GDT: Flames (13-11-3) vs Leafs (17-5-6) - Familiar Faces @ 5pm MST HNIC

[flames23]

Got a point. Pk got worked as did Vlad's save pct. They're snipeshow specialists. Was a fun game from what I did see outside all the penalties. Phillips deserves more looks.

 

[super6646]

Ruzicka and Phillips benched the last 12 minutes. Nice going Sutter lol.

 

[Yepthatsme]

Anyways lots of negativity going on, but the Flames played extremely well tonight considering it was a back-to-back and they had to consistently and routinely gain back momentum after being short handed, not to mention it was against the hottest team in the league currently.

Phillips was neither good nor bad, but my god he makes Mangiapane look like an immovable object. Don’t think the puck touched his stick without him being knocked over, props to him for not losing team possession over it except for once or twice.

 

[lightstorm]

Ruzicka and Phillips benched the last 12 minutes. Nice going Sutter lol.

Reminds me of another dinosaur up North, who was the number 1 hockey genius...until he wasn't. And things got REALLY ugly real fast.

 

[MM917]

Phillips and Zohorna showed nothing in the game but weren’t terrible either so I guess for them that is all you can expect.

 

[Boomstick]

So, now that the early game is over, what's everyone up to tonight?
A beer or two sounds pretty tasty right now.

 

[super6646]

Ruzicka: 10:12

Phillips: 9:21

Backlund: 14:16

Just... f*** off Sutter.

 

[Yepthatsme]

Ruzicka and Phillips benched the last 12 minutes. Nice going Sutter lol.

Both were kindve just there tonight, not really difference makers in either direction. The third line was much more effective as Ruzicka-Backlund-Coleman, both Ruzicka and Coleman are great at regaining possession down low. I still feel Phillips deserves a shot in Dube’s spot, that’s his best spot to thrive and other than flashes on the rush Dube continues to not show much. Phillips has the speed and hands for a rush offense orientated line.

But yea, if you think an NHL coach is putting out 2 rookies together in a tie game with 10 minutes left I don’t know what to tell you. That’s for team’s worried about development more than wins.

 

[Mobiandi]

Ruzicka and Phillips benched the last 12 minutes. Nice going Sutter lol.

I've missed big Looch out there with 2:30 to go

 

[Dertell]

Ruzicka and Phillips benched the last 12 minutes. Nice going Sutter lol.

the two guys with the best xG% lol. they're half the players with possession numbers not below 50%.

So, now that the early game is over, what's everyone up to tonight?
A beer or two sounds pretty tasty right now.

10 PM here, so I'll prolly eat some clementines, take a walk and good night

 

[super6646]

Both were kindve just there tonight, not really difference makers in either direction. The third line was much more effective as Ruzicka-Backlund-Coleman, both Ruzicka and Coleman are great at regaining possession down low. I still feel Phillips deserves a shot in Dube’s spot, that’s his best spot to thrive and other than flashes on the rush Dube continues to not show much. Phillips has the speed and hands for a rush offense orientated line.

But yea, if you think an NHL coach is putting out 2 rookies together in a tie game with 10 minutes left I don’t know what to tell you. That’s for team’s worried about development more than wins.

I legitimately can't with you, especially when those two were our better players at ES tonight while our top line was getting caved and being put over the boards. Ruzicka has miraculously been almost a PPG on this roster should not be getting only 10 mins of ice time.

 

[MM917]

I had to listen to OT in the car for the first time in awhile and it gave me the chance to remember how terrible Wills and Loubardias are.

They are absolute garbage.

 

[Yepthatsme]

I legitimately can't with you, especially when those two were our better players at ES tonight while our top line was getting caved and being put over the boards. Ruzicka has miraculously been almost a PPG on this roster should not be getting only 10 mins of ice time.

I’m sorry, other than Ruzicka pressuring down low that eventually led to the Backlund post/Lewis goal, care to bring up or link a highlight of those two creating a high quality chance tonight as a line? Like I said, they never gave up much, but never produced much, so kindve just there.

