GDT: [Game 1] April 13: Flames @ Ducks - 8:30pm MT (TV: CBC)

[SmellOfVictory]

Monahan and Ferland carried Gaurdreau tonight. Someone please tell me how Mony's a passenger, easily our second best forward behind Ferly.

Backlund was ******* tonight, not going to sugar coat it.

Backlund wasn't that bad. He started poorly and had a lot of trouble tracking the puck, but he was still better than half the team.

All I have to say about this game is: worst line change I have ever seen in the playoffs.

 

[Fig]

Unfortunate last 30 minutes. But a game that's good to build upon. Errors are easily corrected for the next game and it looks like we can hold our own against the Ducks on 5 on 5.

 

[BigRangy]

Very disappointed in GG's utilization of Ferland.

He was far and away the team's best forward and he played a measly 12 minutes.

Inexcusable. Need more Ferland in game 2.

 

[Fig]

Very disappointed in GG's utilization of Ferland.

He was far and away the team's best forward and he played a measly 12 minutes.

Inexcusable. Need more Ferland in game 2.

I felt like GG was trying to figure something out. I kept thinking he was playing a slightly different style in the last games leading up to the playoffs. There were definitely a few times where I saw the lines and thought to myself, "Why are those guys on at the same time?".

I also seemed to notice that Stajan was trying to be a pest and goad out a few penalties (didn't work) while Tkachuk seemed to be quiet and just let his reputation fire the other team up. I definitely saw some interesting plays against Getzlaff and Perry and it almost seems like GG is setting up for the long ride vs making it obvious what hand he holds pre flop.

Something maybe like saving Ferland's physical game and Tkachuk's pestness for the later games (game 3-5) vs blowing our energy in the early games or something? I really think Ferland's game plan for these playoffs will be more shooting and less squashing of lesser players like Bieksa. Maybe perhaps it will be to try to take incidentals with someone like Perry or Kesler.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

The thing that has me choked is the ice time distribution on the blue line:
26
23
20
17
16
14

What that really should be is closer to:

29 - Gio
24 - Dougie
32 - Brodie
30 - Stone
3 - half the minutes Dougie was in the box
2 (The Brennan Evans special)

we probably win like that.

 

[Lunatik]

Ferland doesn't kill penalties, that is why his ice-time was down.

 

[Anglesmith]

Ferland doesn't kill penalties, that is why his ice-time was down.

Yep. Game plan is pretty simple for next game:

1. STOP ****ING TAKING SO MANY STUPID NEEDLESS ****ING PENALTIES!!!
2. If you get a 5-on-3, don't ****ing panic. ****ing have some kind of organized break-in and then work an opening.
3. Bust your ass to the ****ing bench on a ****ing line change, you lazy ****s.
4. Keep up the good work.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

While it is lame and trolly and I think they should have put time back on the clock, Kesler sitting on the puck and curling up for like 16 seconds at the end was pretty funny

 

[Anglesmith]

While it is lame and trolly and I think they should have put time back on the clock, Kesler sitting on the puck and curling up for like 16 seconds at the end was pretty funny

I don't think there's any justification for adding time back on the clock, though. I think they can only add time back on the clock if a) time ran off the clock on a false faceoff or b) time ran off the clock after a whistle was blown or intended to be blown. The refs had every opportunity to blow the whistle there, so there's no way they could add back time. It's 100% the referees' fault that the time was allowed to run out, but they had no recourse to fix their mistake.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

I don't think there's any justification for adding time back on the clock, though. I think they can only add time back on the clock if a) time ran off the clock on a false faceoff or b) time ran off the clock after a whistle was blown or intended to be blown. The refs had every opportunity to blow the whistle there, so there's no way they could add back time. It's 100% the referees' fault that the time was allowed to run out, but they had no recourse to fix their mistake.

I know the rule, but I still think there should be an exception for blatant BS like that. Humorous as it was, it was essentially cheating. I mean, he wasn't even trying to hide it. He stuck the puck under his ass and then grabbed his ankles so it couldn't come out.

He at least could have lain on it or something and pretended he couldn't get up or something, but that was sooooo obvious what he was doing.

 

[Lunatik]

Kesler grabs his ankles.... resisting urge to make jokes

 

[Anglesmith]

I know the rule, but I still think there should be an exception for blatant BS like that. Humorous as it was, it was essentially cheating. I mean, he wasn't even trying to hide it. He stuck the puck under his ass and then grabbed his ankles so it couldn't come out.

