Series Discussion: Calgary Flames (1-3) host the Edmonton Oilers in the first Battle of Alberta of the Millenium

[Mobiandi]

Seeing Backlund, Lucic, Lewis raise their games the way they had in the Dallas series just re-affirms to me that 82 games is way too long

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

Left the country at the wrong time. Can’t believe I’m going to miss this series.

 

[super6646]

Left the country at the wrong time. Can’t believe I’m going to miss this series.

It’s all thanks to you or all your fault if they win/lose the series. 0 pressure

 

[super6646]

I hope none of you ever have to go through this life altering experience as this man did

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Left the country at the wrong time. Can’t believe I’m going to miss this series.

CBC Gem and a VPN should do the trick

 

[Captain Controversy]

Where's the fire, Calgary? Let us add some Oiler to the mix so that Alberta may be destroyed by the epic series that is about to commence.

 

[snipes]

Get your GDT up boys so it can be added to the mains.

You’re the home team so they’ll use your GDT for the mains GDT.

Should be a fun time as an Oiler fan living in beautiful Calgary I am looking forward to this one.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Get your GDT up boys so it can be added to the mains.

You’re the home team so they’ll use your GDT for the mains GDT.

Should be a fun time as an Oiler fan living in beautiful Calgary I am looking forward to this one.

Paging @super6646

I'll do it, but we saw how that went.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I saw Brady with multiple cans of beer, and I felt a kinship.

 

[CamPopplestone]

I love what Lindholm said in his presser about Markstrom last night.

"Marky bailed us out a couple times against Dallas, so it was our turn to b as il him out"

 

[Bounces R Way]

Those Hyman goals were both shit but I'm not sure you can put that gongshow on Markstrom alone.

McDavid all alone in front of the net, horrible coverage and a Ritchie giveaway
Bouchard all alone in front of the net, McDavid makes a nice move on Dube but again poor coverage allows a cross slot pass
Draisaitl breaking in all by himself, maybe would like to see a save there but the guy isn't a multiple time 50G guy by accident
McDavid drives the net basically unopposed thanks to a pick from the linesman, Marky makes a great save and then no one picks up Yamamoto who is.. stop me if you've heard this one before, all alone in front of the net.

Really some bad luck with Zads stick breaking on goal #3, Hanifin's swipe going off McD right to Draisaitl, and Andersson getting picked by the linesman but still lots of shaky coverage. Need Tanev back to settle the defense down.

 

[Mazatt]

Of the very small amount of things that can be taken out of game 1, I think it's notable even with the trash goaltending the xG were around 5-2 for the Flames with some decimals in there.

I think the real key might have to be Sutter actually doing some from of line matching, at least in terms of ensuring that if McDavid/Draisaitl are out, he is only sending out his top 2 lines. Backlund and Lindholm's lines can dominate possession and defend. McDavid took advantage of Dube's line and Ritchie. Meanwhile (I was at the game) there was a point where I was wondering "Crazy McDavid isn't out there" when the top line was cycling against the Oilers, and then after a whistle I saw McDavid coming off the ice. They play the right brand of tenacious, yet safe/confident hockey to hem McDavid in, whereas the bottom 6, imo, are very susceptible to the rush game and McDavid/Draisaitl springing counterattacks against them.

 

[FlamerForLife]

lmao didn't even notice that in real time, both Kane and Kassian turtled against Looch

 

[Anglesmith]

In his post game comments, Woodcroft said that a big part of the Oilers' team toughness is scoring on the PP when the other teams plays physically.

Kind of confirms what we all kind of know... they don't do team toughness.

I really would love to see the refs send a message and level the standard going forward. McDavid is the best skater in the world, yet has the least ability to stay on his feet when contacted out of anyone in the league.

If Blake Coleman can eat a crosscheck in the back and maintain balance, you better believe that McDavid could too unless his entire goal is to game the refs.

 

[Mobiandi]

In his post game comments, Woodcroft said that a big part of the Oilers' team toughness is scoring on the PP when the other teams plays physically.

Kind of confirms what we all kind of know... they don't do team toughness.

I really would love to see the refs send a message and level the standard going forward. McDavid is the best skater in the world, yet has the least ability to stay on his feet when contacted out of anyone in the league.

Woodcroft's pressers are very interesting. Maybe I'm just used to Sutter freezing reporters out of speculating on his game plan while heaping tons of praise on the other team by now.

