GDT: 'Battle of Alberta': Calgary @ Edmonton- 8 PM MT- CBC

[McDavyCrockett]

Playoff series
- are under a greater microscope
- have more whistles put away, favoring the teams that gets called for Ticky-Tacks in the regular season
- will have Playoff Ferland
- will have less Jokipakka-Engelland if Gulutzan has any sense (though I doubt he does, since Kulak SHOULD have played tonight). When Kulak is on the ice the Flames are a completely different team from when Jokipakka is on the ice.

Do I expect the bias to change? Probably not but the impact of reffing is more significant in the regular season.



"Both teams got away with stuff" yet one team has three times as many man-advantages including one soft roughing call in the winding minutes of the third while the other team was on a promising rush that might have resulted in the game winner.

Lol. Go ask Flyers fans how much all those circumstances helped in their playoff series' against Crosby and the Pens.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

So with the Flames losing 4 of 6, will Gulutzan do what he should have done two months ago and put Kulak back in the lineup? About the only justification for Jokipakka was that the team got hot with Jokipakka in.

 

[InfinityIggy]

So with the Flames losing 4 of 6, will Gulutzan do what he should have done two months ago and put Kulak back in the lineup?

I'd like to see Kulak up, but I don't think he is enough to change our fortunes in these games.

 

[Lunatik]

I'd like to see Kulak up, but I don't think he is enough to change our fortunes in these games.

Kulak is up.... up in the pressbox

 

[InfinityIggy]

Kulak is up.... up in the pressbox

Is he? My mistake. Point stands though.

 

[Mobiandi]

Eh neither team really deserved to win this game. The first period coulda gone both ways, second period was dominated by us and they were the better team for the majority of the third and in OT.

I'll say it again but we're not a playoff team. A competent playoff team would've stuffed them 3 or 4 nothing.

Brian Elliott shut me up and had his best game of the season and Connor McDraco was absolutely invisible which are two positives to take away from this game

 

[BigRangy]

I just hope that Tre goes and fixes the defense depth now instead of waiting for the deadline. The Flames are good enough (somehow) to make the playoffs this year and Oduya will make the perfect rental. Go and get him before someone else does and start building some chemistry with him and Brodie.

 

[FlamerForLife]

Elliott had an amazing game. Man I really hope we get these guys in the playoffs within the next couple of years, my heart would not be able to handle it at all!

 

[tmurfin]

So with the Flames losing 4 of 6, will Gulutzan do what he should have done two months ago and put Kulak back in the lineup? About the only justification for Jokipakka was that the team got hot with Jokipakka in.

Meh, Kulak's not going to win us any games. The biggest defensive issue we have is Brodie. He's not over the top terrible, but compared to what he could be providing, he's hurting us. He is showing flashes, but he lost a LOT of board battles tonight and plays died on his stick more often than not.

 

[DFF]

So with the Flames losing 4 of 6, will Gulutzan do what he should have done two months ago and put Kulak back in the lineup? About the only justification for Jokipakka was that the team got hot with Jokipakka in.

The Flames need some real dmen not a guy who is still learning the game

Also the problem they have right now is they cant score. Kulak is not going to solve that.

 

[tmurfin]

I just hope that Tre goes and fixes the defense depth now instead of waiting for the deadline. The Flames are good enough (somehow) to make the playoffs this year and Oduya will make the perfect rental. Go and get him before someone else does and start building some chemistry with him and Brodie.

Brodie needs to step up first. Wideman was the strong link in that pairing tonight. Which isn't good.

 

[tmurfin]

Ok the plus side, it was amazing watching the big oaf Lucic float around and get mad when things didn't go his way

 

[YourAverageFan*]

I just hope that Tre goes and fixes the defense depth now instead of waiting for the deadline. The Flames are good enough (somehow) to make the playoffs this year and Oduya will make the perfect rental. Go and get him before someone else does and start building some chemistry with him and Brodie.

Completely disagree. I think it would be a dumb mistake to trade assets this season when we can wait till the offseason when we have tons of cap space coming off the books and address our defense then.

Just battling for a playoff spot this season should be considered a success. Anything more and that's great, but it would be dumb to not stick to the plan. Next season is when we should start thinking about adding older players in season and/or at the trade deadline

 

[tmurfin]

Completely disagree. I think it would be a dumb mistake to trade assets this season when we can wait till the offseason when we have tons of cap space coming off the books and address our defense then.

Just battling for a playoff spot this season should be considered a success. Anything more and that's great, but it would be dumb to not stick to the plan. Next season is when we should start thinking about adding older players in season and/or at the trade deadline

Agreed. Let's push through this season and weed out some players, get through the expansion draft and than open our window.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Elliot has a great game, but was brutal in the shootout. Backlunds line has been the best and most consistent line most of the season. Monaghan, JG and Bennett need to step it up a lot. Thought Bennett looked dangerous tonight at times which was nice to see. The top guys need to start playing like top end players. The team isn't going to go anywhere if they remain cold and streaky.

