund were pretty solid. Ferland was great in the first two games but quieted down a bit after that.

Tkachuk didn't do a whole lot but it's absolutely unfair to expect a rookie to not only shutdown the likes of Getzaf and co. but also produce significantly.

 

[Master Bill]

We absolutely wasted Bennett's fine recent form this series. We could've used his game more but instead Gulutzan was too afraid of making changes to what worked before, even if it wasn't working recently.

Maybe they could've replaced Tkachuk with Bennett to give him more minutes? I don't know. That's the problem with Glen, when something has worked in the past but it hasn't been recently, he beats it to death in the hopes that it'll work out eventually. That's being too positive and optimistic, and in the playoffs you cannot be so passive.

 

[Rangediddy]

So many questions for me. Why wasn't Ferland sent out to go hit everything in the 3rd? Why was Tkachuk the least interested player on the ice? Why wasn't the whole team more physical tonight?

And I don't care what everyone said about us losing the games on our own, I think the most frustrating thing about this series is that every game had a bs call that affected the game against us.

Game 1: Dougie penalty should have been on Perry too. They score the winning goal late on that PP.
Game 2: Goal waived off for interference, but the league's involvement wasn't appropriate (as far as I understand) - and I still don't think it was interferrance to begin with. Would have given us a lead late in the game.
Game 3: Missed high stick call. Nobody can convince me that wasn't a high stick, I have two working eyeballs. Left them only down by one late in the game.
Game 4: Missed tripping call on Bennett, they go the other way and score.

I fully acknowledge that we didn't play very good hockey throughout the series, but when we lose every game by one, it shows we played well enough to not have the reffing or the league influence any game. Those calls literally could be the differences between us sweeping them. That's not how it should be.

 

[BigRangy]

woof

according to Natural Stat Trick, the Flames had 3 high danger scoring chances at 5v5 tonight

I think that really tells it all. When the going gets tough, this team just cant generate anything at 5v5. Either there is not enough talent up front (possible) or it is being mismanaged by a poor system (possible).

The goaltending led to this sweep but the lack of offense would have lost this series anyways. Need to address both problems this summer.

 

[flames23]

Disappointed. We'll hold the league record for best powerplay in the playoffs by a swept team for 200 years. We may also hold or share a record for least 5on5 goals at 2. I remember the Ducks/Wild series from years past having very little scoring, so that one is probably tied.

We deserved at least 2 games in this series, and could argue for 3. Them getting the sweep is absolutely undeserved. However, outchancing, outshooting, out special teaming isn't worth a damn when you can't outscore or out tend them. They plinko'd their way to victory. That and capitalizing on below average goalkeeping killed us. Funny a guy that ties Vernon's team record for consecutive wins ends his season losing 6 in a row I think I heard? Of course today's loss will go on Johnson technically, so maybe it's 5. I'm too tired and out of ****s to go check.

Very disappointed in the final result, very proud of our second half play.

Improving the 3rd pairing, finding goaltending or promoting from within and tinkering with some other parts should be all we need to be back next year. It'd be nice to move up, but there are lower seeded teams looking to improve and they will as well. Dallas/Peg/Vancouver will all be better next year I'm sure.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I think that really tells it all. When the going gets tough, this team just cant generate anything at 5v5. Either there is not enough talent up front (possible) or it is being mismanaged by a poor system (possible).

Having a 3rd pair that could extend periods of play in the offensive zone would help. Like Wotherspoon-Nakladal did for a brief period last year. Shifts like that (timely pinches, good puck placement, smart decisions at the blue lines) from your worst players that tire out opponents allowing your better players to come in and feast on them with an on-the-fly offensive zone line change.

 

[L13]

Replace Bouma, Brouwer, Engelland, Bartkowski, Stone, etc. with better players next season, pray for better goaltending, and you have a way more competitive team. Sucks that the Flames got swept, but they have the major pieces in place and need incremental improvements to round out the roster.

Oh well.