GDT: Game 4 Flames (2-1-0) @ Blues (0-1-1) 6:00 pm MT (Sportsnet Flames/ Fan960)

[Volica]

Brodie and Backlund have been a monster when it comes to relative corsi. Being paired up with Giordano has been godsend. That being said, Brodie has the best CA60 relative on the team, which clearly shows it isn't all Giordano. Brode has not been on the ice for a single 5on5 goal either. I hope he continues this up long term.

I've got no complaints about our forward group. They're essentially scoring on pace on every line. The defence sorely misses Hammer.
The goaltending has been sub-par big time in 3/4 games.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Interested to see how Rittich performs in Colorado this weekend. If he can put together a good performance I'd like to see him get the next start too.

Not saying it's been on Smith, but he's been letting a lot in and it's not unthinkable that Rittich could be the better option for a week or so while Smith sharpens up.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Interested to see how Rittich performs in Colorado this weekend. If he can put together a good performance I'd like to see him get the next start too.

Not saying it's been on Smith, but he's been letting a lot in and it's not unthinkable that Rittich could be the better option for a week or so while Smith sharpens up.

Sometimes starters need time off to reset. Elliott needed Johnson to take over for a while before he found his game, Holtby needed Grubauer to outplay him last year, etc.

 

[Fig]

Sucks to lose that badly, but I appreciate the fact the team kept the pressure on the Blues rather than just going through the motions and collapsing like a cheap tent.

 

[Mobiandi]

The game could've extremely different if Monahan scored that penalty shot. They kept battling but Allen was good. Smith was good until that 4th goal but you can live with the 2-3 times a year that it happens.

Chalk this game into the "shit happens" column. Time for Rittich to get some reps in

 

[Volica]

The game could've extremely different if Monahan scored that penalty shot. They kept battling but Allen was good. Smith was good until that 4th goal but you can live with the 2-3 times a year that it happens.

Chalk this game into the "**** happens" column. Time for Rittich to get some reps in

Yeah. Penalty shot, 5 on 3 for a minute a half... Flames lost special teams, Flames lost the game. Same story.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Funny how two shots that go post-and-out rather than post-and-in have us talking about a regulation loss instead of overtime/shootout.

 

[Mobiandi]

Yeah. Penalty shot, 5 on 3 for a minute a half... Flames lost special teams, Flames lost the game. Same story.

The bottom line might have been the same, but we didn't look as toothless as the game against Vancouver. Sometimes you just don't get the bounces

Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Backlund were bad but how often does that happen

 

[JPeeper]

Like I said when it was 3-1, it was going to be one of those games.

Take early lead and immediately give up the tying goal, Ras has rookie mistake which leads to goal, Edmunson goal because Vali's (weak pass) hits Gaudreau on the skate and dies right in the slot and Edmunson has uncontested shot from the slot. What happens after that? Mony has penalty shot, hits the post, PP doesn't score which could have tied the game up 3-3. Terrible goal from Smith for #4 because he doesn't play it properly. Bennett scores on a wraparound, they don't call it a goal, another 2 posts in the game. Extended 5-3 where Flames look decent but of course can't score.

It is what it is, games like this will happen every now and then, at least they came out and played well for the 3rd, that would have never happened under Gully.

Bennett, albeit early, seems to have arrived. Should have 3 points on the year rather than just the 1, but if he keeps this play up it's only a matter of time until lady luck and the hockey Gods f*** off and actually reward him for his strong play.

 

[Kranix]

Good to see Bennett make a move and set up a goal.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Funny how two shots that go post-and-out rather than post-and-in have us talking about a regulation loss instead of overtime/shootout.

Yeah, but the difference is the team didn't look great even if it did get to OT/SO.

I get the result and points are what matters, but it is concerning that we went from a solid 60 minute game against Nashville to maybe an okay-good 20 minutes against the Blues.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Yeah, but the difference is the team didn't look great even if it did get to OT/SO.

I get the result and points are what matters, but it is concerning that we went from a solid 60 minute game against Nashville to maybe an okay-good 20 minutes against the Blues.