There isn’t an NHL coach, other than the Ottawa/Arizona style franchises trying to develop players, that is leaning on a player in his second NHL game without an NHL point in the final 10 of a tie game. I understand why that frustrates you, but earning trust is a thing and ‘rookie mistakes’ is a MUCH bigger thing.

 

[Body Checker]

Penalties were just dumb. Wow

Zohorna looked good, fast, great reach and some skill. In a full season he could probably score 7-10 goals which could get us a few extra points. See ya later Lucic.

 

[23Monahan]

Lol huberdeau is tied in points with Darnell nurse

 

[Bounces R Way]

Ruzicka: 10:12

Phillips: 9:21

Backlund: 14:16

Just... f*** off Sutter.

Ruz and Phillips should have got more time but we spent half the f***ing game on the PK... Not sure if you can extract much from ice time in that situation.



Very frustrating loss. Blew three leads. Took a bunch of penalties. Team wasn't very good, needed to want that win more and just looked like they didn't as soon as the Leafs started skating. Multiple terrible giveaways straight up the middle by defenseman who should know better.

Good : Liked Zohorna, struggled to get it out on the boards a cpl times tho. Backs and Zadorov were pretty decent.

Pretty alright : Ruzicka and Phillips led the team in scoring chance differential, Phillips struggled the first half but looked better as the game went on. Hanifin 2 goals and had some other nice plays. Lewis was good. Kadri scored a goal and was generally good defensively.

meh : Dube, again skating well, and again zero clue on how to properly capitalize on it. Weegar mostly sucked but gapped up against Matthews alright. Coleman. Vladar one bad goal, but was decent in tight. Seemed to have trouble tracking it.

Bad : Rasmus was poor. So was Tanev. Neither as bad as the top line though, Lindy needs some new wingers these guys are all just too slow together. Passing and puck handling was horrible. They got buried by Nylander's line tonight. Special teams.

Really bad : Stone only played 5:33 but man he cannot be in against teams like the Leafs. Just does not have the footspeed. Discipline was terrible. Refs were junk.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I legitimately can't with you, especially when those two were our better players at ES tonight while our top line was getting caved and being put over the boards. Ruzicka has miraculously been almost a PPG on this roster should not be getting only 10 mins of ice time.

We used to have someone on here with similarly awful takes, just never watched the game but quick to shill the baffling decisions of guys like Geoff Ward or maybe it was Glen Gulutzan. IIRC that person was a Monahan fanboy who always insisted on calling 23 'Sean' and 93 'Sam' as if he was their dad.

 

[super6646]

I’m sorry, other than Ruzicka pressuring down low that eventually led to the Backlund post/Lewis goal, care to bring up or link a highlight of those two creating a high quality chance tonight as a line? Like I said, they never gave up much, but never produced much, so kindve just there.

There isn’t an NHL coach, other than the Ottawa/Arizona style franchises trying to develop players, that is leaning on a player in his second NHL game without an NHL point in the final 10 of a tie game. I understand why that frustrates you, but earning trust is a thing and ‘rookie mistakes’ is a MUCH bigger thing.

They played 6 mins of es tonight, so unfortunately not as much as I’d like to say. But Phillips made a very good rush play on the pp and was able to outmuscle two leafs players in the corner to set up mangiapane (who hit the post). He was battling in front of the net all night too.

Ruzicka made some nice plays on the pp too, and what you are telling me getting in on the forecheck and using his size to set up a goal is just “eh”? Guy has been a f***ing beast all season and is being criminally underutilized.

 

[MM917]

It is concerning (and odd) how much people are trying to pretend that guys like Phillips, Zhorna and Ruzicka had good games.

First because they clearly didn't but 2nd if they were our better players that is bad news because they are not good players. Good teams don't use crap like them. That doesn't mean that Lucic, Rooney and Lewis aren't crap as well but we need to be looking to add actual quality not overrating the crap that we have.

 

[joescores]

I’m sorry, other than Ruzicka pressuring down low that eventually led to the Backlund post/Lewis goal, care to bring up or link a highlight of those two creating a high quality chance tonight as a line? Like I said, they never gave up much, but never produced much, so kindve just there.

