GDT: FLAMES (47-20-9) vs. PREDATORS (43-28-5)6 p.m. MT | TV: Sportsnet West | RADIO: Sportsnet 960 The FAN

[TheHudlinator]

The thing is, there's no way Edmonton wins every game they have remaining. If Edmonton even loses another game in regulation, we clinch. While I ideal don't want us to coast, it's not always a bad thing to just perserve energy.

It's Sutter he won't allow us to coast. I don't care who we play in the playoffs we can beat anyone if we play our game

 

[Tofveve]

Only disappointments for me were a minus for Johnny and Lindy's Faceoffs (he seemed quite on the negative in that department just based on visuals).

 

[JurassicTunga]

Take the shootouts outta the game. Thankfully none of that in the playoffs. The officials had a rough game.
Glad to see the Flames battle back and gain at least a point out of this one on the back to back.
onto the next.

 

[Khrox]

We would have won the shootout if Mony were in the lineup. Say what you will about him, he's almost 40% in the shootout (highest of any active Flame since the 2013/14 season)

 

[Dertell]

we're basically guaranteed to win the division and I really want nashville in the first round. so it kind of works out. which at this point is crucial, because the flames' recent play doesn't scream "we can beat any team in the league" in the slightest (when we're playing against somewhat semi-functional teams).

when was the last time we looked decent against a good-ish team? the 9-goals oilers game? i honestly can't remember.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

we're basically guaranteed to win the division and I really want nashville in the first round. so it kind of works out. which at this point is crucial, because the flames' recent play doesn't scream "we can beat any team in the league" in the slightest (when we're playing against somewhat semi-functional teams).

when was the last time we looked decent against a good-ish team? the 9-goals oilers game? i honestly can't remember.

We were the better team against Colorado for the first 2 periods, the worse 3rd period was unfortunate, but it happens. If you argue we should have played a full 60, the argument also goes for Colorado in that game. 40 > 20. We were the better team against the Blues, they just capitalized on every small mistake we made, and Husso was significantly better than Markstrom. We won against LA 3-2 and we clearly the better team. Even against Vegas, our overall metrics were better, but unlike the Blues game, we did get better metrics after trailing, and likewise got killed by whatever breakdowns we had.

 

[Mobiandi]

There's just no reason to go 100% in a b2b now. I'm happy with the point.

Vladar has earned more starts to end the season

 

[Tofveve]

Oh, 3rd negative from this game:

Zad and penalties. Like this is worse than prime bad penalty Bennett.

I was okay with Zad for the middle half of the season but the penalties are getting real old. Don't know how many per game it is but it's feeling like a lot. Probably closer to 1 but feels closer to 1.5. Its too much regardless. I don't think he can get any in the next game and has to probably stay under 2 over the remaining games to stay with this club long term. It just doesn't cut it.

 

[Dertell]

We were the better team against Colorado for the first 2 periods, the worse 3rd period was unfortunate, but it happens. If you argue we should have played a full 60, the argument also goes for Colorado in that game. 40 > 20. We were the better team against the Blues, they just capitalized on every small mistake we made, and Husso was significantly better than Markstrom. We won against LA 3-2 and we clearly the better team. Even against Vegas, our overall metrics were better, but unlike the Blues game, we did get better metrics after trailing, and likewise got killed by whatever breakdowns we had.

I forgot the LA game, but I had the other games in mind. The "better metrics" were largely a product of score effects and venue (vegas, colorado) or the team has below average 5v5 metrics in general (blues). the blues were also on the second game of a road b2b (teams on the second game of road b2b have an average of ~46% corsi IIRC). To be fair, this game was also the 2nd game of a b2b, but it was the predators and score effect should've been in our favor, so yeah...

I'll admit my standard of decent play is very high, but considering our cap situation/trades, it's fair to consider how the flames' recent performances compare to the panthers, wild, leafs or the canes as opposed to random teams like the caps, preds, etc.

 

[DFF]

Not too bad considering b2b meaningless game

 

[Ace Rimmer]

That game sure as hell could have ended a lot worse.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I forgot the LA game, but I had the other games in mind. The "better metrics" were largely a product of score effects and venue (vegas, colorado) or the team has below average 5v5 metrics in general (blues). the blues were also on the second game of a road b2b (teams on the second game of road b2b have an average of ~46% corsi IIRC). To be fair, this game was also the 2nd game of a b2b, but it was the predators and score effect should've been in our favor, so yeah...

I'll admit my standard of decent play is very high, but considering our cap situation/trades, it's fair to consider how the flames' recent performances compare to the panthers, wild, leafs or the canes as opposed to random teams like the caps, preds, etc.

I mean I totally get that, we haven't been playing at the level as the Panthers or Wild for example (Leafs highs have been much better than us, but Leafs lows in that stretch are an ouch). But I also feel those teams are just extraordinary dominant, and even if we aren't there yet, we're still a strong team. Also while venue and score effects matter, if a team is truly as dominant as they look, they'd still be dominanting said metrics even if they're up a ton at home. Playing conservative doesn't mean you suddenly allow the opposing team high quality chances after high quality chances. So the fact that the Blues and Vegas did, still indicates either inherent flaws that we can exploit, or strengths of our own that we can capitalize on.

 

[DFF]

Oh, 3rd negative from this game:

Zad and penalties. Like this is worse than prime bad penalty Bennett.

I was okay with Zad for the middle half of the season but the penalties are getting real old. Don't know how many per game it is but it's feeling like a lot. Probably closer to 1 but feels closer to 1.5. Its too much regardless. I don't think he can get any in the next game and has to probably stay under 2 over the remaining games to stay with this club long term. It just doesn't cut it.