 

[Anglesmith]

I only got to half-watch about 24 minutes of the game, but it looked like Monahan had more jump than he's had lately. And watching the highlights, that goal was great to see.

Also, I was listening to the Oilers' radio broadcast on the way to my game, and I can't even describe the level of salt in their commentators' voices as the Flames were shutting down the Oilers in transition repeatedly. They were getting so mad.

 

[Flameshomer]

I was at the game last night- rough game to watch as a fan, lots of neutral zone play both ways and very few real chances. Monahan looked good on the flames, I thought talbot and elliott were sharp for the most part.

Roger's place, for all its fanfare, actually sucked in the upper bowl, and the tickets were still outrageously expensive. It was so steep that if the people in front of you leaned forward at all your view was obstructed. The seats were so narrow too- I was sitting beside two other regular sized guys and we had a great laugh trying to imagine what it would have been like if we'd been heftier guys... also bathrooms with a single entrance/exit point causing choke points. Overall 4/10 imo. Good acoustics though.

 

[Body Checker]

i thought the boys played really well. We won the analytics battle, hit three posts and kept mcdavid checked for whole game. Bad puck luck but got a point out of it. This isn't the big game for next 10 days tho. Nashville game this week is. With they're games in hand we need a regulation win, it's a 4 point game as they say.

 

[Tofveve]

So I just watched the PVRed game.

It was a decent one, but, obviously would have liked more goals. I think Johnny is just squeezing his stick now, his confidence is a little rattled. A couple of poor passes, but overall he played well IMO. These slumps sucks but when he breaks it I'm pretty sure it will be in a bigly manner. It's tough to suffer through it with the kid.

Good to see Monahan get one and there were glimpses that his game is coming around some. A little more effort generally too.

 

[Ynnek]

Pretty even game and the score showed it. If our top players ever get going we should squeak into the playoffs.

 

[Tofveve]

Pretty even game and the score showed it. If our top players ever get going we should squeak into the playoffs.

Agreed. This has been a weird year. I'm not writing off anything.

 

[Dack]

Without the Backlund line this team is easily bottom 5 this season, like I said most of the players that were deemed important to the flames future have regressed under Gulutzan.

After the world cup I'm pretty sure most of us expected Gaudreau to turn it up instead he's on pace for his worst NHL season and hasn't looked like him self at any point outside of his first 2-3 games back from injury. Bennett is young so he gets the benefit of the doubt from me, he's always been streaky but from what I've seen he hasn't looked as good as he did last season nearly as often. I don't really think Monahan is slumping I think he's just a complimentary player who is expected to be more than he is. At least Brodie is starting to turn it around a bit.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Here's my take:

Hartley wasn't really an x/o's guy so much, he looked at his players and built a system around their strengths. I think he rode his stars, hard, he actually reminded me a lot of Keenan as a coach here. He put guys on the ice that would score and basically just let them go out and play and gave his best players all the minutes.

Enter Gulutzan. Gully is all about the system and 2-way play. He's a very strong teacher and believes in getting his players to do all the little thing he asks them with no shortcuts. This is why we are seeing the really polished players thrive, and others have regressed because they are playing catch up and playing for the team first.

Like him or not, Monahan looks far more committed to playing defence. Gaudreau just looks off, I'm not totally sure why but as I said before he's forcing it way to much. Bennett is being sheltered, I think he's in the same boat as Monahan really and the chances haven't been there.

Once these guys figure things out like Backlund did, they will learn that defence leads to scoring chances and I think you'll see the offence come. Gully is breaking everyone down first and will attempt to build them back up. Let's just hope it works for Mony, Gaudreau and Bennett. Longterm this is the right approach.

Regarding Brodie I really think his head isn't fully on hockey. He will be fine.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Game could of gone either way. That save by Elliott at the end of OT was bananas. Would be really good if he can get hot like Johnson was earlier. Holy **** this team needs to remember how to barry again.

I like Gulutzan's commitment to rolling 4 lines. It'll really pay off if our top guys ever get going. Gaudreau needs a multi point game at home in the worst way possible. Next Saturday would work for me. Don't know what Jokipakka is doing here honestly, didn't think it would be possible for someone to drag Deryck Engelland down but JJ is clueless back there. Brodie is all over the place too, but at least he carried the puck tonight.

 

[Tofveve]

I just think Gaudreau's confidence is a bit shot. But it'll come back. Every star goes through stretches.

And Dack, it was 8 points in 4 games (two per game actually) when Johnny came back.