There isn’t an NHL coach, other than the Ottawa/Arizona style franchises trying to develop players, that is leaning on a player in his second NHL game without an NHL point in the final 10 of a tie game. I understand why that frustrates you, but earning trust is a thing and ‘rookie mistakes’ is a MUCH bigger thing.

Mate, he has a point, your view seems off. Are you related to that old fart?

 

[joescores]

It is concerning (and odd) how much people are trying to pretend that guys like Phillips, Zhorna and Ruzicka had good games.

First because they clearly didn't but 2nd if they were our better players that is bad news because they are not good players. Good teams don't use crap like them. That doesn't mean that Lucic, Rooney and Lewis aren't crap as well but we need to be looking to add actual quality not overrating the crap that we have.

What about Dube, Magiappane, Hubie??? How much is Ruzicka being paid? Ruzicka has been our best player this season all things considered!

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

Ruzicka: 10:12

Phillips: 9:21

Backlund: 14:16

Just... f*** off Sutter.

More like Ruz and Phillips not seeing the ice on the PKx6+

 

[Yepthatsme]

They played 6 mins of es tonight, so unfortunately not as much as I’d like to say. But Phillips made a very good rush play on the pp and was able to outmuscle two leafs players in the corner to set up mangiapane (who hit the post). He was battling in front of the net all night too. Ruzicka made some nice plays on the pp too, and what you are telling me getting in on the forecheck and using his size to set up a goal is just “eh”? Guy has been a f***ing beast all season and is being criminally underutilized.

You used a bunch of the same key words there. “On the powerplay”. We unfortunately didn’t get any of those after 2 minutes into the third, which explains most of your complaint. Ruzicka has been fantastic this year, and creating disturbances on the forecheck has been an amazing trait of his that he’s added to his game. That was one instance though, and like I said that was the only real chance created by them this game and not only was Phillips not on the ice but Lewis was the one with the great shot and Backlund’s positioning was who collected the bad play by the defenseman . But yes, a line not creating much 5v5 featuring two rookies late in a tie game not getting ice time isn’t blasphemous, it’s run of the mill.

I’m quite literally not rooting against either of them, and actually want Phillips moved up the lineup. Sutter is just not the coach to ride players based on the season’s results, and that Ruzicka-Backlund-Phillips line wasn’t creating much tonight. And yes, them both being the least experienced players on our roster hurt their chances of seeing that time.

 

[MM917]

What about Dube, Magiappane, Hubie??? How much is Ruzicka being paid? Ruzicka has been our best player this season all things considered!

No Ruzicka hasn't been our best player this season at all. And much like I said above if Ruzicka is anywhere close to your best player, he isn't, that is a problem because he is not very good and no team is winning with him as an important player.

Mangiapane was bad as well but I see people calling Dube, Mangiapane and Huberdeau out so not sure what the problem is there.

 

[Yepthatsme]

Mate, he has a point, your view seems off. Are you related to that old fart?

I’m honestly just trying to remember a nice offensive chance that Ruzicka-Backlund Phillips had all game? As a group they got extremely sheltered but didn’t accomplish much, while also not giving up much which is a credit to them. Benches just got shortened late in the game, and the only actual lines with points and a positive goal differential at even strength got used late. Seems like a very common usage strategy by a coach adjusting to who is feeling it. This page was very ok when our 4th line who didn’t create much 5v5 got minutes cut, but when it happens to youth it’s sacrilegious.

Again, Backlund shouldn’t be sheltered at all he’s been one of our most impactful forwards this year. Go back to Ruzicka-Backlund-Coleman who were great together, play Mangiapane-Kadri-Phillips since the former two are creating so much off the rush and that’s where Phillip’s showed the best tonight, then do a Zohorna-Dube-Ritchie/Lewis line. That’s my personal dream.

Can’t stress enough though, this was a pretty positive performance on a back to back against the hottest team in the league. If the ref’s decided Toronto wasn’t infallible tonight, we probably walk away with a win handedly.