Around the league: Playoffs II | Did I mention Calgary sucks? And also Winnipeg?

[MS]

Gaudreau has been everywhere in this game.

 

[Svencouver]

No. Save volume looks good, but if you are failing to make the key saves, then it doesn't matter.

Especially if he is making mistakes that lead to the situations that the goals are scored on.

I've posted extensively on this throughout the Flames games in this thread.

I think it's more the defense and the transcendental play of the Avs top line that has led to most of the goals this series. Smith has made plenty of sensational key saves. If you're going to criticize ANYONE this series Smith is the last one I would criticize lol

 

[Zombotron]

Where does Johnny Hockey go in a 2011 re-draft?

 

[mossey3535]

See again here just before the commercial break, I guess they're not going to show it again, but Smith overplays a shot that is clearly going to miss the netand it just becomes a shitshow. His footwork is bad so he ends up in the middle of the blue flailing around again. This shouldn't be a chance but yet it almost gets banked off him again. The Avs clearly see this happening and are looking for it now.

 

[Svencouver]

To me this flames team is the perfect example of the phenomenon of a team with high skills but no intangibles. No mental toughness no ability to fight through adversity. No ability to perform under pressure. These intangibles get underrated until the playoffs when they become front and centre for everyone to see how skill alone isnt enough.

I agree. People underrate intangibles and they've become a meme after people overrated them for so long, but you cant win without them. They're not sufficient to win with on their own, but if you dont have the heart, the leadership, the ultra-hard workers, the camaraderie, you simply are not winning in an environment like the playoffs. This is one area I do think the Canucks in particular are building well in. Horvat especially seems like such a key figure to any winning team, but Brock seems to make friends with everyone on the ice too, especially all the new kids that come on.

The Sedins left such a great legacy in that regard.

 

[EpochLink]

MacKinnon wants this playoffs to be his coming out party.
Make known league wide he should be one of the top players right now..

 

[Svencouver]

MacKinnon wants this playoffs to be his coming out party.
Make known league wide he should be one of the top players right now..

He is top 3 in the league as far as forwards go. The way he's playing he's not that far behind McDavid. He has looked outright unstoppable. He has speed, he has skill, he has size, he has strength. He has it all.

 

[EpochLink]

What a stupid penalty to take by Tkachuk

 

[WetcoastOrca]

You watch how tough each round of the playoffs are and it makes me appreciate more what we did getting to game 7. A lot of good teams getting bounced in round 1. It’s a battle.

 

[Zombotron]

Whoops!!!!

 

[Knight53]

4-1

don't f*** this up Avs

 

[Motte and Bailey]

Mackinnon is ridiculous. WOW. Given McDavid’s disappointing playoffs I’m tempted to anoint him the best player in the world right now.

 

[Zombotron]

Colorado hasn't won a series in 11 years? That doesn't sound right....

 

[Svencouver]

Mackinnon is ridiculous. WOW. Given McDavid’s disappointing playoffs I’m tempted to anoint him the best player in the world right now.

In this playoff's he's playing like it. Hard to compare when McD's team isn't on the ice, but I haven't seen all-around outright game-breaking dominance like this since peak playoff Crosby.

 

[EpochLink]

But Calgary had FIVE 70 point players...how can this be?

 

[mossey3535]

I dunno, I think that Landeskog is basically Monahan in that he is solid and can produce.

Then Gaudreau is trying hard but he is basically Raatanen.

Tkachuk is doing what he does but his counterpart is basically Mackinnon, who is a top player in the league.

Giordano has disappeared partly because he has to try to contain the Top-end talent of the Avs.

Then the Avs add a smooth skating phenom like Makar.

Basically the Avs have 1-3 more gamebreaking players who have skill, speed, and can play heavy.

 

[Hit the post]

Colorado hasn't won a series in 11 years? That doesn't sound right....

Something like a season or two after Sakic retired.

 

[Melvin]

Colorado hasn't won a series in 11 years? That doesn't sound right....

Wow

 

[Hit the post]

But Calgary had FIVE 70 point players...how can this be?

Have no idea why this popped in my mind when I read this

 

[Canucks LB]

Watching Calgary, its quite incredible how they are so bad in the playoffs.
I can't actually figure out exactly what they are missing to be honest.
Are the star forwards not tough enough as Jimbo would suggest?
Is it just bad luck and bad matchups?
Is it the flames not being to keep up with the speed of Colorado.

It really is quite perplexing, every year they go into the playoffs and I feel they are a pretender, every single time, and they are.

 

[Zombotron]

Have no idea why this popped in my mind when I read this

The Calgary tears must flow.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

Watching Calgary, its quite incredible how they are so bad in the playoffs.
I can't actually figure out exactly what they are missing to be honest.
Are the star forwards not tough enough as Jimbo would suggest?
Is it just bad luck and bad matchups?
Is it the flames not being to keep up with the speed of Colorado.

It really is quite perplexing, every year they go into the playoffs and I feel they are a pretender, every single time, and they are.

They're too much of an East West team. In the playoffs you need to play an aggressive north south game and just work through all the hooks/holds/slashes.

 

[mossey3535]

Peters needs to put Rittich in. They've got one period to save their season. Smith has been good but you need to do something to change the momentum.

 

[tantalum]

18 year old Sam Bennett with a bad penalty.

I hate the Flames...smiling from ear to ear right now.

 

[Svencouver]

Watching Calgary, its quite incredible how they are so bad in the playoffs.
I can't actually figure out exactly what they are missing to be honest.
Are the star forwards not tough enough as Jimbo would suggest?
Is it just bad luck and bad matchups?
Is it the flames not being to keep up with the speed of Colorado.

It really is quite perplexing, every year they go into the playoffs and I feel they are a pretender, every single time, and they are.

The mental game in such a short series is massive. If you get into a hole it takes an unreal amount of mental strength to get back out. When everything feels like it isn't going your way it's very easy for that to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Momentum is real and it takes a lot to overcome it - namely savvy coaching and the intangibles talked about earlier. The Flames dont have it.

Also, the Avs top line is playing probably the best hockey I've ever seen in my life