He at least could have lain on it or something and pretended he couldn't get up or something, but that was sooooo obvious what he was doing.

There is no exception necessary. The rules say that it should have been called right away, but the refs blew it. They blow tons of calls during a game and don't have a way to right the wrongs, so there's no reason for this to be different.

 

[TkachuksMouthguard]

Not only did we lose but I had to watch Ducks broadcast due to random blackout of Flames broadcast on NHL.com

My hatred for the Ducks grows consistently these days.

I wouldnt count us out yet. More composed game for game 2 and we can possibly walk out of SoCal with a 1-1 series. End of 1st and 2nd period had moments to build on. Identify this focus and bring it for a full 60 mins.

Refs were decent the game but missing that initial too many men against Ducks was crucial... If Flames didnt have to fight back right away, game could of gone in a whole different direction.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Not only did we lose but I had to watch Ducks broadcast due to random blackout of Flames broadcast on NHL.com

My hatred for the Ducks grows consistently these days.

I wouldnt count us out yet. More composed game for game 2 and we can possibly walk out of SoCal with a 1-1 series. End of 1st and 2nd period had moments to build on. Identify this focus and bring it for a full 60 mins.

Refs were decent the game but missing that initial too many men against Ducks was crucial... If Flames didnt have to fight back right away, game could of gone in a whole different direction.

Sportsnet said it was the correct call because of (I think it was Rule 74.1) that if it is accidental, it's not a penalty or something.

Kesler grabs his ankles.... resisting urge to make jokes

Well, he did...

Watch the replay

 

[Zirakzigil]

Wasn't impressed from what I saw from either team tonight. The Flames lost this one for themselves. They had a golden opportunity at the end to tie it up on the 5 on 3 and choked.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Question: IIRC, the 5 on 3 started with ~1:40 left. Would any of you have pulled Elliot to make it a 6 on 3?

I've certainly seen teams pull goalies to make 6 on 5's all the time with about that amount of time left.

 

[Lunatik]

Question: IIRC, the 5 on 3 started with ~1:40 left. Would any of you have pulled Elliot to make it a 6 on 3?

I've certainly seen teams pull goalies to make 6 on 5's all the time with about that amount of time left.

It was with 2:20 left. I would have done it once control was established, which we never really did until the 1st penalty was ending.

 

[Turning Mangiapanese]

Tough loss, but I just don't see the Ducks as quite the boogeymen they have been in recent years. If they could just get the Honda curse lifted on Saturday I'd feel pretty confident about this series actually. Unlike in 2015 when it was more of a men vs. boys situation on the ice.

That line change though, jeez...

 

[lightstorm]

I dont get the hate on Bart this game, save the line change. He was strong along the boards, made a couple of good plays against Rakell.

I'd blame a lot of people before i'd blame him.

 

[lightstorm]

I hate garrett more than I hate the ducks. I've become way less of a Gaudreau fan this season. The guy is extremely mentally weak.

This. He acts like a teenager when he faces adversity. Very disappointing.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I feel like I did after watching Rocky IV. When Stallone cuts Drago, his trainer yells at him, "he's not machine, he's a man". The Flames need to just really attack and dominate them, I truly believe that we're a better team.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

I feel like Anaheim really did a good job of dictating our own breakouts if that makes sense. They got in hard on the D, and pressured the walls quickly once the puck was moved there, which lead to very few clean exits on our part. Besides Tkachuk, there really isn't any winger who can make a play under pressure on the wall consistently.

I'd say adjustments are needed for Game 2. We saw hitting the net front D work multiple times, allowing them plenty of room to skate with the puck. In order to do that consistently we'd need the singers to come down lower in the zone into an area where the Ducks D wouldn't feel comfortable pinching down.

Another option could be a centre seem play, which we never really executed last night but it seemed that the middle of the ice is much more open than a wall option.

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

It was with 2:20 left. I would have done it once control was established, which we never really did until the 1st penalty was ending.

Yeah exactly. It's easy to ask why Elliott wasn't pulled with 2+ minutes left but the answer is very simple: we didn't have control of the puck for most of the penalty. There was a good chance the Ducks would have gotten an empty netter.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

monahan is becoming an elite player. He's gotta do better on the dot though. Faceoffs killed us last night.

 

[Pirate King Luffy]

monahan is becoming an elite player. He's gotta do better on the dot though. Faceoffs killed us last night.

I don't what you would expect when they have Getzlaf, Kesler and Vemette. Especially the last two there. They are faceoff wizards.