In all three games that Woodcroft has coached against the Flames, he announced that he knew exactly what to expect out of our team. And the Oilers were taken behind the woodshed in all three. One of the deciding factors in this series will be coaching. So far it seems that Woodcroft is nowhere near on the level of even Rick Bowness.

 

[crazyfisherman]

Literally full fetal

 

[TheHudlinator]

Would have loved to see Chucky's face as that was happening

 

[Mazatt]

Woodcroft's pressers are very interesting. Maybe I'm just used to Sutter freezing reporters out of speculating on his game plan while heaping tons of praise on the other team by now.

In all three games that Woodcroft has coached against the Flames, he announced that he knew exactly what to expect out of our team. And the Oilers were taken behind the woodshed in all three. One of the deciding factors in this series will be coaching. So far it seems that Woodcroft is nowhere near on the level of even Rick Bowness.

It's honestly crazy to give out any extent of bulletin board material. Post-game he specifically said "we hung 6 goals on their starter at home" and while he expanded beyond that, imagine that phrasing making its way to Markstrom. Or even to the defence, that the other coach thinks that 6 goals got hung on you specifically.

It's unimaginable that Sutter would say something like that, because honestly there's no real benefit other than trying to reassure fans you're competent as a team to continually repeat how "4-6 goals should be enough," cause that sure isn't something the team needs to be told, or that the media doesn't already know.

 

[King In The North]

Please give us Tanev back.

 

[HugginThePost]

Please give us Tanev back.

Do we know? If not, when?

Really could use him.

 

[Volica]

It's honestly crazy to give out any extent of bulletin board material. Post-game he specifically said "we hung 6 goals on their starter at home" and while he expanded beyond that, imagine that phrasing making its way to Markstrom. Or even to the defence, that the other coach thinks that 6 goals got hung on you specifically.

It's unimaginable that Sutter would say something like that, because honestly there's no real benefit other than trying to reassure fans you're competent as a team to continually repeat how "4-6 goals should be enough," cause that sure isn't something the team needs to be told, or that the media doesn't already know.

You listen to Sutter and all he does is pump the tires of the teams around him and belittle his own.

There's material to that. In Sutter's presser, what does he do? Shit on Smith? No. Tell people Flames are going to score 10 all series? No; He says they had to score a lot of goals because Edmonton could score 5-8. He gives opposition nothing to provide motivation.

This is the difference between an HoF coach and a newbie.

 

[TheHudlinator]

Please give us Tanev back.

He didn't look right vs Dallas and he missed game 7 so he must be really hurt. As long as we keep winning let him rest. Sucks not having him but we need him as close to 100% as we can get before he comes back

 

[Volica]

He didn't look right vs Dallas and he missed game 7 so he must be really hurt. As long as we keep winning let him rest. Sucks not having him but we need him as close to 100% as we can get before he comes back

If Calgary can get by Edmonton, and that's not a given, having Tanev back for a date with the Blues or Avs would be A+ critical.

Those two teams are much, much, much deeper than anything Calgary's had to face so far.

Just to put that into context:

Dallas had 3 players with over 50 points.
Edmonton has 4 players above 50 points.

St. Louis has 8 (with two sitting just below that mark)
Colorado has 8.

We're going to need 3 pairs that we can rely upon. I've felt Kylington has played poorly so far this post-season, and his ice time has reflected that; for those that will likely complain about this, his TOI has been slashed by about 3 minutes in the post-season so far. He didn't get past 13 minutes in a 9-6 game. Need to get that second pairing back with him and Tanev going at the rate they were for the majority of last season, that gave Calgary one of the most high-end top 4's in the NHL.

 

[King In The North]

Kylington's weaknesses are much more apparent without Tanev there.

I honestly wonder if having Tanev back at 60-75% is better than not at all?

 

[Dack]

I've seen a lot of "Kylington hasn't been good in the playoffs" or "the Flames need to scratch Kylington" and I don't understand it at all.

What's he doing that's so bad? He has the odd turnover, nothing that Hanifin or Zadorov aren't doing just as often as he is.

Seriously, these are their 5v5 on-ice stats so far these playoffs.

	Goals For	Goals Against	XGF%
Kylington	6	2	62.9
Zadorov	7	4	64.36
Hanifin	3	8	56.44 (Only Tanev is worse)

Admittedly I barely caught game 6 which was apparently his worst game but whatever you guys are seeing, I'm not seeing it.