I am not concerned. Our worst players last night were our #4 RW who took two penalties, our #6 defenseman, and Gaudreau/Monahan. Frolik is a much better player than he showed last night and Andersson, if he doesn't show better, won't get minutes to screw up as much. Monahan is what he is, he'll have games where he doesn't outscore his problems and you just live with it. Gaudreau had a tough isolated night.

These are problems you can live with.

On the other hand

- Our top pair continues to absolutely dominate.
- Our second pair looks okay, despite missing Hamonic
- We got scoring from our #3RW, #4C, and #2C
- Tkachuk and Czarnik are showing great chemistry as a second line pair. Now just plop Bennett between them and you're set
- Lindholm had a strong game
- We're a win tonight away from being on a 98pt pace
- our #5D at 20 years old actually had a good game dragged only by his partner

 

[Lunatik]

Yeah, but the difference is the team didn't look great even if it did get to OT/SO.

I get the result and points are what matters, but it is concerning that we went from a solid 60 minute game against Nashville to maybe an okay-good 20 minutes against the Blues.

The one thing that needs to he reminded, is when a team is playing good, they can make the other team look bad. Especially when they capitalize on their chances.

 

[InfinityIggy]

We didn't lose because we failed to capitalize on a penalty shot attempt though. We lost because we allowed 5 goals.

3 goals is enough to win a lot of nights. Defensively the team needs to be better.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

I am not concerned. Our worst players last night were our #4 RW who took two penalties, our #6 defenseman, and Gaudreau/Monahan. Frolik is a much better player than he showed last night and Andersson, if he doesn't show better, won't get minutes to screw up as much. Monahan is what he is, he'll have games where he doesn't outscore his problems and you just live with it. Gaudreau had a tough isolated night.

These are problems you can live with.

On the other hand

- Our top pair continues to absolutely dominate.
- Our second pair looks okay, despite missing Hamonic
- We got scoring from our #3RW, #4C, and #2C
- Tkachuk and Czarnik are showing great chemistry as a second line pair. Now just plop Bennett between them and you're set
- Lindholm had a strong game
- We're a win tonight away from being on a 98pt pace
- our #5D at 20 years old actually had a good game dragged only by his partner

True. Good points though you know I'm not quite of the same opinion on Monahan.

I was actually thinking the other night of combinations and you hit on one. I think you could run a Tkachuk-Bennett-Czarnik line and then have Dube-Backlund-Neal. Alternatively slot Dube in the middle and have Bennett-Backlund-Neal. So many options it's truly a lovely problem to have.

 

[JPeeper]

The one thing that needs to he reminded, is when a team is playing good, they can make the other team look bad. Especially when they capitalize on their chances.

This, you can't expect to dominate every game for 60 minutes. There are two teams playing the game, sometimes the other team just has a better game, doesn't necessarily mean the Flames didn't show up.

 

[CraigsList]

Simply put, the Blues were hungrier for the win. I thought we played fine, the Blues just played better. They have a good team.

It’s one of those few losses where I see a lot of correctable errors, Peters will make sure of that.

I like what I’ve seen the past 3 games. It appears we won’t have a problem with scoring if we are scoring on the pace that we are

 

[SKRusty]

Simply put, the Blues were hungrier for the win. I thought we played fine, the Blues just played better. They have a good team.

It’s one of those few losses where I see a lot of correctable errors, Peters will make sure of that.

I like what I’ve seen the past 3 games. It appears we won’t have a problem with scoring if we are scoring on the pace that we are

Smith was horrid. 3 of those goals were preventable. Unlike in Nashville the first and second line were not skating as well as the night previous. Calgary is a team that always needs to be pressuring the puck while at the same time reducing the turnovers. There are too many odd man rushes coming in Calgary's direction from players carrying the puck too long instead of chipping and chasing the puck in. Andersson if he wants to stay in the line-up needs to move the puck faster. The one goal was from him thinking too long where the pass should go. Back behind the net would have been the safest play.

That said it was only one game. Whenever Calgary is not playing with pace they look like crap.