I think people focused on individuals (especially in terms of "we can never win with X and Y on our team") are ignoring the larger problem. The Avs aren't dummying us because of superior individual talents, it's because of their overall team game. The Tampa Bay juggernaut has, without a doubt, better individual talents than Columbus. But the way that a team plays is much more important.
Of course, it takes each individual sticking to the process to produce a good team game, but it's a chicken or the egg scenario trying to place blame on individuals. Every individual looks terrible when they aren't being supported with the puck. Cale Makar looked like a stud tonight because, as a unit, his team was generating good situations for him to jump in with space. Meanwhile, the Norris Trophy winner was defending odd-man rushes all night and only getting the puck in tight situations with no one open.
But, it's all fixable. The Flames can play a much more controlled style of hockey than they have so far in the series. They can provide puck support to each other and they can stay out of the box. They did it better than any team in the West this year.