Can’t wait for someone to pay him 4M+

 

[Bounces R Way]

I'm a little more choked than I probably should be. Had tons of chances to finish this game but couldn't bury. This would be a fun playoff matchup. Saros isn't a goalie I really want to face.

Good : Mangiapane, much better game from him, not even just the two goals but he was engaged down low and defensively. Dube was physical and made some really solid checking plays. Not a lot going on offensively though. Thought Lewis was decent at 4C as well. Vladar I really liked, nobody is stopping that Forsberg laser and got a little unlucky on the Duchene goal.

Not Bad : Gaudreau wasn't great, but real solid defensively and had some good chances. Ditto Tkachuk. Special teams for the first time in a while were mostly good. Kylington was our best D which wasn't really saying much in this one. Toffoli a little better. Marginally. Score a goal guy. Coleman? I guess was fine.

Not Good : Getting sick of hearing about Jarnkrok's 'puck luck'. Pushed off the puck all night long. Backlund got a little better as the game went on but man, I am having 2C concerns. Andersson and Gudbranson weren't awful either but really looked gassed.

Bad : Zadorov too many penalties, too many poor decisions. Hanifin handled the puck like a grenade. Lindholm has really got to raise his level. Lucic and Ritchie total non factors, at least fight somebody if you're just going to take up space on the bench.

 

[Anglesmith]

I'm a little more choked than I probably should be. Had tons of chances to finish this game but couldn't bury. This would be a fun playoff matchup. Saros isn't a goalie I really want to face.

Good : Mangiapane, much better game from him, not even just the two goals but he was engaged down low and defensively. Dube was physical and made some really solid checking plays. Not a lot going on offensively though. Thought Lewis was decent at 4C as well. Vladar I really liked, nobody is stopping that Forsberg laser and got a little unlucky on the Duchene goal.

Not Bad : Gaudreau wasn't great, but real solid defensively and had some good chances. Ditto Tkachuk. Special teams for the first time in a while were mostly good. Kylington was our best D which wasn't really saying much in this one. Toffoli a little better. Marginally. Score a goal guy. Coleman? I guess was fine.

Not Good : Getting sick of hearing about Jarnkrok's 'puck luck'. Pushed off the puck all night long. Backlund got a little better as the game went on but man, I am having 2C concerns. Andersson and Gudbranson weren't awful either but really looked gassed.

Bad : Zadorov too many penalties, too many poor decisions. Hanifin handled the puck like a grenade. Lindholm has really got to raise his level. Lucic and Ritchie total non factors, at least fight somebody if you're just going to take up space on the bench.

While the first one was a bad penalty by Zadorov, at least from the limited views we got the second penalty on him looked to be pure, unadulterated horseshit. Trenin attempted to grab onto him and pull past, and Zadorov just stiff armed him. Trenin acts like he's been shot and Zadorov gets accused of a bad penalty. No justice in this world.

 

[Dertell]

Not too bad considering b2b meaningless game

not meaningless. the flames' increased their chance to be well rested before round 2

 

[Bounces R Way]

While the first one was a bad penalty by Zadorov, at least from the limited views we got the second penalty on him looked to be pure, unadulterated horseshit. Trenin attempted to grab onto him and pull past, and Zadorov just stiff armed him. Trenin acts like he's been shot and Zadorov gets accused of a bad penalty. No justice in this world.

Yeah that was bad but the Scissons one was worse. Runs into noted tank on skates Mangiapane and throws both feet in the air like an Amish girl on Rummspringa. Doesn't excuse his poor giveaways in DZ tho, of which there were several because he just didn't have enough urgency against their forecheck.

 

[Fig]

Ugh. By the time I got home and finished shoveling, the game was over.

 

[TheHudlinator]

not meaningless. the flames' increased their chance to be well rested before round 2

I remember people talking about round 2 before we played Colorado

 

[Dertell]

I remember people talking about round 2 before we played Colorado

it's the flames' job to take them seriously not mine

 

[Deen]

Lewis is going to show up for us in the playoffs. He knows all the vet moves when defending. He's not all that skilled offensively, but he knows positioning and when to throw a hit, make a pass, or trap a puck.

 

[vipera1960]

That's too many men? LMAO

If Ollie touches the puck yes, but Ras was within 10 feet of the bench from the overhead view.

The rule is actually 5’ and he definitely wasn’t there.

That said:
1. They let this go all the time, and he’s probably between 5’-10’

2. It’s possible the Flames were actually offside first, which would negate the penalty

 

[Mazatt]

There's just no reason to go 100% in a b2b now. I'm happy with the point.

Vladar has earned more starts to end the season

No reason for Vladar not to run the table up to, and through the b2b to end the season where Markstrom gets a tune up against Winnipeg. Maybe some wiggle room for a potential Wolf start, but that gets Markstrom to the 62 game mark which Sutter said in a presser (I believe) was the maximum he wanted him to play in-season.

Also 100% agreed that there's no real reason for the Flames to all out, and any meaningful conclusions that could be drawn from this game should be limited to the fringes of the roster that are trying to fight for playing time... so just Ritchie and Vladar.

 

[BRobMint]

I’m just glad there aren’t any shootouts in the playoffs

 

[Anglesmith]

Yeah that was bad but the Scissons one was worse. Runs into noted tank on skates Mangiapane and throws both feet in the air like an Amish girl on Rummspringa. Doesn't excuse his poor giveaways in DZ tho, of which there were several because he just didn't have enough urgency against their forecheck.

How about in OT when they decided that blatantly tripping a guy because he was about to pick up a loose puck was ok but having a slightly early change on a play that was already blown dead for offside was not.